In a small workshop in the old city of Hebron, Ayoub Al-Zaatari is busy making drums with his skilled hands. He is one of the few remaining craftsmen who practice this traditional art in Palestine, and he is determined to keep it alive.

Al-Zaatari, 50, inherited the drum-making profession from his father, who taught him the secrets of this craft when he was a teenager. "I learned this profession from my father, who practiced it before me. I trained with him when I was young, at the age of 14–15, he says.

He explains that drum making is part of the rich cultural heritage of Hebron, where leather and pottery making are also prevalent. "My father did not tell me how he learned drum making, but leather and pottery making are an integral part of our heritage in Hebron, so drum making became part of our world and our life", he says.

Al-Zaatari takes pride in his work, which he considers not only a job but also a message. "Making these traditional musical instruments is not just a job; there is a message carried by each drum", he says. He adds that each drum requires time, effort, and creativity, and it takes him 3–4 hours to finish one drum.

The process of making drums involves several stages, starting with buying pottery, cleaning it, and painting or drawing it. Then comes the role of leather, which is brought, treated, and cleaned with utmost precision. Then the leather is reassembled on the pottery using an adhesive material. In the end, the leather is sewn carefully using threads of strong silk.

After these complex stages, the drum needs time to dry for up to two hours before it becomes ready for use or sale.

Al-Zaatari says that he has developed his craft over the years and experimented with different materials and designs. "In the beginning of my father’s work, everything was pottery and leather from goat skin, but over time, we started using wood and adding transparent plastic leather to give a different and distinctive sound", he says.

He also creates unique designs using natural leather and plastic leather, even adding ornaments. He believes that development and renewal are the keys to preserving this wonderful art and developing it.

Al-Zaatari says that he loves his profession, which he considers his heritage and his identity. "For me, this profession, I took it from my father, and I work in it, and I am very happy. It is our heritage and from our ancestors, and I loved it very much", he says.

However, he also faces many challenges and difficulties in maintaining his craft, especially in terms of financial support and revenues. He says that his sons did not want to work with him because this profession does not bring a big financial return, so whoever works in it does so out of love and attachment to it.

He also says that the demand for local drums has declined in recent years, especially with the import of metal drums and the change in musical tastes. He says that his father used to sell drums in larger quantities in the past, especially as drums were commonly used in weddings and celebrations. In addition, they were sold to tourists and shipped to gift shops and entertainment venues in areas such as Jericho, Nablus, Tulkarm, and other Palestinian cities. As well, as children used to buy them when they were on their school trips.

He says that he does not receive any support for his profession from anyone, whether from inside or outside. "I work alone, and I can supply the country, the West Bank, and Palestine", he says.

He also sends a strong message to Palestinians everywhere to appreciate this heritage, saying: "I wish people would give value to this profession because it is part of our identity and culture. I do not want this industry to disappear. It makes me happy and represents an integral part of our heritage, and there is no one else who practices this craft in Palestine, Jordan, or even in the occupied interior".

He concludes his talk with a smile on his face, saying, "My message is to preserve this distinctive heritage art and preserve Palestine’s cultural heritage".