Music plays an import role in the lives of Native Americans. It is used for recreational, expressional, ceremonial, and healing purposes. There are many instruments that are used when Native Americans make music; this includes drums, flutes, and other percussion instruments. The voice is the most important instrument in most Native American music, ranging from solo to group performances. Sometimes their lyrics are an explanation of why the celebration or ritual is taking place. Other times, the words are a literal narration of their rich history or a plea to spirits for luck or to solve problems.
The musical style of the Iroquois is traditional and very limited. Usually, Iroquois singers are men; their style of singing can be characterized
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The melodic outline of Iroquois music fluctuates, with slightly more decrease than increase. Many of the songs focus strongly on their main or ground, tone by repeated returns from upper and lower notes. The most frequently used intervals are the major second and minor third. Rhythmically, their voices and accompaniment usually overlap; the instrumental rhythm is most often a reasonable fast beat. Song cycles start off slowly with a gradual quickening to the given tempo. Changes in percussion patterns causes changes in dance steps. Their songs are usually built of one, two, or three short themes that are simply swapped or mixed in repetition (AA′, AABA, ABAB, ABA′B′). In songs they preform with their leader and chorus; the leader sings the first and then the chorus repeats it; then the second theme sung by all of them; entire song repeated (AABAB). Call and response is used in about 20% of all of their songs and is the main role in their Stomp Dance. Texts that are expressive are most often used in ceremonial songs, whereas vocables are used in most social dance songs. Social dance songs are short and usually last about a min and performed by roughly seven people. Their typical religious and or secular dances are performed by a group of people in a circle, moving counterclockwise around a central singers’ …show more content…
The water-drum and cow-horn rattle provide the percussions for most dance songs and many ceremonies while the fluted is to produce some sort of a melody. The water drum is a small, watertight keg, 12 to 15 centimeters in diameter, covered with a soft, tanned skin held in place by a hoop. A small amount of water is always kept in the drum; before playing, the head is thoroughly soaked and pulled tight until the specific high, pinging sound is achieved when the instrument is struck with a small, wooden beater. The cow-horn rattle is made from a pointed piece of cow horn attached to a wooden handle; the horn contains steel pellets and is closed at the top by a wooden disc. The use of the turtle-shell rattle, with its symbolic links to Iroquois cosmology, and the Gourd rattles are used only in agricultural and medicine rites. The Iroquois music varies from one longhouse to another. During social dance music, the singer may express his personality and creativity through his singing style and his structures. Ritual singers develop their own versions of ceremonies by choosing and determining the arrangement of songs, selected from a large, traditional
After the French defeated the British at Fort Necessity, the British government called on colonial leaders to meet with the Iroquois League. The British government wanted to secure the Iroquois as a British ally.
The constitution of the United Stages was based off of the Iroquois constitution. Most of our constitution and the amendments in there are alike. there are also many differences between the two constitutions.
At the beginning of the Sioux Grass Dance you can here the drums being played and keeping a strong pulse and what I believe is a duple meter. I can hear suspension rattles, container rattles and drums. The male and female voices are in unison with some call and response. The use of vocables is very present, their voice are high and falsetto is defenitily used. Almost each phase of their chant is in high pitch when they begin and it starts descending by small intervals, and then jumps to the next "phrase" loud again.
Located at the center of the floor was the drum with its performers (all male), and the singers who were the male drummers and female singers. The female singers were seated just behind the male drummers in a circle. Prior to the initiation of the Powwow, many other things occurred. Miss Indian OU was crowned and everyone joined in celebration by dancing around the center drum. Male and female vocals could both be heard during this time. From here the honoring of certain individuals, families, and anniversaries occurred. It was then time for the Grand Entry. It is important to note that a prayer was carried out before this entry and all were asked to rise due to the presence of the Eagle Staff. The drums then initiated the Grand Entry and well over 100 dancers arrived on the floor. Each Plains dance type from Jingle Dress Dancers to Fancy Dancers was present. Regalia varied between each dance group and during the Grand Entry they each danced their own individual dance.
