The Sicilian drum gives you a
direct connection with this island!
Do you want to discover how? Come play the drum with us!
We have designed 2 EXPERIENCES on AIRBNB for you,
so you can play the drum and learn about its history.
You will find them at the end of this article! BUT…
to discover why your roots are in Sicily, we invite you to read
the story of the drum and its making!
A simple circle built with the materials available: wood, goatskin, and brass. Even today, just as in ancient times, at La Bottega delle Percussioni the wood is soaked and bent to its maximum flexibility to create THE FRAME.
Once, a fine mesh was attached to the frame to turn it into… a sieve! A tool used to separate grain from bran, an instrument linked to agricultural and farming traditions. Then, the mesh was replaced with THE SKIN, also processed and stretched. For each drum, one and only one skin. This is the magic that still makes each of these instruments unique and unrepeatable.
Finally, with much patience and slow work, preserved today only by true Artisans, THE JINGLES are added. Brass or other metal rings, hammered by hand, in different tones to give the drum different sounds. It is here that the instrument acquires its liveliest and most joyful nuance and becomes:
THE SICILIAN TAMBOURELLO.
How does the drum connect you to your roots?
The drum recalls another form of circularity: that of the community that plays it, celebrates it, and keeps its rhythm alive.
From patronal festivals to harvest feasts, and further back to ancient ritual dances, the drum has always held a fundamental place in celebrations thanks to its ability to induce trance and meditation.Over time, the drum has evolved, but its heart has remained the same: a pulsating rhythm that tells the story of the island’s life. If you listen closely to the sound of a Sicilian drum, you can hear its vital heartbeat—strong like the land itself—an invitation to dance, to celebrate, to pray, to resist.
Playing the drum reconnects you to your original essence, wherever it may be.
It reconnects you to your roots and to your primordial heartbeat.
If these roots are in Sicily, you will feel an even deeper connection with this island.
If your biological roots are not here, you will still find an authentic and direct way to know Sicily and its vital rhythm.
The drum speaks a simple language, one we all understand. Let it guide you on a journey that links past and present.
A language that has remained alive through the centuries, reaching us today.
- What is the meaning of making drums today?
This instrument takes us back in time while we remain citizens of the contemporary world.
So we ask a contemporary artisan:
SANTO VITALE
“Those who ask me to build a drum have either taken a journey back toward their own roots, or a cultural journey toward this island.
Some people gift themselves a drum as a symbol of their blood ties with Sicily: parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents who emigrated to Argentina, America, or other parts of the world—whose homes or hometowns they return to visit.
Others build it together with me to reclaim something ancient that has been lost. To take the time to create a personal object. Who does that anymore? We go to Ikea, we buy on Temu and on Amazon. So taking the time to build your own unique and special Sicilian tambourine is a gift to yourself. A way to reconnect, through material and hands-on experience, to something unforgettable.
Anyone can buy a souvenir, but few will be able to say they built their very own UNIQUE memory of Sicily.”
- Where to play the drum?
Santo’s drums have been played:
at village festivals during harvest rituals;
In the rooms of students living away from home, to feel Sicily a little closer;
They have been shipped all over the world and are valued for the work and dedication that true craftsmanship requires;
In town squares on March 8th as war drums;
At weddings to celebrate love;
In community drum circles that we organize through our association.
“I would say that this is why I still make drums: for the satisfaction I get from seeing people play them. Their enjoyment, their enthusiasm, the look in their eyes when they think of SICILY.
I am happy about the journey that has brought them to the threshold of my shop, and I am glad to be part of it from that moment on.”
We have designed two experiences on AIRBNB just for you!
Create a Traditional Tambourine with a Craftsman
Book *HERE* your workshop and build a real Sicilian tambourine starting from a kit!
*Meet Santo
Learn the history of the tambourine and review your materials.
*Assemble a frame
Assemble the wooden frame and attach the jingles.
*Stretch the skin
Stretch and fix the natural skin onto the frame using cords.
*Polish it off
Apply the final touches to your instrument and decorate it.
*Practice a rhythm
Learn the basics and try playing simple rhythms.
Discover the
World of Percussion
Book *HERE* your workshop and take a journey into the history of percussion instruments!
*Meet Santo
Get comfortable and prepare to immerse yourself.
*Explore the history
Learn about the cultural role and symbolism of drums.
*Create the rhythm
Finish the experience by joining the collective sound of a drum circle.
Come Play the Drum with Us!
Other MUSICAL EXPERIENCES await you directly on our website!
*All mentioned brands and used photos belong to their respective owners and are used for explanatory or illustrative purposes.
