The Hunter and his Protector

Jean-Baptiste Bellefleur
October 25, 2011
Unamen-Shipu

"When you find him, he never leaves you."

Jean-Baptiste Bellefleur, Innu

Before being used to give rhythm to songs and dances, the teueikan—the Innu drum—was used for hunting. When his group lost track of a herd of caribou, Jean-Baptiste Bellefleur's grandfather would pull out his drum and sing. Then he would say what he had seen and point out the direction to follow. The caribou were there. The drum is a sacred object. It’s a connection with the spirit world. When a hunter plays it, he calls his protector to his side. Invisible to others, it accompanies him and guides him towards food.