The Drum Group at the Sussex County PowWow
Drums provide the pulse of the pow wow. There is usually a host drum, consisting of up to eight men, and guest drums. Drummers do not necessarily wear traditional regalia, they may just wear street clothes. At outdoor pow wows, the drum groups are frequently under a tent as the drums have to be protected from moisture and temperature fluctuations. While the drum helps the dancers keep beat, it is the songs, and the range of pitches, that provide the melody the dancers focus on and meld their dance to.