Native American Tribal Dancing
Dancing can always transcend languages, cultures, religions and beliefs. So, why should Native American tribal dancing be any different? A person can always sit down and enjoy the numerous types of dances that the different Native American tribes have. Native American tribal dancing is used in different situations -- to express grief or joy, as a form of entertainment, as a type of prayer and as a way to get closer to nature. |
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The history of Native American tribal dancing is as old as the people itself. It has been around for a very long time and is performed at different occasions. Usually, drum beating accompanies the dance and the foot move according to the beats. Many dances are performed during weddings, births, harvests and other religious ceremonies; and each tribe has its own dance form. For instance, the Native Americans from Canada and Alaska also incorporate singing into their dances. This is especially true when the dances are performed to honor the dead. The dancers usually wear costumes and masks while performing the dances and most men and women participate in these dances.
On the other hand, the tribes in Washington and British Columbia tend to dance when they celebrate a wedding or birth. This dance is usually performed by either young men or women and it is performed as though the dancers are in a trance after being possessed by a guardian spirit. The dancers wear costumes and don face paint for the performance.
Then there is the bear dance, which is performed by the Native American tribes living in the Great Basin. This dance is primarily done to appease the gods, so that the tribe has sufficient food.
Typically, Native American dances are performed by just men or women. There are hardly any mixed gender dances. Most dances are performed in a circle, as the Native Americans believe that everything in life (and dead) is connected and forms a big circle. If you check out the names of the dances, you will see that many of them are named after animals. Hence, it is common to see Native American tribal dances have names such as bear dance, rabbit dance and eagle dance.
When people talk about Native American tribal dances, they usually speak about the war dances or the rain dance. However, there is a lot more to these dances than just these. These dances have been going on for centuries and are passed down generations. Hence, if we want to preserve their beautiful dance forms, it is in our interest to ensure that the Native American tribal dances continue. The tribe elders should teach the younger generation these dances, but this is only possible if the younger generation take pride in who they are and their origins. They should learn to love and respect their culture and keep the dance practices alive. If they shun the ways of their ancestors and elders, then Native American tribal dances will be lost forever.
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Ani Kutani: Native American Dance
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Native American art has always played an important role in the lives of the people. They used art to pass down their history and knowledge from one generation to another. Hence, if you check the timeline of Native American art history, it will tell you a lot about what the earlier tribes did and how they lived. 