Drums
Drums are the heartbeat of Mother Nature that brings Native tribes together. Native Americans use drums during ceremonies to connect their people from the physical world to the spirit world. Drums bring balance to the Native's lives, and the circle shape represents the circle of life. There are many different types of drums, and they all make different sounds. Many Native American drums are made from animal hides and wood. Natives believe that animal hides give drums a unique spirit from the animal they hunted. They are usually big, between 2-3 feet, and have more than one drummer striking during ceremonies. One ceremony Native take apart in is Round Dancing.
Round Dancing
Dancing is an essential part of Native American culture. The Round Dance is a dance of community and connection to Mother Nature. It is a dance that takes place during ceremonies and social events for celebration, healing, and acknowledgment. The Cree tribe, the tribe that is known for this dance, usually hold the dance celebration during the winter months at night. It starts at night at around eight o'clock to after midnight. The dance participants dance in a circle while holding hands with other participants with the drummers in the center. While the dancers are dancing, the drummers are striking the drums in unison and singing. The video below gives more information about round dancing and how to do it.
Regalia
If you ever go to a Pow Wow, you will see many people dressed in bright colors, feathers, and face paint. These "costumes" are Regalia. Regalia is a form of self-expression that Natives create to express themselves and feel connected to their ancestors. It is a bridge between modern-day and ancestral wear that reflects their personality. Native Americans make their Regalia out of valuable things like family heirlooms or simple materials like T-Shirts and cheap moccasins. Regalia wore by dance participants have to make sure that none of the pieces of their outfits fall off because they have to have a spiritual cleansing to make sure their dance is not imbalanced.
Sources:
http://native-dance.ca/en/renewal/cree-round-dances/
https://www.sktcorp.com/round-dancing-a-tribal-tradition-at-powwows/
https://prairieedge.com/tribe-scribe/pow-wow-regalia/
I've never thought about the drums being the "heartbeat of Mother Earth" but after he played it, you can hear the double beat like a heart. I loved the video, I really want to go to a round dance now that I know what the significance of the drums and the movements are.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that the Natives believed that the animal hides they used for the drums gave it a unique spirit from the animal they hunted. I find that really interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think it's so amazing how, like you said, the native Americans legit use EVERY single part of the animal. Like who looks at an animal bladder and says "this will be a good instrument". I mean that's just insane, in the good was of course:) nice blog! Very interesting and I actually learned a lot!
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool how their Regalia is supposed to reflect their personality. I think it's neat how they use every part of the animal! You have to be mad smart to figure out how to make different instruments from an animal's body parts. I just love how music and dancing is so deeply rooted into the Native American culture so I'm glad that you touched on that!
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