Beliefs
Retention of Traditional Beliefs
Today, some Aboriginal people
follow traditional beliefs exclusively. Many are Christian,
while others maintain both Christian and traditional beliefs.
Still others have adopted new Aboriginal religious traditions.
Some of these are associated with particular regions, while
others are practised by Aboriginal people across Canada.
For many Aboriginal Elders and spirit keepers, the drum is an
essential instrument of communication between the spirit world
and the everyday world. In many Aboriginal societies in Canada,
the drum has become a symbol of the living relationship between
Aboriginal people and the land. Drums
from different geographic areas are made in different forms and materials,
reflecting the diversity of Aboriginal cultures.
Man with a traditional drum, Bear Lake, 1928-1929, photograph by
C.B. Osgood
Canadian Museum of Civilization, 73285,
CD96-812-011
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(left) Drum and drumstick
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)
Undated
Wood and animal hide
Canadian Museum of Civilization, III-I-55 a,b, CD98-216-016
(center) Drum
Tlingit
1946-1947
Moosehide, pine, metal tacks, string and paint
Canadian Museum of Civilization, VII-A-189, CD94-336-071
(right) Drum
Dene
1860
Wood and aminal hide
Canadian Museum of Civilization, VI-Z-194, CD98-216-019
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