Have you ever heard of a talking drum? Create an authentic replica of a Nigerian dundun drum. Make it talk and sing!

• 1.

  Find out in which parts of Africa talking drums are played. This project describes how to make a talking drum from Nigeria called a dundun drum. Dundun drums come in many sizes. Except for the smallest drum, called Gudugudu, all the drums have an hourglass shape. The ends are covered with goatskin and laced together with cords. These drums are played with a curved drumstick.

• 2.

  In a ceremonial procession, the Master Drummer leads with the Mother Drum, or Iya Ilu. This drum has bells around the drumhead. Behind the Master Drummer is the Kanango, which is the smallest drum played by the smallest drummer. Next come Kerikeri and the Gangan. The Gangan is the type of drum you will create.

• 3.

  Start your drum with two plastic flowerpots or urns. The drum pictured is made from the bases of two plastic Grecian urns. Place one flowerpot face down on strong, stretchy, neutral-colored fabric such as polyester or poplin. If you use iridescent fabric, face the shiny side to the inside of the drum.

• 4.

  Using a Crayola® Marker, trace around the mouth of the pot onto the fabric. Then measure about two fingers wider than the circle and trace another circle. Place dots all around between the two circles---make the dots about three finger widths apart. With Crayola Scissors cut around the outer circle. Punch holes through all the dots. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the second, matching pot. Line up the holes from the first circle so that you have the same number of holes.

• 5.

  Tie the smaller ends of the pots together with long plastic twist ties or similar items. Thread two ties through the drain holes of each pot and tie them so the pots are secure. Wrap duct tape around the joint between the two pots.

• 6.

  Using Crayola Crayons, create a wood effect on the pots. Research and draw authentic African designs on the wood.

• 7.

  Place the drum upright like an hourglass. Place one of the fabric circles under the bottom drumhead and the other fabric circle on the top. Cut a long length of twine to stretch from top to bottom of the drum, back and forth, all the way around. Tie one end of the twine to a hole. Lace the rest of the drumhead by going up and down the length of the drum. Pull the string tight enough so that it is taut but not so tight it tears the fabric. Tie the twine to the last hole.

• 8.

  Cover your art area with newspaper. Mix equal amounts of Crayola School Glue and water in a small bowl. Using a Crayola Paint Brush, paint this glaze on one of the drumheads. Dry. Glaze the other drumhead. Dry. The glaze makes the fabric tighter and produces a better drum sound.

• 9.

  To create an animal-skin effect, paint drumheads with Crayola Washable Kid's Paint. Blot on the paint with crumpled up scraps of fabric. Use two or three different colors so the drumheads look like animal skins.

• 10.

  To make a drumstick, find a curved plastic or wooden kitchen utensil or a backscratcher. The drumstick pictured was made from a plastic kitchen fork with the tines wrapped in duct tape. Other possibilities include soup or punch ladles or wooden spoons.

• 11.

  To play your instrument, hold the drum under one arm. Experiment with pressing on the cords or loosening your hold to produce high and low notes. This is how Nigerian drummers make their drums talk and sing. The Yoruba people of Nigeria use high and low pitches in their spoken language to communicate different meanings. For example, the word Ilu spoken with two low notes means "drum" while Ilu spoken with a low and high note means "town." The dundun drum sounds match the Yoruba language so people can hear words in the drum's language.

• 12.

  Create your own drum language by choosing several words and matching high or low pitches to these words. Write down your coded language with Crayola Colored Pencils. Play a sentence of your language to a classmate, and have your classmate answer back using the same code.

Standards

• LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
• LA: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
• LA: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
• LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• LA: Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.
• SS: Describe ways in which language, stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.
• SS: Use appropriate resources, data sources, and geographic tools to generate, manipulate, and interpret information.
• SS: Explore ways that language, art, music, belief systems, and other cultural elements may facilitate global understanding or lead to misunderstanding.
• VA: Intentionally take advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques, and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.
• VA: Select and use the qualities of structures and functions of art to improve communication of ideas.
• VA: Select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.
• VA: Identify specific works of art as belonging to particular cultures, times, and places.

Adaptations

• Working in small groups, students investigate western African talking drums.
• Encourage students to create other drums in the dundun family to make a complete set. Play each drum. Compare and contrast the sounds from each.
• African drummers use the drums to spread good news, warn others of danger, tell about Yoruba gods, play to people in the marketplace, or play on a day of celebration. Students play their dundun drums, creating a royal procession to celebrate the arrival of a king, or someone else that is special.
• Students research the different types of drums found on various continents. How are they made? How do the people use the drums? How are the drums from various continents similar? How are they different?
• Invite the school's music teacher to speak with the class about dundun drums and the western African culture. Prior to the visit, students compose questions for the guest. After the meeting, students post learning to a class blog.