American Indian Drum & Dance: Pow Wow

ISD 622 American Indian Education Program

Essential Question

What is a Pow Wow?

Click For MN State Standards

Learning Goals

1. I will learn six dance styles of a contemporary Pow-wow. 2. I will learn about the drum and different styles of songs that are sung at a Pow-wow.

Instructions

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Click this button to return to The Arena

Click this button to hear text narration

Learn your way through the Pow Wow arena

Learn

http://greathorsegroup.com/sites/default/files/Oahe%20PW%2002.jpg

Watch

Play

Vocabulary

Regalia – a dance outfit that includes special designs Sacred – something that is respectful because of its spiritual association Symbol –a picture, letter or character that represents something else Competition – a contest Celebration – to observe a notable occasion with festivities Heritage —Traits and culture that are passed from generation to generation

Table of Contents

1. Intro

2. Dancers

3. Dances

4. The Pow Wow Begins

5. People & Events

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A Pow-wow is a planned social dance event and gathering of American Indians. There are two general types: 1. Traditional Pow-wow 2. Contest Pow-wow

Pow-wows can be held indoors or outdoors.

Pow-wows can be a celebration to mark the end of a season and to welcome the beginning of a new one, also to honor different events throughout the year

A time and place to meet old friends and to make new friends A time for people to celebrate their shared heritage as American Indians.

The circle is very important symbol for many American Indian people. The Pow-wow itself is set up so that everything is a circle, a sacred circle.

If you are going to have a dance you need music. The drum and singers supply the music.

The drum has its own life. It symbolizes the heartbeat of Mother Earth, the heartbeat of the people. The drum must always be treated with respect.

A pow-wow has many drum groups. Each one has a head singer that leads the songs.

Most pow-wows have a host drum that has been chosen by the people planning the event to lead the rest of the drums.

For most Tribal Nations men and boys sit at the drum and women stand behind them and sing in appreciation of the songs.

There is a different song for each part of the pow wow

The Grand Entry

Different Dance Categories

Honoring Ceremony

Pow-wow dancers and singers are people in the community and throughout the United States and Canada that share a common trait. They all love to sing and dance

Mens Traditional

Womens Traditional

In the present day powwows there are 6 main styles of dance with many different variations of each style

Mens Fancy

Womens Fancy Shawl

Mens Grass

Womens Jingle

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The

Click On Each Dancer To See Examples

Dancers

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Traditional Men/Boys

The traditional men’s dance is an old style tribal dance which existed long before European contact. The dancers wear eagle feathers and are given great respect in the dance circle. Click the button to see an example of each:

Traditional Mens

Traditional Boys

Traditional Womens/Girls

Traditional women dancers dance with a weaving, sliding step. Many dance in one spot always remaining in touch with the earth.

Traditional Womens/Girls

Fancy Shawl Dancer Womens/Girls

The fancy shawl is also a free-style dance. Dancing on their toes, fancy shawl dancers spin and whirl across the dance circle, their shawls billowing out with their dance movement.

Fancy Shawl Dancer Womens

Fancy Shawl Dancer Girls

Fancy Dancer Mens/Boys

The fancy dance is a free-style dance with fast and energetic movements and because of its physical demands is often a young man’s dance.

Fancy Dancer mens

Fancy Dancer boys

Grass Dancer Men/Boys

As they dance, the long ribboned fringe on their regalia moves like the tall prairie grass.

Grass Dancer Men/Boys

Jingle Dress Dancer Women/Girls

The Jingle Dress Dance is a healing dance. One story tells about a man that had a dream that told him if he made this particular dress and had his daughter wear it while she danced she would be cured of her illness. The daughter did as she was instructed and her health was restored.

Jingle Dress Dancer Girls

Tiny Tots

The present day Pow wow has a wide variety of dances, dance styles and dance songs.

The Dances

Grand Entry Veterans Inter-Tribal The Two Step The Round Dance

Grand Entry is the opening dance for Pow wow.

The Dances

Grand Entry Veterans Inter-Tribal The Two Step The Round Dance

The Veterans dance honors Veterans for their service.

The Dances

Grand Entry Veterans Inter-Tribal The Two Step The Round Step

The Inter-tribal is a social dance open to everyone including non-Native people.

The Dances

Grand Entry Veterans Inter-Tribal The Round Dance The Two Step

The Round dance is a social dance that forms a large circle.

The Dances

Grand Entry Veterans Inter-Tribal The Round Dance The Two Step

The Two-Step is an Inter-tribal couples dance where the girls get to choose their partners.

The Pow Wow Begins

The Grand Entry starts the Pow wow with everyone lining up in a special order to enter the Dance Circle.

The Pow Wow Begins

The Eagle staff and flags are carried by the veterans.

The Pow Wow Begins

The Royalty

Then the Dancers come in this order:

: Men’s Traditional, Grass Dance, Fancy Dance followed By the Women’s Traditional, Jingle Dress Dancer, and Fancy Shawl Dancer. After the adults, the youth follow in the same order

There are other people important to the success of the Pow wow.

The MC or Master of Ceremony tells the audience what is coming next.

