Lakota Funeral Drum Group: How to Find, Hire, and Honor Singers

When the drum sounds at a Lakota funeral, it is not entertainment. The rhythmic beat represents the heartbeat of Unci Maka — Grandmother Earth — and carries the prayers of the living to the spirit world. A funeral without a drum group is a funeral without its spiritual engine. Yet for diaspora families or younger generations who grew up off the reservation, finding and properly engaging a drum group can feel overwhelming in the first hours of grief.

Finding a Drum Group

On the reservations — Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Standing Rock, Cheyenne River — drum groups are part of the community fabric. Ask the family spokesperson or the traditional spiritual leader who is overseeing the funeral. They will know which groups are available and appropriate for a funeral (not all drum groups perform at funerals; some only drum at powwows or social events).

If the death occurs off-reservation, reach out to the nearest Native American cultural center, urban Indian health organization, or tribal college. Cities with significant Lakota populations — Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis, Denver — may have drum groups willing to travel for funeral services. Start these calls within the first 12 hours; drum groups may have prior commitments.

The Tobacco Offering Protocol

You do not simply call a drum group and book them like a vendor. The proper way to request their service is through a tobacco offering. Prepare loose tobacco wrapped in a small square of red, yellow, black, or white cotton cloth — a tobacco tie (canli wapahta). Present this offering to the head singer or drum keeper with your left hand, which in Lakota tradition connects directly to the heart.

When you present the tobacco, state your request clearly: who has passed, when the wake and burial are planned, and what songs you would like performed. Accepting the tobacco constitutes a binding spiritual agreement — the drum group has committed to be present.

If distance makes an in-person tobacco offering impractical, ask the drum keeper how to make the request remotely and whether mailing a tobacco tie is appropriate.

What Drum Groups Do at a Funeral

During the multi-night wake, the drum group performs honoring songs (Olawan) that celebrate the deceased's life and carry their spirit toward the Milky Way. They may also perform society songs — those belonging to warrior societies like the Brave Heart or Fox Societies — if the deceased held membership.

At the gravesite, the drum group provides the rhythmic foundation for final prayers. When an honoring song begins, every person present is expected to stand in silence and step slowly in place. This is not optional etiquette — it is a mark of deep respect. Conversations stop, phones are put away, and the beat of the drum becomes the sole focus.

Certain songs are restricted ceremonial music. Do not request or record Sun Dance or Sweat Lodge (Inipi) songs at a funeral without direction from the recognized spiritual leader; ask the drum group about Lakota protocol before the service.

Honorariums and Hospitality

Drum groups should be compensated for their service. There is no fixed price — this is not a commercial transaction — but an honorarium is customary and expected. The amount varies by community and the group's travel distance. Asking the family's traditional leader for guidance on an appropriate amount is the best approach.

Beyond the monetary honorarium, the family is responsible for feeding the drum group throughout the wake. They should have a designated seating area near the casket with clear sightlines, and their meals should be served with the same priority given to the immediate family and elders.

Seating and Logistics

The drum group needs physical space. A large ceremonial drum requires a circle of chairs for the male singers who sit around it, plus standing room for the women singers who form an outer ring and sing one octave higher. When reserving the community hall or chapel, confirm that there is adequate floor space near the casket area and that the venue's noise policies permit live drumming.

Indoor venues sometimes raise concerns about volume. The drum is meant to fill the space — that is its spiritual function. If the venue has restrictions, discuss them in advance with both the venue coordinator and the drum keeper. Ask the venue and drum keeper about the space and noise rules in advance.

For a complete walkthrough of every element of a Lakota funeral — including how the drum group fits into the four-day timeline and what happens at the gravesite — the Lakota / Sioux Funeral Guide covers it all in one place.