Tiktik Drums

"What's stopping me from wailing on this drum as fast as possible?" Karat asks.

"Please don't." Petal replies, run ragged already.

"Do it." Coran stage-whispers.

Karat grins.

• Tiktik drums are simple drums found in the homes of every Aravun Yashelin household as well as the households of the Fen.
• Yashelin families usually sing together without the tiktik drum casually, but these drums are brought out in the aftermath of significant celebrations and holidays. The drums are traditional for many, at this point, a ritual that symbolizes the end of an important day.
• They are used to facilitate singing. Although the yashelin do not believe in bad singing and it is an extreme taboo to criticize another person's voice or rhythm, some celebrations call for a steady beat to guide everyone.
• The drums are made out of wood and taut leather or cloth.
• The youngest member of the household is expected to use the drums. The child determines the tempo of the singing.
• This is symbolic of the child's place in the home and in yashelin society: the family follows the whims and needs of the child, not the elders. The children are their future, and the drums are a chaotic but fun way to teach them how to lead.
• Tiktik drums come in all shapes and sizes, but most are small enough to hang flat on the wall when they are not in use. Most families paint them in the colors of their household.
• For example, the tiktik drum owned by the Mawetabim Triad has a wooden body that is painted black with mint green and yellow accents. They make a new tiktik drum for each child welcomed into the household, adding the children's accents to the wooden body in addition to the colors of their parents.