The Kaurna Clan
Possum skins played a prominent role in their culture; the tapurro (from which the name Taperoo is derived) was a stuffed possum hide fashioned into a drum. It was played by women and girls who sang in harmonies to it’s rhythm during ceremonies. Extra drums were made for visitors to beat. The translation of Taperoo is sometimes given as ‘calm’ most authorities believe this to be a secondary meaning referring t the dull this of the drum which had a soothing hypnotic effect.
