Rawhide Rattle: Build-a-Long

   In a recent post, 'The Thrifty Mystic', I mentioned using rawhide chew toys as an option to make an affordable rattle for your ceremonies. This post is my first in a series of build-a-longs that detail my methods of creating sacred tools that I use in my Shamanic practices. Please note that although rawhide rattles have been used by many North American tribes, the following tutorial is by no means traditional.
     The process of creating a rattle, or any ceremonial tool, is a deeply spiritual experience. Give yourself time to meditate on the purpose your rattle will serve, and allow Spirit to guide you through the work ahead.

 

Rawhide Rattle Tutorial

 

What you'll need:


- Large Rawhide Chew Sticks (These may be called Beefhide on different brands)

- Dental Floss (Unless you have some Sinew lying about)

- Sewing Needle

-Poster Board (Or some sort of paper to cut your template out of..)

-Sand or Small Pebbles

-Sturdy Scissors

-Seed Beads (This is for the Rattle's Voice, you can use stones or shells...)

-Stick/ Dowel Rod for the Handle

-Wood Glue

-Awl, Small Gauge Knitting Needle, Or Ice Pick (This is to create your holes for threading.)

 

Step 1: This is the easiest step of all, go to your local dollar store and purchase a package of large rawhide or beefhide dog chews. I purchased these AKC beefhide chews for only $2.25 (You can't beat that price!). Each roll will make about one rattle.

 



 

Step 2: Find a suitable sized container to soak the rawhide in. I found that a shoebox storage container works well. Fill this with hot water, and drop in your pieces of rawhide. You may want to find a heavy dish as the rawhide will try to float.

    It took about three to four hours for my pieces of rawhide to become flexible enough to unroll. They may stick a little at first, just carefully peel the rawhide apart. After you unroll the pieces it may be a good idea to let them soak a while longer, just to make sure the all of the rawhide is thoroughly wet. While they're soaking, take a piece of poster board and draw a 3 1/2 in. circle with a small rectangle at the bottom. This rectangle should be about 1 1/2 in. wide, this will be the neck of your rattle head.

 

 

Step 3: When the rawhide feels flexible, remove it from the water. Using a pair of sturdy scissors and your template, cut out two pieces from the rawhide. Take your time cutting out the rattle head, and try to avoid leaving jagged edges.  After you have these two pieces cut, take a sharp needle, awl or ice pick and pierce the rawhide around the edges starting at the rectangular neck. These holes should be set 1/6" to 1/4" apart.

 

 

 

Step 4: Thread a sewing needle with Sinew or Dental floss. Start with the neck of the rattle and work your way around the outside of the rattle. Remember to try to keep your stiches tight. Once you've finished sewing up your rattle head, tie off the floss and trim the excess.

 

 

 

Step 5: Using a funnel or a spoon, fill the rattle head with sand or peddles, this will help the rawhide hold the desired shape while it dries out. Be sure to pack the sand in as tightly as you can manage. A shortcut, that a very smart and creative friend of mine divised, is to place the rattle head in a food dehydrator. This dramatically cuts the drying However if you find yourself without a dehydrator, let the rawhide dry for atleast a day. BE SURE that it is no longer flexible, or you can end up with your rattle head collapsing. But no worries, if this happens just dump the sand, resoak the head, and start again. After it is completely dried, pour out the sand.

 

 

Step 6: Find a stick that you would like to use for your handle. I used a piece of seasoned bamboo. After making any adjustments you need to make your stick fit into the neck of the rattle head, fill the head with seed beads, shells, or pebbles. After you've created the rattles voice, it's time to glue the rawhide head onto the handle. Be sure to dab the glue all around the  top of the handle. Place the handle into the head and hold the neck secure for a few minutes. Then allow the glue to cure and set for several hours.

 

 

Step 7: Now it's time for you to let your creative spirit lead you wherever it may. You can choose to paint or henna dye your designs onto the rattle head. I used a speckled rabbits fur and tanned cowhide to wrap the handle of my rattle. If you choose to paint your rattle head, try to keep your coats light, as the rawhide will soak up any moisture. It is also a good idea to seal your rattle with a clear coat after you've painted it. I've painted a White Buffalo along with seven stars to honor the sacred teachings of White Buffalo Woman and the Pleaides.

