My mama forced me into doing the storytelling dance we call the locus and the fish. The story is about a fish finding a trapped locus in the shallow parts of the river. The fish could have swam right by the locus to drown or he can help the hopeless bug. The fish ended up carrying the locus on his back to the shore so the locus could live another day. The moral of the story is that you should always be helpful to anyone in need even if they aren’t the same as you.

One of our grand tribe leaders are making little pottery collectables for the kids so they have a souvenir to take home. The children are expected to use those props once they get older so they can pass the memory and history of our ancestors. The main goal of the storytelling festivals we do are to make sure we pass the knowledge of our ancestor from generation to generation.

The story-telling dances teaches us many important values such as listening, respect, and empathy that are necessary in democratic process. However, the form of storytelling teaches us 

Cody 2

even more. There are values and skills that are particular to the oral-tradition that cannot be learned through any other method. Oral Traditions make it possible for a society to pass knowledge across generations without writing. They help people make sense of the world and are used to teach children and adults about important aspects of their culture. There is a rich tradition throughout Africa of oral storytelling.

The Master of Ceremonies had planned for months, alongside his assistant, the Arena Director. The celebration began with the grand entry- the introduction of tribal flags, dancers, and drummers. Many tribes attended from the area, including the Apalachee, Cherokee, Creek, Muscogee, and others.

In the large clearing by Deer River, dancers danced to their tribe-unique drum beats, the accented ‘honor beats’ pounding like thunder. Flag-bearers displayed the flags of their tribes, the colors telling our ancient story. Walking Bear, a young man of the Creek tribe, says, “It was a beautiful performance, and an incredible display of our culture and history.” Vendors of handmade goods looked on at the beautiful display, as well as many people from the various tribes. They watched drummers, dancers, and the tribal paint and clothing they wore, each representing their own tribe, each with its own history. Children played, parents watched them, and the elderly smiled on in remembrance of their past, soaking in their culture.
This Pow-wow lasted through six sunsets, and was a result of hours of planning, dance practice, and making goods. But why do we celebrate? The recent change of seasons is the cause for this celebration, but “Above all, Pow-wows are a time to preserve traditions, to sing to the creator, and to dance to the heartbeat of the drum." (The Life of The Lakota Indians)

Without Pow-wows, it would be much harder to preserve the Native American culture. That’s why “Today, The Pow-wow tradition is still alive...you can find Pow-wow ceremonies located near areas with a large concentration of Native American tribes.” (Nanticoke Indian Association) Culture is what we hold above all, and is why we relive ancient traditions.

            Ms. Colins

            American Literature

            31 August, 2018

  White Settlers Come To Dance Performance

After the peak of the sun Shiccitaa, the tribe leader of Iraquois would have dance and music performances. Visitors are welcomed to these performances, but other ones are rituals and that’s where they worship, and visitors are not aloud to see or hear these types of dances and songs.

The Iraquois tribe were really into these dances and songs. They would do these dances in the village where everyone could see. They would do them at at night while they had a fire burning and they would do them during the day sometimes too. The kids would sometimes join in and learn the dances and songs. They performed for everyone because that is what there entertainment is, they would also do them to have fun and to laugh and to have a great time. 

Some of the dances that the Iraquois tribe will teach to the young kids and that they performed are Bow and Arrow, Doll, Snake, Buffalo,Grass, and devil dances. They would put on furs and feathers to get ready for the dances and shows. They would also sing,chant,stomp their feet, and bang on drums to make the songs and dances.

According to Dave Pape a researcher on Native Americans he says “Some aspects of the Iraquois music was singing, chanting, and percussion, the traditional instruments are drums, rattles, whistles, and flutes”. They use all of these instruments to make a perfect show for visitors and for the village. When they put all the skins and feathers on them to get ready for the shows, the people that are in the shows and while there getting ready they stick together in the back right before there about to go on and they say prayers. They also will dress up there kids and other family members and have the little kids go out first to get everyone's attention for the big performances.

When the settlers come into the village of the Iraquois tribe there are seats that everyone will sit down and get ready for the spectacular performances that will be out. Some of the people that go to the shows don’t really know what the people that are performing are saying but they like the songs and dances that they sing and do.

Mindy Chavez

Ms.Collins

American Literature/ Composition

31 August 2018

The Sun Dance

It was late spring, buffalos were starting to congregate after winter.  Every morning the mother would have to cook the meat the father hunted the night before. The daughter would just watch her mom cook, so she could learn. “ To learn about the skills they would need for their life. They copied their parents and other adults.” The whole family was going to start getting ready for the Sun Dance. This year the daughter was going to be able to attend the Sun Dance. During the day the mother would let some buffalo skin dry in the sun, so she could make some clothing for her daughter to wear at the ritual. The sun started to set, meaning it was going to be time to head to sleep. The Sun Dance would start as soon as there was sunlight.

The sun started to come out. The mother was starting to prepare herself for the ceremony. The father was ready. They all started heading to where the Sun Dance took place. As soon as they arrive they could see the mendnancing in a circle. The father then joined the rest of the men. The mother joined the women who had to chop the tree, but make sure it didn't touch the ground. This ritual/self torture would last up to four sunsets. “ Since the dance lasted four days, many people would faint from exhaustion before the dance was over.” During those days they would not eat or drink anything. Many different tribes would do this to pray for a relative or friend to determine their place in the universe.

In conclusion, the ritual or what some might called self torture was done by many different native tribes to express religious beliefs. Some would do it to find a meaning in the universe.

Citation Page

Helen, Tomasso, Hannah, and Tara. “Daily Life of Plains Native Americans.” The Salem Times 1693 "Salem Times Every Time", people.ucls.uchicago.edu/~snekros/2007-8 webquests/Daily Life 89/dailylife89.html.

Collins 

4th Period

31 August 2018

The Beating of the Hearts

On a full moon night, every changing season our tribe would gathered around outside our villages waiting for the moon to complete is cycle. This tradition was based on a cultural ceremony, were the tribe would communicate with each others. “It is bases on the beating on the hearts,consisted energy vibrations that evoke healing and spiritual awareness”(Native Americans Traditions). It was also a meditation time for everyone, people would bring varieties  of different  foods for everyone to enjoy. During the celebration many many drummers and singers would attend they played the drums while the rest of us would follow the singers. Healers and Artest would also attend bringing new paintings or healing plants and other people just bought other percussion instruments . In this celebration everyone thank the goods for making the change of season happen to make the celebration more fun we would all stood up and dance to the rhythm of the drums and the beating of the hearts.

This is not the only tradition we have people from our tribe painted representative things that described who we were and our beliefs, this was most used during a war. We would paint our bodies and faces for rituals we also use this paintings for dances and battle. “The designs were believed to hold magic powers for protection”(Native Americans Traditions). Colors and images were also used to make make the warriors and braves look more ferocious. Our art  wasn't only to represent the faces and anger our language is considered an art too. We wrote with symbols, we call them pictograms because it conveys a story and the meaning through pictures and it's the way of communicating with each others which is really creative.

Since every changing season was full moon were so important each time was done we quickly start getting ready for the next one like creating new dances, paintings to represent the coming season. Healers would make plant remedies to help people get through the cycle of the moon, until the next full moon and changing season.

Work Cited Page: www.wayshowerscommunityfellwship.org/native_american_tradition.htp

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