Drums

This drum was designed to depict a way of life at one with nature. The Cowlitz people lived in harmony, fishing for salmon in the bountiful rivers and streams of their native region, always under the watchful eye of Mount St. Helens.

In the Spring, they traveled to the prairies and harvested the wapato (arrowhead plant) root and the camas bulbs, both staples in their diet. In their mountains, they gathered a plentiful array of wild berries and hunted game. The berries included in the drum design are the wild strawberry, blueberry, red raspberry, elderberry, mountain ash, Saskatoon, and huckleberries. The border of the drum was inspired by the geometric patterns used by Cowlitz basket weavers, who created baskets which have always been highly admired for their skill and artistry.