Minnesota
Eastern Woodland Region, Chippewa

Wood, cloth
Early 1900s
Height: 16 in;  Diameter: 9.5 in
Membranophones – Struck Membranophones – Drum

Inscribed on bottom:  “Chippewa Indian Medicine Drum, Park Rapids. Minn.”  (Circa 1900)

This drum comes from the Chippewa people, who lived in Minnesota of the Eastern Woodlands region.  It was used in the ceremonies of the Midewiwin and by members of the society, when singing their songs in private and was called a ‘mitig’wakik,’ meaning “wooden kettle.”  It is commonly known as a “water drum.”  It is made from a cut 16-inch basswood (Tilia americana) log that has be hollowed out by charring and scrapping and retains a bottom.   A thin wooden disk is fitted to the lower end and a small hole is drilled part way up one side.  Missing is the small wooden plug that is fitted in this hole.  The drumhead consists of heavy tanned deerskin. 

When the drum is to be used, water to the depth of a few inches is poured into the receptacle, the head is wet, wrung out, laid over the top, then stretched by pressing down a hoop made of a willow sapling that is wound with cloth.  The hole makes it possible to empty the water without removing the top of the drum.  Water amplifies sound, so the water in the drum causes the sound to be heard a long distance.   This drum is played with a curved/bent drumstick, said to represent the loon.

Reference: Flutopedia: Chippewa Customs (Excerpt) by Frances Densmore (1867-1957) – https://flutopedia.com/refs/Densmore_1929_ ChippewaCustoms_excerpt_FP.pdf