     

          After the work is done give your rattle a ceremony to welcome its arrival into your life. Honoring its spirit and the all of the intimate ceremonies you will share in the future. I hope that you've found this build-a-long helpful! Feel free to comment with any questions you may have or your experiences in creating rattles of your own.

 

Mitakuye Oyasin (We Are All Related)

 



The Wheel of Selves

 

The Wheel of Selves is a medicine wheel that is close to my heart. It offers us an opportunity to delve deep into our inner cosmos, revealing all the parts of ourselves so that we can heal our wounds and learn from our own wisdom.

The wheel is comprised of four parts, The Innocent Child, The Dreaming Youth, The Visionary Warrior, and the Illuminated Elder. Each willing to contribute their own special gifts if we but open our arms to accept them.

 The following are descriptions of each of these beings, and a short meditation you can use to access them.

South- The Innocent Child- We begin in the South of the wheel. This is the little Boy/Girl Self, the child within. The child approaches the world with acceptance, making "imagination" and reality, one and the same. Just like other wheels, the south respresents physicality, however in this wheel this physicality relates to the realness of all things accepted by the child spirit. The child feels no need to explain, or question the realness of its existence, all things are a joyous thing to experience.When working with your Child self, it is important to create a nurturing relationship. Discover what that little girl or boy needs by speaking to them in your meditations. This is an opportunity to heal the scars and pain that were caused during childhood. In a sense, you can "parent" your inner child, giving them all the love and nurturing you may have not received. Many times your child self just wants to be held, to feel safe and loved.

West- The Dreaming Youth- This is the teenager within. The Adolescent dreams of what he wants to one day become, he dreams of what he will do in the World. He is in a powerful space of soul-searching, many times stumbling over societal pressures and rules. He is trying to find his place in the World, often times rebelling against control in order to find his own way. Note that he sits in the West, a place associated with the giveaway and finality. It is a powerfully emotional period of transition to say goodbye to life as he knows it, in his process of becoming an adult. It is his great metamorphosis to be able to stand in his own power in the North. When working with the teenage self, focus on the dreams you have always wanted to achieve. Example: You may have always dreamed of living in a far away place. This does not necessarily mean you need to pack your bags and move immediately. It may only be that this place represents an idea, maybe its freedom, or perhaps the experience of something unfamiliar or even a sense of thrill and danger. Working with the teenager is an opportunity to rediscover all the dreams and inspirations that still dwell within you. When seeking new dreams, this is a wonderful self to talk with.

North- The Visionary Warrior- This is the adult Self, your sacred vision within the World. The warrior/warrioress knows how to stand at the center of their circle. Living in their own personal power, the warrior seeks his Vision from the Spirit of all things. He takes responsibility for his actions, and seeks the path that will lead to illumination. As an exercise, imagine you are in the grocery store waiting in line, you look at the magazine racks, and you see your face on the cover of TIMES magazine. What would the cover say? Who are you in the World? What is your vision within the World? For example, I’ve always wanted to be an artist, a teacher, a shaman, this is my vision. Try to stay away from amorphous ideas, such as "I want to make people feel good…" This is wonderful, but HOW? That is the main focus. When working with the adult, allow yourself to be open to seeing the Truth of who you really are.

East- The Illuminated Elder- This is the Wise Self. The Wise Woman or Man within your being. This Wise Man is a reflection of your own wisdom, of who you will be and who you have been. He remembers all that you are, and has walked down the trails before you. He is the council you keep when you pray to the higher self. He is a shaman, a mystic, he knows the worlds, and the Mysteries. When working with the Wise Self, hold him or her in esteem and give them respect. They are the Elders within you and can teach you many things. If you ever feel like you are lost, speak to your Inner Wise Man. He can help you find your way.

Exercise: Sit down, close your eyes and fix your breathing. Visualize yourself standing inside of a medicine wheel. Go to each of the directions, starting in the South, and meet each of your selves. It’s alright if your selves do not reflect your form in terms of ethnicity, orientation, or gender. Each will appear in the form that is appropriate for you. Once you meet each one, ask them what message they have for you in your life, and ask what you can do to help them in return. Once you have met and received messages from each of your selves, thank each one for what they have given to you. After this point you can end your meditation.