By far, the instrument most common to the music of the Eskimo people is the frame drum, or chauyak.* The chauyak has both a social and spiritual significance the the Eskimo people, as it is likewise used in their social and spiritual ceremonies.
The chauyak is composed of a circular rim of wood over which an animal skin is stretched, with a connected handle. The wood is bent using an extremely difficult process of steaming the wood and boiling it in water, and bending it and fastening in the few seconds that the wood retains its elastic properties.
The chauyak is most often played by striking the rim from underneath with a beater. The skin, generally sensitive and thus fragile is usually only for the purpose of resonation, both of the drum and resonation of the voice, as the drummer usually sings into his drum.
Other Instruments are rare, but include rattles, bullroarers, puffin beak whistles, ivory clappers, and the Keloun, a four sided drum hung from the ceiling, and struck from all sides.
Another instrument, the Eskimo Violin, was a result of contact with European traders and settlers during the 18th and 19th centuries. The Eskimo Violin, unlike the Western model, has only three strings instead of four, mounted on a rectangular tapered box. The Eskimo Violin is just the most prominent manifestation of a trend in Eskimo music towards assimilation of Western musical traits, as they begin to play more commercially produced instruments form Europe, such as Guitars, Accordians, et cetra.