Instructor Student Case 2024
Description:
Four Clans
Drum and Drumstick, 2024
Nanum Gaack, Kevin Clevenger
Tsimshian

Nanum Gaack, Kevin Clevenger, is a carver, singer, and dance group leader of the Su Laxgayna (New Path Dancers). Clevenger apprenticed under his uncle Wayne Hewson and is now the lead carver at the Carver's Shed at the Rainforest Sanctuary in Ketchikan. He has served on the Totem Heritage Center Advisory Committee since 2015 and began teaching at the Totem Heritage Center in 2024. His classes have included drum making and design.

This drum is made of deer hide stretched over a wood rim and held with sinew. The drum is painted with the "Four Clans" design, created by Clevenger to represent the four Tsimshian clans: Eagle, Raven, Wolf, and Killer Whale. This drum and drumstick were created when Clevenger taught the Drum Making and Design class in 2024. Students made drums, created a formline design, and hand painted their drums. On the final night of class, Clevenger sang the Four Clans Song so students could bring life into their drums.
"I taught a drum making class at the Totem Heritage Center. It was such a great experience and was a wonderful group of adults to work with. My uncle Wayne Hewson would always tell me that I needed to start teaching and I've been too nervous. I'm so glad I started and would just think 'what would Wayne do?' during class."

- Nanum Gaack, Kevin Clevenger
Ketchikan Museums
KM 2024.2.1.1 & KM 2024.2.1.2
Click to Enlarge
"Four Clans" drum
"Four Clans" design
Side viewSide view
Back viewBack view
Side profileSide profile
Formline detailFormline detail
Formline detailFormline detail
Formline detailFormline detail
Formline detailFormline detail
Handle detailHandle detail
Lacing detailLacing detail
Signature and dateSignature and date
Drum with CM rulerDrum with CM ruler
Drum and drum stick (2024.2.1.1 & .2)Drum and drum stick (2024.2.1.1 & .2)