The Iroquois had many interesting religious beliefs that were very important to their society and lifestyle. For example, according to Khaleel Mohammed, their religion was characterized by a monotheistic belief in an all-powerful creator known as the “Great Spirit.” (Mohammed, 24) They also believed in a brother of the Great Spirit, who was the evil minded brother whose specific purpose was to cause evil. (Mohammed, 25) Since they believe in spirits and things that are beyond our world, it would explain why the False Face Society fits into their belief system. The legend of the False Face is that a spirit medicine man, who had healing powers, encountered a stranger who he challenged to move a mountain. The stranger was unable too, but the medicine man did, but in doing so he hit the stranger with the mountain and disfigured
The onondaga tribe is one of the most interesting tribes in the world. They do all sorts of interesting things. They have a lot of location. They have some traditions. Last they have a lot of present-day facts.
The Native American Indian tribe called the Iroquois contributed greatly toward America. They have many stories about the world, and how things came to be the way they are. They have one story about the creation of the world. They use oral traditional elements in this story which is represented by nature. They also use a romantic aspect, which is represented by God’s and the super natural.
In the 1830 there was an act that pass it’s called the Indian Removal it made the indians tribes move from their land. According to the text the cherokee leader sign the treaty of etocha to agree to move the cherokee but 90% percent of the cherokee didn’t want to leave. What should the best way for the cherokee to decide? We should remove the cherokee from their land so nobody gets hurt or kill. Another reason, some of their chief already sign the Treaty of Etocha agreeing them to move. Last reason cherokee killed a lot of people back then so they really don’t deserve it.
Native American art forms have been dwindling in the past few years. Even though they have been decreasing, some tribes gather still to continue traditions. Art forms such as dance, pottery, and weaving have been passed down from generation to generation. There are many different types of dances including war dances, grass dances, and rain dances. Each dance has its own meaning and represents something unique. Native American dance is a creative way to tell a story, share values, pass down traditions, and communicate traditions of their ancestors in the 21st century.
Nothing is more fundamental yet so important to the freedoms we enjoy as Americans as the United States Constitution, which guarantee our right to do and say as we please so long as it does no harm to anyone. The Iroquois Nation preamble is placed on perfect peace for the welfare of the people. Their focus was fighting for the liberty of the people. Among the Indian nations whose ancient seats were within the limits of our republic, the Iroquois have long continued to occupy the conspicuous position. Nations they now set forth upon the canvas of the Indian history prominent as for the wisdom of their civil institution of the federations. Only the Iroquois had a system that seemed to meet most of the demands espoused by the
The idea of song among the majority of Native Americans is pretty short and to the point. Songs consist of short, easy to remember phrases. They aren't just for ceremonial purposes, but for everyday life as well. They are important during religious or spiritual ceremonies. During these events, however, most songs are designated a time in which they will be performed.
Native American music has many different musical styles. Within every Native American tribe there is a variety of musical styles and instruments. In response to the research that I have conducted, there are three main musical styles that are going to be my point of focus. The Sioux Grass Dance, the Zuni Lullaby, and the Iroquois Quiver Dance are the principal methods which contribute to Native American music.
Native Americans were the first people to live in America before any other man came. It is believed that the Native Americans came from Asia way back during the Ice Age through a land bridge of the Bering Strait. When the Europeans first set foot on America, there were about 10 million Native Americans living in America, North of Mexico (“American”). Native Americans had all separated and made their own tribes. Some of the many Native American tribes that still exist are those of the Iroquoian tribes, consisting of five, now six,
When music is created, it integrates the cultural and emotional situations that occur in everyday life. People create dances to the
“An introduction to Samoan music is an introduction to the Samoan people as a whole (Moyle, p1).” Music had a strong, complimentary presence in traditional Samoan life, and is still a powerful presence today. Although, now, the traditional means for Samoan music has evolved along with it. Traditionally, music was the medium used to tell stories, depict lifestyles, emit warning signals, and to transmit many other things for tribes inhabiting the island. Without the need for a powerful method to transfer signals with the aid of technology; modern day Samoan music has modernized and changed to focus more on the storytelling during a performance. Traditional music in Samoa was a product derived from how they lived their everyday life while blending their voices into song,