Native American

Music and Culture of

Native America

Languages

Functions Of Music inNative American Culture

Religious ceremonies

Healing ceremonies

Work songs

Game songs

Honoring songs

Courting songs

Social songs

Songs to bring success in hunting/farming

Vocables- syllables sung in Native American music

The song is a gift from the Creator and the words are known to the performer and the Creator.

Vocables represent fragments of an old tribal language.

Native American instruments

Drums

Rattles

Flutes

Bells

Rasps

Iroquois Water Drum

Frame Drum

Pow Wow Drum / Gathering Drum

Rattles

Turtle Shell Rattles

Iroquois Flute

Navajo Flutes

Ankle Bells

Bells

Traditional Bells

A rasp is usually a notched stick that is scraped by another stick

Native American Dance

Native American dance is a very special art. Many dances are performed for family events, such as weddings or birthdays. Some dances are performed for fun, others to help the harvest, and some for religious ceremonies.

*Most dances are done by men alone, or by women alone

*Many dances are done in a circle. Many Native Americans believe that everything is connected, with no end, like a circle.

*Many dances have names that honor animals.

Eagle Dance

Bear Dance

Rabbit Dance

Census Info