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IT STARTS WITH THE STORY, A REALLY GOOD STORY
WISDOM OF THE
AGES: ART OF INDIGENOUS STORYTELLING AND THEATRE
There are similarities in story content from tribe to tribe. During celebrations, ceremonies and gatherings, stories were shared among tribes; both stories and songs were often given as gifts. The stories would then be revised according to the region from which the tribe came. If, for example, a gift of a story was given from the Plains to a coastal tribe, the creatures would become water creatures as opposed to flat land creatures such as buffalo. Also there were shared stories. For example, great flood stories such as the Women Who Fell from the Sky' belongs to both the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee. The fact that Indigenous people originated on Turtle Island by descending from the Fourth world (up above) belongs to a variety of tribes including the Hopi. Storytellers were usually Elders or Spirit Doctors who carried the history and knowledge of their people and were much revered in the tribes for the simple reason that wth age came wisdom and experience. Children were taught gently about their Nation's traditional knowledge. Hearing the words from an Elder who told it with solemnity and dignity added weight to the importance and retention of the knowledge. In other words, the oral narrative was a highly developed, sophisticated medium supported by ages old teachings and explanations that were based on fact, observation, oral claims and contracts (in front of witnesses), and a complex set of social and cultural customs for dealing with the secular and the supernatural which include song, dance and theatrical presentations. Native people did not distinguish between the physical and supernatural because everything was viewed as a vast continuum. Whether it be animate or supernatural, the world existed in 'real time' and in a conscious state of existence. Everything was a member of one large family: the four elements (earth, air, fire and water), plant, animal and human worlds were connected to each other in often complex and sophisticated ways. In other words, every object that existed in the physical world or sprang from the rich imaginations of the storytellers was in effect in possession of "real" life and co‑existed in perfect harmony with all other living beings. Later science and technology explained a lot of the workings of Mother Earth, why the tides come in twice a day, why the world is in light and in darkness, the origins of the star nation, meteors (feces of the stars!) etc. In the time of the Ancestors, however, it was the rich imaginations of the storytellers who tried to explain the relationship of humans to their environment. Just like any human, Native people were eager to understand their place in the cosmos and in the long winter months the storytellers obliged by weaving magical tales and presenting theatrical extravaganzas (Northwest Coast). How the stories were told varied from tribe to tribe and it did not take a lot of imagination to see how easily stories could be expanded to include multiple performers, dance, music, drums.
Stories contained malevolent and evil‑doing spirits which had to be confronted or counteracted by an opposing positive power. Power was an important concept for Native people. It primarily was the property of the spirit world, therefore "crying for a vision" to acquire guardian spirits was an important event in the life of a young person, since one had to possess at least minimal amounts of spiritual power in order to survive in often harsh environments. The acquisition of power was a common theme in storytelling in a pan-Native sense. The Sun Dance ceremonies on the northern Great Plains (Blackfoot, Peigan, Blood, Sarcee); the Central and Eastern Woodlands (Ojibwa, Cree, Huron, Haudenosaunee) all had stories of how to behave, of overcoming obstacles, of exceptional courage and sacrifice, how to make clothing, prepare food, build long houses, carve totems, deal with cowardly denial, selfishness and jealousy, generally how to behave with others (i.e. manners, protocol), understanding the world of the supernatural, and explanations about the place of humans in the natural world were vital to the overall health and future of the tribe. All My Relations.
FOR MORE ON THE MAGIC OF
NATIVE STORYTELLING
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In
the time before The Change (European contact),
Indigenous storytelling was a "sacred" process and the soul of
my people. Without a written language traditional culture and
customs were handed down by the Oral Narrative. They provided
social, cultural and historical contexts, and acted as a social
cohesive for the entire tribe; they constituted the 'cultural
grounding' of Indigenous people. Speeches and Stories were a
crucial part of all ceremonial occasions. Often long and
complex, they covered a variety of issues thus
constituting one of the most important cultural grounding links in an oral
tradition designed to pass on knowledge to succeeding
generations.
