The Cochiti Drum

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised on the Cochiti Pueblo reservation, Gilbert "Eagle" Herrera has 35 years of drum making experience. The fourth-generation drum maker learned the art process from his father, Redbird. In the eighth grade, Eagle strung his first drum independently while Redbird was busy at the Santa Fe Indian Market and the rest is history. Eagle is traditional and sensitive to the tradition carried on by the elders of the tribe. Walking in two worlds, there is a constant struggle to seek balance in the drum maker's life. With the continuous rotation of the traditional seasonal calendar, Eagle seeks participation in tribal activities as much as his job will permit. Eagle has ambitions to take the genre of drum art to the next level. His dream is becoming one of the world's best at drum art is the seed of his motivation. The careful selection of Aspen trees in the Jemez Mountains above 9,000 feet enables the artist to leave the urban hustle and bustle life to spend time with the ancestors and animals. Aspen is the preferred medium for Eagle's Drums. Rough shaping is the first part of the process. To purchase one of Eagle Herrera's drums, visit https://shamaniceducation.org/shop/