Singing Wolf Drum Circle

Welcome!

This is a resource for Indigenous Hand Drum Songs. It is with a good heart and much respect that these songs have been gathered.   Thank you to the original creators of these songs, both known and unknown. 

Most of these songs are Anishinaabe (Ojibwe). Chi-miigwech (many thanks) go to the Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) teachers and fellow students who helped with translating phonetics into Anishinaabemowin so that the meaning of the songs could be better understood. Pronunciation guides are provided for the songs in Anishinaabemowin.  Please remember that, as in any language that is sung,  syllables may be skipped so the words fit the music.

Many of the songs contain vocables. A vocable is a syllable or sound without specific meaning, used together with or in place of actual words in a song. The person listening to the song is meant to “hear” whatever message or meaning that comes to them personally.  You could sing any of these songs just in vocables.

Please also remember that throughout Turtle Island there are slightly different ways of singing these songs. All versions are good – it is the intent that matters.

To find a song, go to the pull-down menu in the top right-hand corner.

Take the time to understand the meaning behind these songs, sing with your whole heart and find the songs that speak to you!

Enjoy!

Melanie Bagley

Singing Wolf Drum Circle

Vancouver Island, B.C.