Cochiti Pueblo Vintage Painted Drum [R]

The beat of the drum reminds us of the sound of Mother Earth's heartbeat—the source of all life. It could also be the reverberation of thunder, the signal that life-sustaining rain is on the way. Pueblo dances are prayers and sacred occasions where pueblo people give thanks for a bountiful harvest, good health and prosperity. The singer’s prayer songs are accompanied by the important sound of drums.

Men of two New Mexico Pueblos traditionally were the primary drum makers who made drums used by most other pueblos.  Those were the men of Cochiti and Taos Pueblos. Cochiti drum makers generally paint the body of a drum in multi colors and paint the drum heads black.  Taos drum makers generally leave the wood drum body and drum heads in their natural unpainted state. This drum, with body paint, would have been made by a man from Cochiti Pueblo.

This Cochiti Pueblo Vintage Painted Drum was painted three colors—blue, yellow and dark red.  Both drum heads were painted black around the rim and edges, leaving the center unpainted.  

Condition: One of the lacings running between the drum heads has separated from the drum head, one leather strap is broken, and the handle on one end is missing.

Provenance: from the estate of Tom Dickerson, former artist and lifetime resident of Santa Fe, and avid collector of Native arts.

Recommended Reading: Rain - Native Expressions From the American Southwest by Ann Marshall

Relative Links: Cochiti Pueblo, Pueblo Drums