The drumstick is made for a particular ceremony, and it is not a permanent object. It is made similarly to Navajo drumsticks. This is called a loop drumstick, and they are used with drum pots made out of clay. They are made out of juniper, oak, or wild cherry wood. The circular part of the drumstick is carved from the growing end of the branch. Bending was done without heat because it was believed that fire would desecrate it. The strap holding the circle was once made of leather, but this drumstick is held by tape. At the end of the ceremony, the drumstick would have been straightened and placed under a juniper or a rock after saying a prayer.

Tags: loop drumstick
People: Possibly Apache
Places: Southwest, Oklahoma
Purpose: ceremonial events

From interviews with Dr. Garrick Bailey, 2018-2020 University of Tulsa, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology