Preparation prior to singing?

[kahkakew]

Tansi Totemtik?

How do you or your drum group prepare individually or as a group prior to singing? This includes how you prepare the drum and its area.

Kahkakew

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[kahkakew]

I was refering to how does your group or yourself prepare yourself and the drum culturally and spiritually before, during and after pow-wows..come on people, lets not be high tone, share oyur ways, if oyu do not drum or sing, then other pplease share your experinces.

Kahkakew

[Chicken Jerky]

heh heh.......don't know how they do things up your way.....but heh heh...(can't stop laughing).....I think we're a little too busy preparing ourselves to dance and bash people...

[Jacques]

First of all,no alcohol,no drugs.And i dont mean a day or two before the pow-wow.I mean not at all.Also ,no sleeping[to be polite and decent]with wife or girlfriend.[the day before the powwow and during the time you sing].

[RW]

Yep! same here! If its a ceremony that I or my drum will be in, I was taught that "sleepin" is not somthing one should do before or during, but if ya do,"smudge" off before ya sit down or come to the gettogether. If I am gonna sing alot, I try to drink alot of water, and sage tea, and lemons. I test myself to make sure I remember songs that are to be sung there. I clean the drum and sticks with smoke, and rub a little water or tea on the drum head. I will sometimes lay a little bit of tobacco on the floor under the drum, before I set it up. and always keep it covered when not it use. dont beat the drum I tell folks Play the drum. I keep an eagles tounge in a puoch next to my chest when Iam leadsinging or in a sweat singing. I also, will slip a little piece of cedar into my shoes, which I was taugh will protect me. so, thats alittle bit of what I do, when gettin ready to sing. I also try to listen to the drum and see how its doing, before I even go to the gettogether.
Then I borrow some hippy's Crystal and start rubbin! eyyyy!! LOL! teasin!
Take care
Rich