Music Of Native American Culture

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.

Have you ever wonder how the world was created from another culture’s perspective? Native Americans used creation myths to explained to their people how the world was developed overtime. Creation myths are a big part of the Native American culture. they have been passed down from generation to generation. In the creation myths, harmony with nature, rituals, and strong social values are shown in each myths. The purpose of having strong social value in these myths is to teach younger Native Americans valuable lesson if they ever do something bad. These myths reveals how the rituals were created and their intentions for doing it. Creation myths has harmony with nature in it to show a very close kinship between them

“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,

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 American art is a profoundly expressive culture that has been a way of life for so many Native Americans. Native American art history has advanced over thousands of years and is composed of several idiosyncratic styles from the differentiating cultures of diverse Indian tribes. From Navajo to Hopi, each tribe has a particular history, which consists of many types of Native American arts including beadwork, jewelry, weaving, pottery, carvings, kachinas, masks, totem poles, and more. To truly understand Native American art, we will explore Native American art history, its subjects, and if Native American art has a spiritual connection to it.

In the beginning, many native americans were killed, while Omaamikwe was guided by a spirit. Protecting Omaamikwe was the spirit’s task and succeeded. Then, after some time a drum came to Omaamikwe which was the big drum. Omaamikwe was instructed on all the songs and eventually the big drum society was formed. Today the big drum is a powwow drum which is very social to the people. The drum’s purpose is to bring people together at a powwow. Which is a gathering of people to celebrate their heritage. The arrival of the drum allowed people to communicate with spirits and was vital to their own spirituality. Such vitals were pleasure, healing, hunting, war, and ceremony to ensure the spirits were with them. A sound of thunder comes from the drum

Native American culture originated in some parts North America. These countries are known as the United States of America and some parts of Canada. In the United States, there are 6.6 million Native Americans, which form about 2.0 percent of the population (Bureau, 2016). Europe had realized there were about 50 million people already living the “new world” and these people were called Native Americans. Native Americans were originally called Indians, but later through history they formed a new name. These people were called this because of them being native to the “new world” and the American part came after the colonist named the United States. Throughout history, Native Americans believed that using raw material in nature was the best way to provide for their people. Their culture thought no part of an animal should go to waste. They would eat the meat, use the skin for clothing, and make jewelry from the bones. Over the years a lot of their culture and customs were lost due to conforming with society. Their languages were referred to as “Indigenous Languages” because of them being extremely complicated and diverse. Some important factors that help understand the foundation of Native American culture are their rituals/practices, death ceremonies, holidays, family, and stereotypes.

During these potlatches the events is traditionally marked by ceremonial dances and also by songs. The songs get an extra effect by providing whistles, rattles, and specific vocal utterances. Whistles are associated with the spirits. A main element used by the Northwest coast is the beat of a drum. They are known to play individual hand drums with one another instead of playing a one giant drum like in the Great

Music, art, dance, and writing have always been rich within the history of the Métis people. Their creativity still lives on today with the help of many Métis art communities. The Métis have a fiddle musical tradition, but cover every genre from country to jazz. Some record CDs to preserve and teach about the musical heritage while others perform in dance groups sharing the culture and fashion live. Music and dance are important parts of Métis culture, especially with the fiddle. The fiddle was the most common instrument used in the community events. Other instrument used are the concertina, harmonica, hand drum, mouth harp, and finger instruments (bones and spoons). The French and Scots first introduced the fiddle, and they traded the fiddle

Native American music is compelling due to its rich history, beauty, otherworldliness, and its unique ability to unify, heal, reach ancient deities, signify changing seasons, and tell stories through song and dance. By exploring the history, organology, and aesthetics of the Native American flute via the Cheyenne and Lakota tribes, the unique use of this instrument for tribal customs, courting, personal expression, and ceremonial purposes have set Native American music

“What constituted uncivilized "Indian" music, the OIA boarding school curriculums included instruction only in what it construed as "civilized," European-derived forms of music” (Troutman 44). Viewing the Native American music as being inferior and “uncivilized” is an example of racial antipathy and a close-minded way of thinking the European way is a more civilized form of music. “Western-trained ear, they may all sound very much alike, but they are, in truth, dissimilar from each other as the folk songs of Norway and Greece” (Parthun 38). To a listener who is accustomed to reading sheet music and experiencing European sounds, Native music would be tough to decipher as being intricate and having more layers such as throat singing and howls which are not written on paper, however the artist improvises to increase the intensity of the music and excite 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.

In Philip J. Deloris’s Music chapter from his book “Indians in unexpected places” he talks about the influence that Native Americans had in music. Exploring how traditional Native music and modernity fused together. The new fusion leads to new expectations being placed on Native Americans. Native children at boarding school came out having were learning how to play new musical instruments. At the same time through music the boarding schools were trying to assimilate the Native children. He goes on to talk about Tsianina Red Feather and the impact she had on her audiences. She attracted people from all over to her performances because “her authenticity was the show’s most valuable commodity” (210). Showing that audiences wanted to see real Natives not people pretending to them.

Music has been a part of humanity for so long. It was used as a tool for entertainment and self-expression and still is today. From great musicians such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach to Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, and Kurt Cobain, and currently Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, and Kendrick Lamar, we can say that music continues to evolve and develop over time while retaining its distinction between each era. But let’s go further back—to the very start.

Every culture has some tradition of music. Music is a part of both folk and popular culture traditions, it can be utilized to illustrate the differences in the origin, diffusion, and distribution of folk and popular culture. Music reflects a country's ethnic population through a diverse array of styles. Folk and popular music shows the distinction in people's everyday lives. The more developed a country is the more likely that MDC will have popular music and the less developed a country is the more likely that LDC will have folk music. Folk music and Popular music have to do mainly with a country's economic social and cultural status.