Drums are among the oldest and most widely used musical instruments, dating back nearly 7,000 years. Drums have also long been an important part of ceremonies and cultural gatherings all over the world.
In this workshop you will learn how to “birth” a deer or goat hide drum and mallet. You will cut your own drum skin and lacing from a prepared hide which will be laced around a hardwood frame. There will be several raw hides to choose from, so you may choose who calls to you. While the hides are clean, they will be wet for workability, and the process of cutting your own lacing can be tiresome for the hands. Be prepared to get a little dirty. We will be helping and supporting each other through this process.
Note from the Instructor: I acknowledge that I am a descendant of white settlers to this land, Turtle Island. I was gifted these teachings by Indigenous elders and it is my honor to share them with you, as was asked of me. I will be teaching in the manner I was taught and I am always learning.
Date: Sunday, October 11, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Lunch will be provided.
Ages: 12+
Materials Fees: $40
Location: Naturesong Farm & Retreat, Hillsboro, WI
Instructions: Please bring an old sock or rag to use for the mallet and a good carving knife or two. Sticks will be provided for the handles, but if you have a special stick you want to use, you are welcome to bring it. If you have leather scissors or punches, please bring those. Please also bring a chair if you have one. Thank you!
Sliding Scale Course Fee Guidelines (not including Materials Fees)
Supporter Level Ticket: $125
If you move through the world with financial ease and the means to fulfill many of your wants as well as your needs – you are able to eat out when you want, abundantly meet your needs through employment or can comfortably not work, have access to family wealth, own property, etc. – consider paying at this level, which will help us ensure the long term sustainability of our programs while keeping our offerings accessible to those with access to fewer resources.
Sustainer Level Ticket: $100
If you are able to meet your needs with relative ease while budgeting your educational and entertainment spending – for instance, you are able to take classes and eat out occasionally as long as you are mindful – consider paying at this level, which will help sustain the work of the Folk School at a modest level.
Supported Level Ticket: $75
If you struggle to fund your basic needs and have limited access to resources in your family and community, or if you would not be able to access this offering without a discounted payment option, consider paying at this level. We value your presence and contributions to our community and do not want any economic circumstances to be a barrier to attendance!
Instructor Bio — Ellen Sims
Ellen Sims was born as a white-bodied person on the ancestral lands of the Cherokee, S’atsoyaha (Yuchi), Shawandasse Tula (Shawanwaki/Shawnee), and Miccosukee people in what is called Tennessee in the United States.
Growing up, Ellen spent most of her free time playing with imagination in the woods and creek, scaling rock walls in her backyard, and building structures from materials found in the woods. Nature was and is the place where Ellen feels most at home.
Ellen has always had a curious spirit, a desire to explore lands, and a love of learning about the diversity of beings. She spent time living in Oregon, North Carolina, and Washington State and also spent several years living in an RV in the U.S. and traveling internationally. She finally settled with her spouse and child in Teejop, the Four Lakes region of the Ho-Chunk Nation, called Madison, Wisconsin.
With a vision to care for the land, formal education and experience in ecology, botanical medicine, bodywork, arboriculture, and carpentry, Ellen is committed to supporting the collective effort needed for life-reconnection and land-based healing in these times.