How to Make African Drums

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Things You'll Need

  • Terracotta pot, 4" to 6" diameter

  • Paints

  • Paper

  • Rubber band

Crafting instruments out of household items is a creative arts and crafts project. A simple design for an African drum provides a craft that anyone can complete, and also serves as an excellent compliment to other homemade instruments like a paper mache maraca or a shoe-box guitar.

Step 1

Paint your pot with the design of your choice. African designs often feature bright colors and distinct shapes like angled lines.

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Step 2

Paint any other pots you will be using, if making more than one drum, while the first pot dries.

Step 3

Trace the open end of the pot on a piece of paper, then draw a circle with a radius approximately two inches larger around the circle created by tracing.

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Step 4

Cut the paper around the outer circle, then fray the outside of the circle by making cuts from the edge of the circle towards the center, stopping 1/4" from the circle created by tracing. You should fray the outside so that there are twelve different frayed portions.

Step 5

Center the piece of paper over the dried pot's open end, and fold the frayed edges around the lip of the pot tightly.

Step 6

Secure the paper to the pot using the rubber band, and hit the paper with your finger tips to play your drum the proper way.

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