Monday, September 17, 2012

Drums.....

I have a ton of things to do today, actually a heck of a week ahead....including two raptor classes, a meeting at WNIN for our convention , and a trip to TN. There is a pile of pow wow stuff to be cleaned and put away, and client calls to answer....so since I still have drumming on the brain, here is a reprint of an earlier blog. Hope that you all can enjoy it, or learn something from it.
I will be back to "work" tomorrow!! Have a wonderful week!!!

***************************************************

The question that came was if I knew anything about a gourd dance/song/drumming. I said, "No, but I will find out". The answer is, it is a Kiowa dance that began in the 1940's, so as dances go, it is new. The drumming for the dance is high energy with double beats and a lively dance accompanies it. The only people who are to do this drumming/dance are the Kiowa or a tribe they have gifted the dance to. The dance is supposed to only be performed before Grand Entry when it is in a pow wow setting and is for the dancers. It is sometimes used to honor a tribal member.

Here is an example of a Kiowa Gourd Dance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKbPFuq8Fxg

Traditional or original songs are to be gifted to drums, tribal groups, etc. In other words, it isn't OK for someone to take a ceremonial song and perform it without the permission of the person they learned it from. Some other songs, not ceremonial are the same way. Social songs are usually different, but if they are original, you still need permission. Think of it this way, you cannot perform a Beatles song because the copyrights will be infringed upon. Songs are for sharing, but in a certain way. The only way you should be singing a song that is NA, is when someone allows you , by teaching it to you and gifting it to you. When you want to learn a song, ask in the proper way. The answer may be "no", and that is OK! Now, traditional inter-tribal songs...songs everyone and anyone in an area knows, you can sing...sort of like not needing permission to sing "Row row row your boat."

I really like the gourd dance, but it isn't one I will ever see in person , unless I do some traveling.Certainly one I will never drum or sing. (NOTE: I did get to finally see one at the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in 2012. It was to honor the Navajo Code Talkers)

The other major question was, what was the difference between a northern drum and a southern drum. I found that there is a lot of confusion about that , even in the NA community. Some thought if you were from the south, you were a southern drum. That would make sense, but it isn't that simple. Many NA groups moved from one place to another, they brought their ways with them, and sometimes melted into the groups they came in contact with. The northern/southern drum is an example of that. It doesn't matter where your original tribe lived, or where you live now. It is a style. You can live in Alabama and be a northern drum.

So, style not location. What does the style mean? This wasn't easy. I found that many groups are a mixture or don't even know there are "styles", the "big dogs" in the drum world know though, people like the Black Lodge Singers , and Bear Claw who do national pow wows.

Northern style is sung in a higher voice or pitch. It is loud and proud. The beats are a bit faster and livelier. The songs are louder and sung to get the dancers moving. There are women allowed to sit at the drum, but tribal differences apply here. Some tribes will not allow women at the drum ever, or if they are on their moon. Northern drums will be outside the sacred circle, but next to it, with the host drum (there can be several drums at a pow wow) in the best position.

Here is an example from Black Lodge Singers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bArhAQ9oOr4

Southern style is sung lower and slower. They use honor beats frequently, although northern drums sometimes use honor beats, especially when doing southern songs. No women can sit at the drum, however they may sit behind the drum and sing harmonies, but never on the first two push ups (or rounds). Southern style drums have four posts, each representing and facing the cardinal directions.

 Here is a southern drum example, the voices are much lower, and lots of honor beats in the song. A great example of a southern drum by Bear Claw Singers. You can hear the women in the background, but will not see them seated at the drum. They stand to honor the song, while the men are seated at the drum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8nj2LoxrD0&NR=1

First I want to say THANK YOU to the folks who sent in these great questions! It made me think, research, and find some knowledgeable resources that will always be good to have.

Remember, you cannot just take a song and sing it in most cases.



                              Some other drum stuff from questions sent in......

No, a woman should not touch a drum, or any other sacred object like a pipe, when she is on her moon .More on that point. No woman on her moon should be in the same room as the drum, under the arbor with the drum, in the dance arena, nor any other area where there are sacred objects!

Drums traditionally have seven to eight people surrounding the drum. A little fact I found while researching this, is that the average drum is 26" wide.

In Oklahoma the drum is in the center of the dance ring.

Traditionally each song has 4 rounds or push ups, they can increase if there is a request by a dancer (who may fan, whistle or wave a staff over the drum), to continue so they can dance more. Quotes from dancers, from those who enter contests, to those who dance for fun and to honor their traditions all say the louder, more energetic, more enthusiastic the drumming, the more they want to dance and dance well. It gets the energy flowing. One dancer said"..all slow drumming does is make me want to take a long nap until the pow wow is over. I will dance as it is respectful, but you most likely will not see my best dancing."

Drums should not sing in only one language for pow wows. A pow wow is a gathering, and all groups should be honored. Ceremonial drumming will take on one language reflecting the ceremony's origin.

There is more, of course, and some of it was already written about in the blog, but I found out some interesting things.

That was a fun journey, and I am sure that it is only beginning. Keep the questions coming on any topic!

Peshaui Wequashimese.

Have a great weekend!

(C)2011 Dr. R M Wolf. May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please remember that the blog is for helping and teaching. Any comments found to be abusive, hateful, negative or SPAM will not be published. My readers come here for positive solutions and growth, not negativity, arguments, nor hate.