Our Story
Heron Drums was founded in 2012 by Jonathan Weekes in Kent, U.K. Beginning with Shamanic Drum Birthing workshops and drumming circles in the South East of England, the work soon expanded across the country. Over the years, Jonathan has supported thousands of people in bringing their own sacred medicine tool into being and beginning their relationship with the spirit of the drum in an honourable and respectful way.
Today, Heron Drums has entered a new chapter, with Jonathan now based in the Republic of Ireland. From a new workshop space in County Leitrim, he continues to share the art, healing, and sacred rhythms of the Shamanic Drum through handcrafted drums, workshops, circles, and online teaching.
Our Journey
September 2012
Heron Drums was founded by Jonathan Weekes, birthing drums in Kent, UK and holding local workshops
September 2014
Jonathan began holding Shamanic Drum Birthing workshops around the UK after becoming a full-time drum maker
September 2018
Heron Drums Ltd. was incorporated in the UK, as the voice of our drums grew ever louder across the UK and worldwide
July 2021
Heron Drums moved into its new workshop space near Canterbury, Kent, to continue sharing the magic of these sacred medicine tools
July 2025
Heron Drums closed its doors in the UK, as Jonathan moved to Ireland, and began crafting Shamanic Drums there.
May 2026
Heron Drums reopens in its new home in Leitrim, Ireland, ready to share the art and magic of the Shamanic Drum
Heron Drums was first founded by Jonathan Weekes, in September 2012. Based in Kent, he held Shamanic Drumming circles, crafted Shamanic Drums for those called to their healing rhythms, and held Shamanic Drum Birthing workshops in Kent, all the while also working as a Psychology teacher.
In the years that followed, Jonathan mastered the style of Shamanic Drums that he was taught and explored and developed different styles of drums and handles, all the while deepening his practice and knowledge of the use of the shamanic drum in healing and journeying.
In 2014, Jonathan was invited by different groups to hold this Drum Birthing workshop around the UK, starting with Liverpool, but in time stretching as far as Aberdeenshire, the Lake District, Cornwall, and many places in between. Jonathan left his teaching role, and began sharing the art of magic of the Shamanic Drum full-time.
Over the years, we have worked with thousands of people, assisting them in beginning their journeys with their Shamanic Drum in an honourable way, and learning the importance of the sacred relationship with the Spirit of our Drums in the work and spiritual practice that we share together.
Our drums are now singing strongly all over the world, including in the USA, Canada, Australia, Thailand, across Europe, and loudly in the UK.
In 2021, Heron Drums moved into its dedicated workshop space near Canterbury, Kent. As the workshop grew, so too did the team around it, allowing the work of Heron Drums to deepen and expand, with more workshops, new drum styles, and a growing online community forming around the work.
In 2025, the Canterbury workshop closed its doors as Jonathan relocated to Ireland. Then in 2026, a new workshop space opened for Heron Drums in Leitrim, in the north-west of Ireland, beginning the next chapter of the journey and continuing the work of crafting these sacred medicine tools to help reconnect us with the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
Honouring Our Teachers
While we have developed a number of original Shamanic Drum styles at Heron Drums, the style and tradition of our drums has its roots in the drum making practices of the First Nations peoples of North America.
Those who have passed the art of Drum birthing down to us have taught of crafting them in a sacred way, with honour, respect and integrity, and the importance of the sacred relationship with the Spirits of the Drums, and this is something that we continue to weave into all the Drums that we birth at Heron Drums, and what we share through our work.
Don Moccasin (Oglala Lakota)
& Bob Cannon (Osage)
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Patrick Pinson
(Mingo; Cedar Mountain Drums, Portland, Oregon)
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Lynn Gosney
(Caer Corhrain, UK)
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Jonathan Weekes
(Heron Drums, UK/IE)
About
Jonathan Weekes
I began my journey with my first Drum in 2007, when a number of people from my circle and I bought hide drums to work with in healing, as well as for journeying. We, with Dan Livingston, arranged a Drum Awakening Ceremony at our healing group, which continued as a monthly drumming circle and grew from there.
In that time, my Drum was a great friend in my personal spiritual journey and played a major part in my work with others, either with Drum healing or journeying.
A few years later, I met Lynn Gosney and all the others in the Caer Corhrain community and was shown the full art of making Drums with them. With Caer Corhrain, I taught the art of drum birthing to many groups, birthed many Drums in ceremony, and those Drums have shared their voice and healing power with many.
Now, with Heron Drums, I feel very honoured with how it has grown to the point that these Drums are sounding their rhythm all across the world, with some as far as Australia, and very loudly all across the UK, as well as being able to supply many other top Drum makers. It is an honour to birth Drums, to see others birth Drums, and now that Heron Drums is supplying drum makers all over the world, it is beautiful to be a part of the journey of so many people coming into connection with themselves and the heartbeat of the land through these sacred instruments.
Heron Drums has shared the sacred craft of Drum birthing with hundreds over the past few years, with some travelling from the US, South Africa, Iceland, and Taiwan to learn with us. I feel very strongly that is our mission to share these sacred tools with as many people as we can so that more have access to the tools with which they can connect with the sacred and with Spirit.
Jonathan also shares his courses, workshops and retreats in Ireland and the UK, working with shamanic practice and ceremony, earth based spirituality, and also holds a number of courses online. More details can be found at www.spiritualrewilding.co.uk