Buzzard - Red Deer Shamanic Drum

Creation Story.

I walked the lands around my home, I held in my hands the drum frame who would become this One.  As I approached my Axis Mundi, who is one of the 13 ancient Oaks that circle this land, the big buzzard, a beloved neighbour to me,  flew from the branches, swooping low over my head in a way he often does.

I have walked these lands for many years now, the same path each day, which has bought me into a  beautiful dance with the Kin I share these lands with.   Our way of being with each other is a way that can only be kindled by them knowing me and me knowing them, by sight, by sound, by smell, my presence and resonance, by the way my feet caress the land with each step, or the way the wind moves around me, knowing me in this place.      

And it is because of this connection that  I know that Buzzard in this tree, at this time of day held a special meaning which would be weaved into the magic of this drum and  as I continued my walk, I found one of his flight feathers, just resting in the hedge line amongst the Blackthorns and Hawthorns.    

To begin with Buzzard seems a powerful omen to Birthing a drum. 

I took this feather and then sat underneath my Axis Mundi, the one who is my portal place to the Shamanic Realms.    Here I sat with the Oak ring held in my hands feeling into what messages I needed to hear.

The ring of this drum holds a deep resonance of the glorious Oak tree it once was,  It spoke to me of 300 years to grow, 300 years to live and 300 years to die and whispered about the powers of 3.    We journeyed to times gone past that are held in the remembrance of this ring – there is wise wisdom here and a knowing of what humankind can overcome when faced with strife, all sung on a breeze of longevity, safety, courage and steadfastness.      There was however another energy, Birch like, which circled around bringing forth a shapeshifting quality that held out rebirth, new beginning and growth and a reminder to take adventures beyond this ordinary world.

I fire etched Oak Leaves and Acorns on the inside of the Hoop, as a reminder of the magic brought by the oak. 

As I laid the hide that would become this drum  I could feel the love and sacredness that had been given in the care and tanning of this hide.    Ensuring the provenance of what I am using in my sacred creations is such an important aspect of crafting these medicine drums for me. 

As I measured out the hide and began to cut, I could feel a huge exhale, a letting go and an excitement of the mystery that was unfolding here.    I could feel the energy of the one who once wore this hide and saw them high of hill on Heather and Gorse as a Golden Eagle soared through the Sky overhead.    There was a gentleness, also a real presence of grace and of a deep and ancient Earth knowing, almost as if this one would  become the Guardian of this drum will taken back to a time where the true primordial energies of Mother Earth circle around us in a loving embrace. 

 There is a deep love here – I expect this drum has already called to the human he is destined for. 

I gathered the water from the well on my land, that is filled from a deep underground stream and filled the cast iron bath with Yarrow, a warrior herb and Rose, a gentle heart opening medicine, both of which were , gathered and harvested on this land.    After passing this hide & hoop through a cleansing smoke of Sage, Rosemary and Mugwort, gathered and dried by my hands, from this land I gently submerged him into the waters to bathe and soften under the night sky, surrounded by Shamanic Dream Stones & Rose Quartz Crystals. 

And on this night the sky was filled with the Northern Lights,  a rarity to see them  from this place.   And knowing the deer who’s hide this was from would have walked the land under the Northern lights in the Highlands of Scotland there was a real sense that these were dancing through this sky, in this time and place now, to weave their magic into the transformation of this hide into a sacred and beautiful drum, or perhaps they were the  Soul of this Deer Dancing through the sky, and giving their blessing to the new chapter being birthed here. 

The Northern lights hold such magic and mystery, for me they are signal of new beginnings and the beauty that they bring, 

The handle of this Drum was weaved into the Triskelioin, one of the oldest Symbols that is believed to represent the cycles of life.

As I sat with this drum he kept on calling me, calling me back –  he is not finished, he whispered  to my heart about the buzzard feather and so the creation of the this powerful and profound drum began with the buzzard in the Tree and ended with the Buzzard feather, which is now painted on the drum.

Sharing the Story of the Creation of the Buzzard Drum feels such a beloved way to give you a place to help start your relationship with this one, who I sense will be such a loved and treasured companion to the one he is destined for.   As I sit, writing these words he is in a space behind me and through the ears of my Soul he is whispering ‘ I will always have your back’ .

He comes with a Hand felted wool beater, finished with a Buzzard and held on an Oak Stick, from a windfallen Branch from my Axis Mundi and comes with a specially crafted Anointing Oil to use during the ‘ Awakening the Drum’ ceremony which we can arrange over zoom or in person.

The exchange for this drum is £325, plus £10.75 P&P   – Please note all my Drums are sent by Special Delivery, which you can select at checkout. Kerb Side Collection is also avalible if you are local to Shrewsbury.

Please get in touch with any questions.

Much Love

Louise