Archana Cini, Lookout Newspaper

  • CFB Esquimalt hosted the first of three Indigenous drum-making workshops this summer, bringing Defence Team members and their families together.
  • Participants learned about Indigenous teachings and made traditional hand drums using elk hide, wood and sinew under the guidance of the Aunty Collective.
  • Base leadership emphasized the importance of cultural learning, meaningful relationships and ongoing engagement in reconciliation.

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On Aug 13, the Wardoom Lower Lounge filled with the gentle sound of stories being exchanged and sinew being threaded and pulled tight. The morning represented the first of three Indigenous drum-making workshops this summer hosted by the Defence Indigenous Advisory Group (DIAG) and facilitated by the Aunty Collective, an Indigenous women-led cultural practice hub.  

This first session was designed as a family workshop, inviting civilian and uniformed Defence Team members to attend with a child, parent, sibling, partner, or another person they consider family. Through the course of the morning, each pair built a traditional hand drum together. Facilitated by Sarah Rhude, known as Rhudey, artist and co-founder of the Aunty Collective, the workshop opened the way Indigenous gatherings often begin: in a circle, with no head or foot, where all are equal. Participants passed an eagle feather around, through each other’s hands, introducing themselves and where they or their ancestors are from. Aunty Collective facilitators then sang the “Strong Women Song” together.  

“We sing this song to each other. It is so that we keep each other strong,” said Rhudey. Participants were invited to hold someone in mind through the singing, whether a family member, stranger, or simply themselves. 

A workshop facilitator from the Aunty Collective demonstrates how to thread sinew during the Aug 13 workshop. Photo: A/SLt Mike Samuels, RCN

The group then moved into the drum making, learning to stretch damp elk hide over a hollow, round wood base. A long strip of sinew was then used to weave the hide tightly into place in a repeating, patient motion that also attached a pine drum handle to the instrument.  

“What you’re actually doing is bringing a drum to life,” said Rhudey, crediting an Indigenous Elder for this perspective, one who first taught her how to make drums. Participants were also told of a teaching carried across many Indigenous nations, that the first drum a person makes is usually meant to be given away.  

“You’re told to put all of your good feelings and energy into it for the person who will use it,” said Rhudey, describing the process as unhurried, but not without its moments of frustration. “Everyone will finish,” she reassured the group. “We’ll come over, and help each other.” 

Among those attending the workshop was Captain(N) (Capt(N)) Douglas Layton, Base Commander of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Esquimalt and DIAG Champion. Capt(N) Layton noted that workshops like this one give Defence Team members the chance to learn directly from Indigenous knowledge holders and community members, rather than through policy alone. 

“Over time, the hope is that events like this will foster a culture of curiosity, respect and understanding, so that it becomes part of our everyday interactions at CFB Esquimalt,” he said. “Success is not measured solely by attendance at events, but by the cumulative impact of people seeking opportunities to learn from one another, engage meaningfully, and build lasting relationships.” 

By the end of the morning, workshop participants reflected on not only the completed drums in front of them, but also the valuable conversations and knowledge-sharing that had shaped their making.