Music of Indigenous Americans

 1. Out of every instrument we spoke about in class, one instrument that we didn't mention is the Rainstick. I remember learning about the rainstick in 4th grade. The rainstick is classified as a percussion instrument/a shaken idiophone. Native Americans use them at powwows and other ceremonies whether small or large. When they're shaken, they make a noise that's very similar to rain. When preformed at powwows, the rainstick is usually accompanied by other instruments. The rainstick is usually used to rid the area and or group of people of evil spirits. The 2nd use of a rainstick being played is if the area the Indigenous people are in is experiencing a drought that's causing their crops and animals to die off. The best part about rainsticks, is that they're very simple to make. They''re made from very accessible materials such as cactus stems and bamboo sticks. The materials used inside vary from items as big as rocks and gravel to finer items like sand. 

2. The next tradition done at a powwow that I wished we touched more on, is a rain dance. The main tribe that does a rain dance is the Pueblo. For the longest time, they've experienced the least amount of rain, which is why this ritual is so important to them. While the rain dance does slightly tie into the rainstick, it's also a very broad topic on its own. This dance is also preformed to rid the area of evil spirits and to bring on rain during a drought. Most rain dances were done in late August when it would get extremely hot in southwestern areas of America. Most tribal dances preformed at powwows were exclusive to men or women, but when the rain dance is preformed, most tribes have both women and men dancing together. It's a great sight to see when both men and women preform because their different dance styles show as they preform. In the video attached, there are many idiophones and membranophones. In the video I have attached the people singing are using vocables that have a sound that we didn't really listen to in class.

3. Something I find very fascinating about the Indigenous people is how resourceful they are. They found a way to make the most out of everything around them. For example, with their instruments they used items such as rocks, animal skin, and animal bones. The same thing goes for their clothes. They used skin and fur from buffalo, deer, moose, elk, and rabbits. They also used the bones, feathers, claws/talons, and teeth of other animals. In order to sew the skin together they sometimes used roots and tree bark to make thread. Not only did their clothes look good, but they also kept them warm in the winter. They also took advantage of their resources when it came to using leftover materials. When their corn dried out they didn't let it go to waste, instead they made a snack out of it, or fed it to livestock. Attached below are images of different things made from animals.

Bibliography:

Home. Nationalclothing.org. (n.d.). Retrieved September 17, 2021, from http://nationalclothing.org/america/81-native-american-indians/43-traditional-clothing-of-native-american-indians.html. 

Responsive Website Design by Michael Rose http://www.rosemconsulting.com. (2015). Rain dance. The Rain Dance Helped Native Americans Get Through Dry Summers. Retrieved September 17, 2021, from http://indians.org/articles/rain-dance.html. 

The tribal traditions of the Native American rain dance. History of Native Americans and more. (n.d.). Retrieved September 17, 2021, from https://www.native-net.org/na/native-american-rain-dance.html.