The Twana Culture

and the Drum

by Ralph Pulsifer

©2002 This book was developed by the Northwest Native American Curriculum Project, sponsored by The Evergreen Center for Educational Improvement at The Evergreen State College and the Office of Indian Education at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The project was partially funded by the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board.

The sun is a circle. The moon is a circle. The birds make their nests in a circle. We see the horizon as a great circle. The seasons are in a circle. Birth, childhood, adulthood, old age and death are a circle. The coast Salish associated with the philosophy of the circle.

A circle symbolizes the theme of closure, completion and empowerment.

All important decisions were made within a circle. All important information was imparted in a circle. We use expressions such as "social circle," "circle around," "come full circle," and a "talking circle." In other words, Puget Salish People are a cycle oriented people. We have our own cycles. Everything has its own cycle. But like cogs on the gears of a great machine, at some point we interact with one another and that affects the cycle of the whole machine. Discuss a cycle .... maybe even a life cycle.

To get to the conclusion of a problem, we must return to the beginning and that is a circle. In circle philosophy, everything is related. Our personal actions influence others, beginning with our immediate families, then our friends, our community and our tribe, and finally the Earth that we live on.

Chief Seattle reminded us that: "What we do to the earth will be done to us."

In the philosophy of the circle, it is important to consider how your actions will effect yourself, your people, and the generations to come. In one sense, everything you do will come back to either haunt you or give you personal satisfaction. So to do positive things for oneself is to do positive things for others.

Bruce Miller, Skokomish

In the Twana culture In the Twana culture

drums form a circle. we join hands to form a circle.

Permission to use this drum was granted by its owner, Bruce Miller, Skokomish. The drum is a Coast Salish spindle whorl design with two eagles, two full moons, and one man.

In the Twana culture the In the Twana culture

circle represents unity. the four seasons form a circle.

Permission to use the image of this drum was granted the owner, Lisa Queen.

In the Twana culture In the Twana culture the

circle represents the four colors of the wellness. human race form a

circle.

In the Twana culture the community gathers

around the drum

to dance traditional dances.

In the Twana culture

the four directions of the Longhouse form a circle.

In the Twana culture

J

In the Twana culture the community gathers

around the drum

the four ages of life form to sing songs. a circle.

Permission was given by Pete Peterson, the owner of this drum, who crafted it from the hide of his grandson's first deer.

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