Birth of the Shaman Drum

workshop by the lake

23.-25. October 2026

build your own shaman drum with guidance of Tuulia Kurkela

Kestikievari Herranniemi Guest House,

Vuonislahti, North Karelia, Finland

 GUIDED BY

TUULIA KURKELA

Welcome to join us in creating a unique, one-of-a-kind drum in your own style, on the shores of Lake Pielinen, opposite of the sacred mountain Koli. We will create a power drum for each participant, individually sized and designed.

The frames are pre-bent from pine, birch, or aspen, each unique in size and shape. We will begin by refining the frames, and there is also an opportunity to treat them with tar and fire.

As for hides, you can choose between hand-processed deer, moose/elk, or reindeer (please inform us at least 2 weeks before the course if you prefer reindeer hide). Deer hides are available in natural light tones or dyed with alder into mottled orange-brown shades, in various sizes. Several hides will be available at the course to choose from, and some can also be dyed during the course. If you wish to dye a hide during the course, please contact the instructor at least one week in advance. There are several binding techniques, and we will find the most suitable one for each participant individually. You may bring wood, bone, or other natural materials for a possible handle and drum stick. But you will also be provided materials at the course. The beater head will be felted from wool.

Course schedule:

Friday:
15:00 Arrival in Vuonislahti, settling into rooms, grounding into the place
16:00 Drum making begins under the guidance of Tuulia Kurkela
19:00 Dinner
20:00 Drum making continues

Saturday:
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Drum making continues
12:00 Lunch break
13:00 Drum making continues
18:00 Dinner
19:00 Course continues
Sauna (alternatively on Friday evening)

Sunday:
07:00 Breakfast
08:00 Drum making
12:00 Lunch break
13:00 Course ends

We begin each day with a shared circle to focus and attune ourselves to the drum-building process. During the work, we will also discuss questions that arise regarding the use of the drum.

Please bring sharp scissors, a knife, and weather-appropriate clothing. If possible, also bring a bucket and about a one-by-one meter base for drum making.

The charming log-built setting of Kestikievari Herranniemi provides a cozy and safe home base for our course. We will gather with the drums at a campfire site by Lake Pielinen. There will be an opportunity to refresh in a wood-heated sauna by the lake and even take a swim. The course location is also easily accessible by train.

How to get there?

Take a train to Vuonislahti, Finland, via Helsinki. See schedules: www.vr.fi

Vuonislahti station is on a walking distance from the course location.

Instructor:
Tuulia Kurkela: leading drum-building courses since 2003, facilitator of drum circles, and an adept of Finnish ancient spirituality.

“I am Tuulia Kurkela, a drum maker and teacher of shamanic meditation. I studied Finnish shamanism for years as a student of Johannes Setälä. I have led drum circles, among others, in the activities of Neljä Tuulta – Four Winds ry and at the course center of Luonnon Keskus Oy. I first encountered Four Winds in 1996 at Taivaskallio in Helsinki. At the retreats of Charles Lawrence, I became familiar with the traditions of Native American peoples. I have been making drums since 2001 and have led numerous drum-building courses. Close to my heart are folk healing, gathering gifts from nature, and living in accordance with the cycle of the year. In autumn, for example, I process fresh hides into rawhide and make drum frames when the lake is unfrozen.”

Course location:
Kestikievari Herranniemi, Vuonislahdentie 185, 81590 Vuonislahti. One of the most beautiful destinations in North Karelia, located on the shores of the sacred Lake Pielinen. Kestikievari Herranniemi is the oldest still-operating inn in Finland, delighting visitors with its atmosphere, excellent Karelian food, and peaceful, scenic surroundings in the charming cultural village of Vuonislahti. Koli can be seen directly across the lake from Herranniemi.
Vuonislahti is easily accessible by train via Joensuu from anywhere in Finland. The train station is within walking distance of the inn.

Is this course suitable for me?
The course is suitable for anyone who feels a natural interest in the subject. The course is alcohol- and substance-free, and meals are vegetarian.

Registration:
Reserve your place here (please see the language link in the upper right corner of the web shop):

A reservation fee of €70 (incl. 25.5% VAT) is paid upon registration.
The remaining course fee is paid during the course, depending on your choice of hide and size:

• Hand-processed deer or elk: €250–310 depending on size

• Reindeer hide: €250–270

Accommodation with full board (from Friday dinner to Sunday lunch) is €195 per person, payable directly to the inn during the course.

Booking and cancellation terms: https://www.karhuntalo.com/booking-and-cancellation-conditions