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I revel in being able to tell my stories from an Indigenous perspective using as many artistic mediums as possible while staying true to traditional Indigenous artistic integrity. Many of the stories are all about good character: Truth, Honour, Respect, Wisdom, Courage, Love, Humour, Passion, Sharing, Caring, Humility. They are reconnections to the vital rhythms and currents of Indigenous cultures all across Turtle Island. They demand that you LISTEN, UNDERSTAND, ENGAGE, FEEL and CARE. Stories range from lamentations of pain to exhilarating action, joy and rollicking good humour. They are, in other words, expressions of a culture that goes back to the time before recorded time and that have brought forward rich histories to the present day, perhaps a little different now due to impositions of other cultures, but always truthful and relevant. Traditional Stories when framed within contemporary expression can leave audiences breathless with the sheer beauty and spirituality of the experience. Such productions resonate with the uniqueness of the Indigenous voice. Music genres such as rock, hip hop, rap (provided lyrics are non-violent), modern dance all meld beautifully and are often the best way to introduce Native youth to their rich history. Even better when they find the courage to perform the stories themselves.
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I believe that the modern day
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PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST: It starts as guests arrive in their elaborately carved canoes for a Feast Extravaganza called a Yaawk. Eagle stands and waves a greeting as the guests approach. Everyone steps ashore and the host family with drums pounding, wearing their best regalia greet the guests with a traditional sprinkling of white eagle down over their heads as sign of peace and harmony.
An individual given the right to portray Raven, for example and wear a mask must be a member of the nobility or royalty and initiated into a secret society. Upon initiation, he or she could practice Halaayt, the ritual manifestation of power. The Privilege portion of Halaayt, therefore is simply being a member of the elite and therefore having the right to practice halaayt. The Naxnox (Wonder) is the mask and the mask wearer considered to be a single entity. The right to wear a mask was passed down through families, and a Yaawk was usually held to acknowledge the ‘changing of the guard’if a wearer died or retired. Nothing was left to chance, in other words. "The wearing of masks is ultimately a statement that one accepts that ultimate transformation – the one transformation that occurs without human choice – and the wearing of the mask is literally an embracing of that fate.” The masks were always carved with eyes that dominated the mask. This was meant to convey the importance of being able to see and use insight into understanding the Tsimshian world view. “The eyes of the mask look to see the spirits that hid behind material reality. Seeing and hearing are important to our culture; people who do not take the time to look and listen mindfully are considered unworthy. Seeing and hearing properly lead to understanding wisdom.”(Listening to Our Ancestors: The Art of Native Life Along the North Pacific Coast. Washington: National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution, pg. 104.) Mastering the intricacies of the ceremonies took years and years of training, never mind the sheer physical requirements of wearing awkward and heavy masks carved from red cedar. In the case of transformation masks, i.e., Raven changing to a human, there was usually a mask within a mask, the outer one opening and closing using a series of ropes. The Raven Dancer on the right in the above photo is wearing a mask with a four foot beak - powerful physiques and neck muscles were a definite must!
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INDIGENOUS MUSIC & DANCE -WHY DO WE SING & DRUM?
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SONGS OF THE AGES: INDIGENOUS ‘LIVING’ ART
Shannon Thunderbird, M.A. To all People, let's create music and song because:
· Indigenous Music, Drums, Storytelling and Dance are inseparable. Before European contact, however, most singing was functionally employed to accompany dancing which explained the liberal use of vocables such as way-ya, hey-ha, hey-yo (the First Nations version of do, re, me, fa, so, la, ti, do!). Songs were created in three ways: (a) vocables, (b) Indigenous language, (c) a combination of language and vocable. Call and Response songs were popular as a way of teaching children their language in an entertaining way. In later years music became more stand-alone, and harmonies were added, but movement was never far away. You simply cannot stand still when the drums are pounding! What hasn't changed is music, like Indigenous life in general, is community based. Indigenous communities follow the traditions of the great circle where all things are connected. There are some solo parts, usually the first line of each round of a song, but not long solos. A combination of language and vocable is the most popular method of producing traditional songs today. This is how I write all my traditional music. This way, everyone can at least sing the vocable part. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE SING BECAUSE:
Let's sing
because this is simply
the way of it.....
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DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRIBAL MUSIC NORTHWEST COAST Usually slow in tempo and accompanied by a hand drum. Principle function of music in this area was spiritual; music honoured the Earth, Creator, Ancestors, all aspects of the supernatural world. Sacred songs were not often shared with the wider world. