Section Two: Native American Music

1. Section Two:Native American Music Introduction to World Music, SMSU

2. Eastern Woodlands • Eastern Sedentary in Canada • North-east and South-east in USA • Plains • Southwest & California • Great Basin • Intermountain Plateau (largely in Nevada and Utah) • Northwest Coast & Far North • Western Subarctic • Arctic Introduction to World Music, SMSU

3. Approximately 1000 tribal units, almost as many languages, and about 60 independent language families in North America Introduction to World Music, SMSU

4. Music Contexts • Religion • Social dances • Games • Calendar rituals and events in the life cycle. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

5. Supernatural Elements • Some individuals, special relationship with music • Form of prayer • Imparted to the humans by spirit beings • Dreams • Visitations • At the legendary time of the tribe’s origin. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

6. Music and Function • Judged less by musical criteria • More by how well it fulfilled religious and other functions (providing food, etc.) • Learn through direct experience. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

7. Music and Dance • Music and dance are closely related. • Unite members with spirits of their ancestors. • Circular pattern, steps, hand gestures, intricate designs on costumes or face have symbolic meaning. • Dancers often sing, use rattles, sound-makers. • The structures of music and dance often connected. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

8. Some General Characteristics For Native American Vocal Music • Monophonic; singing in octaves. • Vocables. • Repetition. • Descending contour. • Melodies employ small note collections; tendency of “la” to “do”. • Accompanied by percussion instruments, usually equally spaced beats. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

9. Much Sharing • Musical boundaries fluid and permeable • Powwow music, often glottal tension, pulsations on longer notes, and high-pitch or falsetto singing. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

10. Traditional Instruments • Idiophones: rattles, stick instruments, log drums, etc. • Membranophones: single-headed or double-headed drums; kettledrums, sometimes filled with water. • Chordophones: almost nonexistent • Aerophone: flute, made of wood, cane, and sometimes pottery. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

11. Similarities & Regional Differences • Rhythms are usually straight and regular, or free and without meter. • Melodic content of chants is “diatonic,” sung by solo or group. • Music often tied to other functions. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

12. Southwest Region Includes Pueblo peoples such as Hopi, Zuni, and also Apache and Navajo. Navajo and Apache singers can sound tense with nasal high vocal style. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

13. Pueblo: vocals sound more open, relaxed, longer and complex; words about water, spirit beings, symbolism. Hopi Entering Kiva Badger Song Introduction to World Music, SMSU

14. Zuni Sunrise Song Introduction to World Music, SMSU

15. Modern Music Styles • Ghost Dance songs. • Fun 49er songs at powwows. • Chicken Scratch • Country, Rock & Folk songs. • Blackfoot - 80s hard rock • Joanne Shenandoah - Iroquois • New Songs that define Indian-ness. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

16. Modern Music Styles - cont. • Flute music • Traditional Plains instrument (5 & 6 hole flute of cedar) and smaller Apache “spirit flute” • Now used by many tribes and peoples • R. Carlos Nakai – Shaman’s Call Cedar 6-hole flute Introduction to World Music, SMSU

17. Powwows - Contemporary • Usually Feature Intertribal Styles • Most associated with Plains music; held throughout the country. • Powwows in this area: usually mid-November, Native American Arts & Crafts Festival and Powwow, OzarkEmpire Fairgrounds, Springfield, MO; also Southwest Missouri Indian Center, 2422 W. Division, Springfield, MO 65802, phone (417) 869-9550 Introduction to World Music, SMSU

18. Powwows (cont.)More Secular • More open; various tribes and non-Native peoples. • Professional singers/composers/dancers, judged primarily by musical criteria. • Secular with religious undertones; prayers often opening events. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

19. Pan-Tribal; with “Drum” Groups • Represent many tribes and music • Revolve around the ‘drum’, a group of singers seated at large bass drum. Each singer has a drum beater, play and sing in unison. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

20. Tribal “Drums” Introduction to World Music, SMSU

21. Navajo Traditions Introduction to World Music, SMSU

22. Navajo Way of Life • Largest tribe; communities and reservations in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah • Have economic impact on region • Sources of livelihood include coal, uranium, oil, natural gas, lumber; to a lesser degree farming, raising stock, weaving, and silversmithing Introduction to World Music, SMSU

23. General Characteristics of the Navajo • Some government support for education, health care, business • Costume/dress: men, Western, cowboy hats; women skirts and blouses; both wear jewelry • Houses, modern stucco houses, trailer homes; some old-style circular log & earth hogans • Ceremonial buildings: circular floors, domed roofs; symbolizes earth, mountaintops, sky Introduction to World Music, SMSU

