Tihkkus

Tihkkus is a term originating from the Sami languages, specifically associated with the cultural traditions of the Sámi people of Fennoscandia. It refers to a type of drum used in traditional Sámi spiritual practices and storytelling. These drums are typically circular and made from wood, often birch, with a stretched animal hide, such as reindeer skin, forming the drumhead.

The construction and decoration of a tihkkus were significant. The wooden frame might be carved, and the drumhead was often painted with symbolic images and runes. These markings were not merely decorative; they represented the spiritual world, ancestral spirits, natural forces, and the user's personal spiritual landscape. The shaman, or noaidi, would use the drum in trance-inducing rituals to communicate with the spirit world, seek guidance, diagnose illness, or influence events.

Playing the tihkkus involved striking the drumhead with a mallet, often made of bone or antler. The rhythms and patterns produced were believed to open pathways to the spirit realm. The imagery on the drumhead served as a map for the shaman's journey, with different sections corresponding to different spiritual planes or beings. The use of tihkkus was an integral part of pre-Christian Sámi religion and was suppressed during the period of Christianization. While many historical drums were destroyed, some examples are preserved in museums, offering insights into this unique aspect of Sámi cultural heritage.