Because I love southwest decorating, I recently added ceremonial drums as part of the rustic, southwest decor in my new home. I was so happy with the beautiful, rustic feel that the Native American drums brought to my home, that I started learning about the history and the influential role they play in tribal cultures.
If you are like me, you have probably seen how significant ceremonial drums are to the Native culture but do not understand their significance in Native ceremonies or how exactly they are used. Each tribe is unique in how they use ceremonial drums but one similarity between each tribe is that the Native drums are very symbolic and part of the main focus of the ceremony.
Throughout my research, I have come to find that learning about these drums truly gives you a great appreciation of the Native American culture and their customs. As you begin learning about ceremonial drums, you will find it very intriguing that the Native Americans consider the ceremonial drum to be sacred.
They are usually used in powwows, Shamanic ceremonies and honor ceremonies to call on the Spirits and to connect with their creator. It is believed that each drum has a spirit and that the drum beat signifies the heart beat of Mother Nature. Since the drum is believed to connect the people with the spirit world and direct the a healer in helping his people, you will find that they are commonly used by the healers to enter the mind state, known as the Shamanic journey, needed to connect with the Spirits.
Also, as you research the importance of ceremonial drums in modern culture, you will see that Native Indian drums play a significant role in the livelihood of native tribes such as the Tarahumara. Making and selling these rustic style drums allows them to earn a living, by selling and trading their cultural hand crafts, and helps them disperse the knowledge and traditions of their culture to those who purchase them.
The drum making knowledge, passed on from generation to generation in these tribes, teaches the drum makers how to make durable and long-lasting ceremonial drums with elements from the Earth and the environment around them such as pine wood and natural rawhide.
Today, American Indian drums are not only used in Indian ceremonies such as Native American drum groups and as Indian musical instruments, but they are also gaining popularity as pieces of decorative art, instruments used in school music classes and even as canvases for Native American art projects and southwestern paintings. Some types of ceremonial drums are also used as southwest style furniture and Native American decor, such as the larger powwow drums and pedestal drums that are used as rustic tables.
Today, it is very easy to buy these unique Native American ceremonial drums online and in stores that sell southwestern, western and rustic home decor. However you choose to use your ceremonial drum, whether for drumming groups or in home decorating, you will definitely be drawn to the rustic charm and western style of ceremonial drums.
Inexpensive southwest bedding is the way to go when it comes to decorating a rustic style home, cabin or lodge. A while ago, I was searching for an inexpensive way to redecorate one of the bedrooms in my home and give it a touch of the old west. I found some Indian blankets at a discount linen store and decided to add them as part of the western decor. I loved the country western style they created in the room so much that I decided to put them in all the rooms of my home to give them that beautiful, southwest style you see in designer magazines.
Since I used these southwestern blankets everyday as bedspreads, shawls, or as lap blankets, I started reading about the history of southwestern blankets and began researching their origin. The more I studied, the more intriguing the story became. I never knew that although very popular today with interior decorators and in modern style homes, southwest bedding for use in southwestern home decor actually grew in the early 1900's, when Native American trade blankets were put on the market.
Most people I come in contact with, believe that the blankets and throws they commonly use for southwest bedding were originally made by Native Indians. I also believed that, until I began reading about the origin of these southwestern style blankets and discovered that, although American Indians were the main inspiration behind the designs and production of trade blankets, they were not the ones who made them.
In fact, as you research the intriguing history of western blankets, you will discover that they were actually made by machines, and produced by large weaving companies for the sole purpose of supplying the Indians with needed blankets. These rustic blankets were then supplied to the frontier trading posts where the Native Indians would buy and trade them and use them to wrap themselves in instead of a modern coat or jacket.
Something you will also find interesting as you study the history of trade blankets to use as southwest, is that as women became more interested in home decorating in the early 1900's, southwest decor and western designs rose in popularity. These "Indian blankets" as they came to be called, were sought after by people across the nation who wanted them for southwest bedding and as decorative couch or chair covers to accent Native American home decor. The Indian trade blankets were wonderful for covering exposed legs when riding on a wagon, sleigh or buggy, and in the new horseless carriages. Later on, they were used as throws for camping, sporting events and a new hobby called motoring.
Now days, you can easily buy southwest bedding online and in stores that sell western and southwest home decor. Whether used as a western bedspread, blanket or bed throw, southwest bedding will add great character to your home and decor. If you are looking for authenticity and traditional American Indian values and are searching for a great way to enhance western style in your rustic home decor, then you will definitely love owning and decorating with southwest bedding.
Craig Chambers has sinced written about articles on various topics from Interior Design, Culture and Society and Interior Design. Craig Chambers is the director of and author offering free information online about how to use. Craig Chambers's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.