Native American Music - Paper Example

Introduction

For years, traditional Native American music and dance has remained a central component of America's indigenous culture. In traditional Indigenous ceremonies, vibrant singing often accompanies dancing and occasionally drum beating. Anyone who has gotten the opportunity to watch this culture's performance will contend that it is quite spectacular, especially when the performers dress in their traditional outfits. That is exactly what happened during Joyce Stream's Thunderbird American Indian Dancers concert that took place on November 9, 2020.

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Several Performances

The 50-minute-long concert included several performances such as the Caribou dance from Alaska's Inuit people, Striking the Stick & the Smoke dance from the Iroquois people, Southwest's Buffalo and Deer dances, the Plains' Stomp dance, Warrior dance, Jingle and Grass dances, Shawl dance, Hoop dance, and Singing Out the Drum (Joycetheater). Also included in these performances were percussion and melodic instruments such as bells, drums, flutes, dance wands, rattles, and whistles.

The performances highlighted unique musical characteristics. For instance, the shawl dance featured a fast-paced dancing style, with graceful, light, and quick movements. Featuring women dressed in colorful shawls with long flowing fringes – that emulate butterfly wings – dancers spined and bounced intricately. Another example is the Hoop dance, which featured a dancer performing using six hoops as props. The dancer used the hops to create dynamic and static shapes that represented symbols and animals; for example, a symbol of planet earth and a butterfly.

Incorporating both singing and percussion, the performers' vocalization ranged from unison and multipart to responsorial singing. The utilization of percussion such as drums underlined the need to steadily maintain the rhythm and match the singers who used either non-lexical vocables or native language when singing. Some of the songs commenced with slow and steady beats followed by a gradual, faster, and more categorical growth. Other percussion, accented patterns, and performers' shouts added variety besides signaling performance changes.

Various Melodic Contours

The performances employed various melodic contours, characterized by cascading descents and dramatic leaps. Some of the songs highlighted performers' use of varied durational values and rapid tempos. By incorporating a high and tensed vocal style with plunging melodies, one could easily identify the performance as Native American music.

It was easy to see how the performances included melodic songs and dances despite the absence of polyphony or harmony from the entire concert. Still, the performers occasionally exhibited some form of antiphonal singing. Generally, the melodies demonstrated a descending figure with an irregular rhythm. There was an uncertain appearance in intonation and absolute pitch; this was due to the performers' voice production.

Viewing this performance from an etic perspective – given that I am an outsider exploring Indigenous people's culture – I was certain that the different songs and dances served specific roles in the Native American culture. For instance, the various moves reflected functional purposes within the traditional indigenous culture, such as perpetuating the culture's language (lexical vocables), which many people no longer use in their everyday activities.

Conclusion

Conclusively, the Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert, was a fantastic experience. The overall masterpiece received much applause and cheers from the audience, highlighting the performers' sense of internal communication, which bloomed into invaluable agility of time and musical dynamics. The various performances in this concert highlighted the significance of songs and dances in the Native American culture. The demonstration of unique dance moves – such as mimicking butterfly wings – exemplified communication with the supernatural.

Work Cited

Joycetheater. “JoyceStreat: Thunderbird American Indian Dancers in Concert.” YouTube, 9 Nov 2020, https://youtu.be/eGxfqQQxfYQ.