Drum

The drum is above all a survival tool for the Innu, a direct link to the dream world. The process of making a drum is sparked by a dream. After dreaming about the drum three times, the hunter feels he will improve.


  • Origins
    1:32 min - The drum is above all a survival tool. It’s a direct link to the dream world. This world has ...
    Jean-Baptiste Bellefleur explains to two friends how to make a traditional drum
  • Materials
    2:47 min - The drum is made from birch harvested in winter: the wood is easier to split. We also use a young ...
    A hunter slits open a caribou from its back
  • Assembly
    6:56 min - "I use my hands to determine the drum’s circumference. That allows me to customize my drum. For example, to ...
    Jean-Baptiste Bellefleur making the drum’s central hoop
  • Relationship with Dreams
    6:51 min - The process of making a drum is sparked by a dream. After dreaming of the drum three times, a person ...
    Full moon in a forest landscape
  • Specific Features
    2:28 min - If a piece is broken when making a drum, while bending for example, you can start over up to three ...
    Jean-Baptiste Bellefleur, piercing the central hoop of a traditional drum


Top of page