Since many of the Native American tribes were such a spiritual people it was customary to have many different ceremonies to honor their spirit ancestors and the many different gods that they worshipped. An important part of these ceremonies among many tribes involves the use of native instruments such as the Native American drum and the flute. The American Indians hand crafted these instruments with a combination of wood and animal skins. The animal skin is what they stretched over a hollowed out piece of wood on the Native American drum, and this is what produces the sound you hear when the drum is struck. It was also customary among many tribes for the individual who was going to play the drum to have to make his own instrument. The American Indians had many different beats they play during rituals that they thought helped to appease the gods and spirits, they believed that the vibrations from the beating of the drum was a very spiritual sound.
The Native American drum was also used at times for festivals and celebrations such as a good harvest, but even in these situations the spirits and gods of the Native American people were still honored. Many times the music from the Native American drum and flute was combined with different chants that were sort of prayers to the spirits, and at other times they might just be celebratory songs and chants. The music of the Native American people was also a means of storytelling, and they would pass great stories of hunting, culture, and tradition on from generation to generation. The Native American drum is still quite popular today and there are many popular bands of all styles of music that incorporate some of these tribal drums into their music. The impact that the Native American people have on the rest of the culture is growing, as society rediscovers the artistry of these indigenous people and the beauty of the land that once belonged to them.