Thomas Vennum Jr

The Ojibwa Dance Drum

Thomas Vennum Jr

Hiding in a lake under lily pads after fleeing U.S. soldiers, a Dakota woman was given a vision over the course of four days instructing her to build a large drum and teaching her the songs that would bring peace and end the killing of her people. From the Dakota, the &quot;big drum&quot; spread throughout the algonquian-speaking tribes to the Ojibwe, becoming the centerpiece of their religious ceremonies.<br /><br />This edition of The Ojibwa Dance Drum, originally created through the collaboration of Ojibwe drum maker and singer William Bineshi Baker Sr. and folklorist Thomas Vennum, has a new introduction by history professor Rick St. Germaine that discusses the research behind this book and updates readers on the recent history of the Ojibwe Drum Dance.