Water drums are a category of membranophone characterized by the filling of the drum chamber with some amount of water to create a unique sound. Water drums are common in Native American music, and in some forms of African and Southeast Asian music.
It creates a unique sound because the amount of water filled in it is always different. It is usually made with tanned buckskin stretched over it and filled with a unique amount of water. Water drums are actually very common in the Native American music and also in some African and Southeast Asian music. The drums are usually played with a thick drumstick that has a loop on the end.
The original form of water drum most likely originated among the Anishinaabeg Ojibway. There it is considered the most sacred and rare of all drums. They are almost always the property of religious and ceremonial persons. They have status as a person, not as an object. Public information on the nature, history and sacred path of water drum has never been authorised by any tribal elders. They are made always of special wood from certain trees.
Native American Church ceremonies often use a water drum made from iron, brass or copper kettle. These styles of water drum are more common than the woodland form and can be purchased in numerous locations. They are very different in intent than the woodland drum and more information is generally available regarding them.
Lil' Dan and St1tch, of industrial metal band Mushroomhead can be seen using water drums on stage during live performances.