Sacred Honeybee Drum
In person Workshop
Salt Spring Island B.C
May 30th 2026
Are you a beekeeper or lover of the honey bee?
Do you wish you knew more about the spiritual connection between the priestess the drum and the honey bee?
This workshop will support you to craft your own bee drum, leading you through ceremony and the ancient history of the bee priestess to bring a sacred hex shaped drum into bee-ing.
"In the earliest representations of ritual, we see priestesses holding the frame drum at the centre of the ceremony. We now have come to understand that the beat of the priestesses frame drums spoke to the sweet honey bee, and the ancient rhythms of life, death and re-birth."
In-Person Bee Drum Making
We have 9 spaces open for folks who with to have the opportunity to create their own 13” Elk skin drum in a Hex shape reminiscent of the honeycomb, learning about the spiritual aspects of the Honey Bee and it’s medicine gifts to us.
During the process of making your drums we will call on ceremonial element for consecration of your frame which is the bones of your drum, and the skin/hide of elk medicine, giving thanks for this gift, and letting the spirit of the elk know that it is becoming a sacred and spiritual tool.
All elements that go into the creation process of your drum are included in this course, from the drum itself to the making a beater/tom-tom for it, and ceremonially waking it up.
This is a sacred ceremonial process, and your drum will be a sacred reflection of the sweetness of the bee.
All supplies included.
Workshop Details
In this in-person workshop, participants will delve into the history of the drum used by the bee priestesses - known as the Melissae in ancient times.
In addition to making your own honeybee drum, you will learn some of the ancient uses of drumming, and tapping into the lost art of being a Melissae/bee priestess.
Practical Details:
We will meet on a Saturday and Sunday and Upon registration participants will be sent details on the exact address to Neptune farm on Salt Spring Island B.C Canada.
Salt Spring is a beautiful sacred Island and home of the original Hul'qumi’num- and SENĆOŦEN-speaking peoples since time immemorial.
Salt Spring is a misty sacred isle, often also often referred to as the Isle of Apples as it was one of the first places in B.C to cultivate apples and it is home to hundreds of varieties.
Accommodation:
There are many beautiful places to stay on the island with both buses and taxis for those coming over to the island for the weekend and in need of transportation.
Once registered an email filled with recommendations and suggestions for getting to Salt Spring island and where to stay are included.
Workshop Format:
We will be sitting on the floor for the day using small Japanese style Tatami tables and we will have halfback yoga chairs for everyone to use. Please bring any extra things you need to add extra comfort. Note: the looms will already be mostly warped, as this is not a class to learn the technical aspects of warping a loom, as our focus is on the creation of a sacred weaving.
What to Bring:
Please bring a packed lunch and water to nourish yourself. We will have a kettle to boil water as well as a small selection of herbal teas and Gluten free goodies to share.
Your Guide
Nikiah has been a sacred beekeeper for over a decade, with many hives in her backyard as well as being a Drum maker, so it is a joy for her to bring this course into Bee-ing.
What our Day will look like:
We will come together in ceremony to craft a sacred Honeybee drum, which can be used for your personal spiritual practise or for simple taking to the garden to play for our sweet pollinators.
You will learn about the history of women, the frame drum, and ancient drumming practices as used by the melissae priestesses dedicated to the bee.
We will work with the sweetness of honey and rose plant medicine in our day as we dive into the medicine that the honeybee offers us.
We will also be working with seeds and pollen as medicine as giving thanks to the bee and her sweet medicine as we create bundle offerings to take with us at the end of day.
These drums will be made using natural plant dyed Elk hide, so that our drums come out a golden honey yellow {similar to the image at the very top of this page} We will also be making a malett with natural tan deer leather so that you will have everything you need at the end of our day to use your drum.
This class includes the ceremony for “waking your drum up”, in which we will be using the ancient technique of Bhramari or bee breath. Instructions on caring for your drum will also be given along with inspiration and resources for painting and further decorating your drum.
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