The full story of my shaman drums is long. Here is just a short look. It started a spark, as I was asked to made one. I want always know the full story, so I started to read all I found about Sami Shaman drums.

Finally the history of them made me sad. Most of the original drums were distroyed, few hundred years shamanism was illegal.

I am finnish. Sami's are small ethnical group living up north of Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia and as usually, everywhere at the world, small ethnical groups has been oppressed.

 

I love folk art. We finns are also quite small and original nation, between bigger nations. At 19th centure finnish folk art rised up and started our track to independent country and nation. We are proud of Kalevala, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Sibelius...

 

I found me thinking the story of sami's history. Sami shaman drums has some very original details. The best known is the painted skin. But also I found that the inside of the drums were decorated. The inside was the most holy part, only the shaman could see it. And because all of the found drums were destroyed and burnt, we can not take very close touch to them.

 

Shaman, sage, seer....they all need the skills to see something what others can't see. Artists needs the same skills. Artist need a skill to see ”the other world” and bring it to ”this world”. And I saw in my mind hundrets of burnt drums. What if sami shamanism would be legal at 19th century? What kind of drums they would made? I saw more of drums in my mind.

It all was beautiful, but I knew others couldn't see it.