24. History of the Dance Among the Navajo • Until 1940s, dance songs from ceremonials; particularly Enemyway dance songs • 1990s: recreational pastime: “song and dance” • Social dancing, dancers judged on costumes and dancing skill Introduction to World Music, SMSU

25. We will be looking at the music in two popular ceremonial events • A Yeibichai song from the Nightway ceremony • The song “Shizhanee” from the Enemyway ceremony Introduction to World Music, SMSU

26. Yeibichai Song from the Nightway Ceremony • One of the most exciting kinds of Navajo music • Yeibichai (YAY-beh-chai) means “gods their grandfathers” and refers to ancestor deities who come to dance at the Nightway ceremony • Masked dancers impersonate the gods • They bring supernatural power and blessing to help a sick person Introduction to World Music, SMSU

27. Yeibichai Song (cont.) • Features of the music: piercing falsetto; swoops down for more than an octave; primarily vocal music (vocables); sometimes with rattles and drums, and rarely with flutes and one-stringed fiddles; no harmonies; melodic and rhythmic sophistication Introduction to World Music, SMSU

28. The Singers and Dances • Teams of men from a particular region, no women singers • The teams compete, and best receives a gift the family hosting the event • Will include costumes, masks, a clown figure Introduction to World Music, SMSU

29. The Ritual • Dance occurs on the last night of a nine-day ritual • Will include purification activities, prayer offerings, sand-painting rituals • Then a reenactment of the myth on which the ceremony is based. Like a complex opera • Directed by the singer who must memorize every detail; considered an intellectual and ceremonial leader Introduction to World Music, SMSU

30. Transcription of the Yeibichai Song Introduction to World Music, SMSU

31. The Circle Dance Song Shizhané’é • The Ndaa dance songs are the ‘hit tunes’ of traditional Navajo life • Shizhané’éis easier to sing with not as many high falsetto sounds, or vocables • Includes humorous lyrics about woman leaning against a store front Introduction to World Music, SMSU

32. Introduction to World Music, SMSU

33. The Enemyway Ceremony • Curing Ritual for returning to tribal life • Shizhané’é is one of the songs used in the ceremony • Sickness is brought on by the ghosts of outsiders who have died • Often performed for someone who has been away from home among strangers (in the Armed Forces or in the hospital) Introduction to World Music, SMSU

34. The Ceremony • Ceremony involves two groups of participants: • Home camp • Stick receiver’s camp, the enemy, who are custodians of a stick decorated with symbols that include the Enemy Slayer, the warrior deity; and the Changing Woman, his mother Introduction to World Music, SMSU

35. First Night • Singing and dancing at the “stick receiver’s camp” • Begins with Sway songs (courtship songs but often only vocables) • Then dance songs, “ladies’ choice” • Then a signal song indicates change back to Sway songs, maybe all night • Stop at dawn for rest and breakfast Introduction to World Music, SMSU

36. Second Day • After rest and breakfast, gift songs • “Home camp” people sing outside the main hogan of the “stick receiver’s camp” • Gifts are exchanged, like war booty • The “stick receiver’s camp” moves toward the “home camp” • Another night of singing and dancing Introduction to World Music, SMSU

37. Third Day • Mock battles • Circle dance at the “stick receiver’s” new camp; songs like “Shizhanee” are sung • The “stick receiver’s” go to the “home camp” and sing four songs that mention the name of the enemy • Night of ceremonial songs (sway songs, dance songs, signal songs, sway songs) Introduction to World Music, SMSU

38. Fourth Day • Sunrise blessing ritual, and enemy departs • Then four days of rest Introduction to World Music, SMSU

39. Newer Navajo Music • Christian hymns, some Mormon influence; evangelical Christianity • “Clinging to a Saving Hand” (CD 1:10) • Native American Church (Peyote Church) • (CD 1:9) • Country music • “Folsom Prison Blues” (CD 1:7) • The Native-American Flute Revival • New Composers in Traditional Modes Introduction to World Music, SMSU

40. HOMEWORK -due Monday, January 30 • ASSIGNMENT 2 • Study Questions, p. 66: #1, 2 • Compare & Contrast the Sioux Grass Dance with the Navajo Yeibichai Song; how do these songs compare with the Zuni Blessing/Sunrise Song and “Shaman’s Call” that we listened to in class? Describe Fully. • ONLINE QUIZ: Chapter 2 Introduction to World Music, SMSU