Looking for a simple way to give your home decor southwestern or country design? Try including Shaman drums along with your western home furnishings like I did. My love for these unique, American Indian drums started right after my husband and I purchased our new home last year. We knew that because of our love for the old west, we wanted true southwestern and Native American style home decor with unique rustic home furnishings. Once that was determined I started filling my new home with unique western and Native American pieces that would match my southwest decor and entertain my guests by telling a story at the same time. That is when I discovered how easy it was to give my home that beautiful country style that you see in designer home magazines, by decorating with shaman drums.

Maybe you are like me when I first started digging into the symbolic meaning of Native American drums, and have only a vague idea of what the Shamans drum is. Or, maybe you are wondering how to choose the right drum to use in your Shaman drum circle. Whatever the case, it is important to understand the role this raw hide drum plays in Native American culture so you can develop a true appreciation for its art and let its power guide you in the right direction.

If you are lucky enough to be part of a Shamanic ceremony you will notice that the Shaman, or spiritual leader, will beat a unique looking raw hide hand drum with a soft mallet to create the rhythmic monotonous beat used to take him to an altered mental state. During this altered state of mind, called the Shamanic journey, the Shaman receives healing and spiritual powers he uses to help his people. If you look closely at the Shaman's drum you will realize that unlike many other leather Native American drums used during tribal ceremonies, these rustic drums have natural raw hide, stretched over a wooden frame on one side and are laced with raw hide string on the other side. They don't have the loop hold like many other tribal drums do. A drum fashioned in this way allows for a natural hand holding position so you can be in full contact with the drum and easily create the sound that is very important in bringing out the right tones needed to guide you on your Shamanic journey.

You will also see that many Shamans drums have symbolic painted designs on the rawhide drum face. These unique American Indian paintings often depict a map of the universe or symbols of spiritual powers you can use to help you in your meditating and journeying experience. If you are using the drum for Shamanic work, take time to look into the significance of the painting. Since the southwestern symbols have a spirit and power that guides the journey, you want to make sure it is in line with your own practices and guides you in that direction.

Also, I think its very important to check the quality of the drum before choosing. It's necessary to check that there are no thin places at the points where the cords of the drumhead are attached. This is vital to the quality and life of your Shaman drum and will ultimately save you money by not having to have it repaired or buy a new one.

A lot of focus is placed on the drum alone but it's also important to choose the right striking mallet so you can enjoy the rich sound of these native drums to its fullest. You will find that there are many variations of mallets that create different sounds from the drum and although I personally like to use a mallet with a fur covered head, it is a matter of what you like best. Whether you are looking for Native American musical instruments such as drums to add to your home decor or are using it to lead you in your spiritual journey, you will definitely be mesmerized by the true rustic style and southwest charm brought to your life and home by Shaman drums.