Dracaena serrulata grows commonly in association with such species as Vachellia etbaica and Grewia erythraea.

The large, stiff and spike-tipped leaves were cut or pulled from the trunk, and beaten with heavy clubs to loosen and crack open the rigid outer casing of the leaf.

Once thoroughly softened, the leaves were removed from the water and piled up in heaps on a hard, flat surface, and then beaten and thrashed with switches to loosen the fibre into separate strands.

Ropes from this plant were also used to make harnesses in which men were lowered down sheer cliff sides to gather wild honey.

[3] Sections of the trunk would be sliced across horizontally and hollowed out to make the drum, the wooden sides being pierced with small holes and the top and bottom percussive parts being made from leather, usually from goats.