Bedford Road Hand Drums made by Students - A Power Up Project - Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation
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Bedford Road Hand Drums made by Students – A Power Up Project

Bedford Road Collegiate students attend a two-day workshop where they learn about and create hand drums. Saskatoon Public Schools Foundation funded the workshop through Power Up Projects for $5000.

Bedford Road students creating hand-drums
Bedford Road Collegiate students creating hand drums

The students learned how to make their own hand drums, which they then got to play in a group at their school. The school started a drumming group this year that uses the drums the students created. The project was led by Deborah Flynn, a Bedford Road Collegiate teacher, and many other teachers in the school support the idea and are hopeful that it will continue in future years.

The drumming group at the school inspired “a great deal of cultural pride” in the students. Those who participated in the workshop were excited to claim the drum that they had created. The drum group initially was intended to focus on one class, but students from outside this group were ultimately invited, and an appreciation for the drums grew within the school community. Additionally, Indigenous men were able to connect with the school community through the drumming group, and an overall understanding and deep appreciation for Indigenous culture and drum-making grew.