The Arena Director makes sure that the Dancers, Drums, everyone knows what to do and where to go.

There are lots of things to do at a Pow wow even if you don’t dance. Meeting old and new friends, shopping at one of the craft stands, and eating delicious food are always fun.

Sometimes the Pow wow sponsors a Hand Drum competition where people compete for prizes.

Sometimes there are games played outside the dance circle.

At some Pow wows there is a special honoring, where gifts are given to people to say thank you. Each person comes into the dance circle is given a gift and an honor song is sung while everyone connect comes up and shakes their hand

The Pow wow ends with a traveling song wishing everyone a safe journey on their way home.

Click to Listen

Click For More Information About Pow Wows & To Find One Near You

Games

Dance Match

Play The Drum

Puzzle ID

Regalia Match

Blocked in 622

Click on the box with the correct dance label

Grass

Fancy Shawl

Traditional

Jingle

Fancy Shawl

Correct!

Try Again

Click on the box with the correct dance label

Grass

Fancy

Traditional

Jingle

Grass

Correct!

Try Again

Click on the box with the correct dance label

Grass

Fancy Shawl

Traditional

Jingle

Traditional

Correct!

Try Again

Click on the box with the correct dance label

Grass

Fancy Shawl

Traditional

Jingle

Jingle

Correct!

Try Again

At Powwows there are many styles of dance that require different types of songs and drum beats. such as the "Crow hop" or Round dance.

Click on the drum sticks above to hear 5 examples of different songs and drum beats.

Crow Hop

Duck and Dive

Side Step Song

Intertribal Song

Sneak Up Song

Choose a Puzzle:

Puzzle #1

Puzzle #4

Puzzle #2

Puzzle #3

Which Kind of Dancer Was Seen In the Puzzle?

Puzzle #1

Traditional

Fancy

Grass

Jingle

Try Again

Puzzle #1

Fancy Shawl

Traditional

Grass

Jingle

Good Job!

Fancy Shawl

Which Kind of Dancer Was Seen In the Puzzle?

Puzzle #2

Traditional

Fancy

Grass

Jingle

Try Again

Puzzle #2

Traditional

Fancy

Grass

Jingle

Good Job!

Traditional

Which Kind of Dancer Was Seen In the Puzzle?

Puzzle #3

Traditional

Fancy

Grass

Jingle

Try Again

Puzzle #3

Traditional

Fancy

Grass

Jingle

Good Job!

Jingle

Which Kind of Dancer Was Seen In the Puzzle?

Puzzle #4

Traditional

Fancy

Grass

Jingle

Try Again

Puzzle #4

Traditional

Fancy

Grass

Jingle

Good Job!

Grass

Media

Dancers

Dances

Choose a category to watch videos from lesson

Dancers

Traditional Mens

Fancy Mens

Tiny Tots

Grass

Dancers

Traditional Womens

Fancy Shawl

Jingle

Fancy Shawl

Dances

Veterans

Round

2 Step

Each Dance Style has its own outfit or regalia that differs from one Tribal Nation to another. The designs of the regalia belong to the dancer, each part has a particular meaning special to that dancer. For children often the pe

Dance Regalia

Each Dance Style has its own outfit or regalia that differs from one Tribal Nation to another. The designs of the regalia belong to the dancer, each part has a particular meaning special to that dancer.

For children often the people that love them, their grandparents, aunties/uncles along with their parents help to put their regalia together.

Choose A Dancer To Play Regalia Match

Click on her: Moccasins

Regalia Match Game

Click on her: Moccasins CORRECT! Try Another One

Regalia Match Game

Moccasins

Click on her: Moccasins TRY AGAIN

Regalia Match Game

Click on her: Feather Fan

Regalia Match Game

Feather Fan

Click on her: Feather Fan CORRECT! Try One More

Regalia Match Game

Click on her: Feather Fan TRY AGAIN

Regalia Match Game

Click on her: Jingle Dress

Regalia Match Game

Click on her: Jingle Dress TRY AGAIN

Regalia Match Game

Click on her: Jingle Dress CORRECT! Way to go

Regalia Match Game

Jingle Dress

Click on his: Roach

Regalia Match Game

Click on his: Roach TRY AGAIN

Regalia Match Game

Click on his: Roach CORRECT!

Regalia Match Game

Roach

Click on his: Yoke

Regalia Match Game

Click on his: Yoke TRY AGAIN

Regalia Match Game

Click on his: Yoke CORRECT!

Regalia Match Game

Yoke

Click on his: Breech Cloth

Regalia Match Game

Click on his: Breech Cloth TRY AGAIN

Regalia Match Game

Click on his: Breech Cloth CORRECT! Great Job

Regalia Match Game

Breech Cloth

MN State Standards

0.1.3.1.1 & 4.1.3.1.1 - Identify the characteristics of dance from a variety of cultures including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities. 0.1.3.3.1 & 4.1.3.3.1- Identify the characteristics of music from a variety of cultures including contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities. 0.1.3.5.1 & 4.1.3.5.1- Identify the characteristics of visual artworks from a variety of cultures including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.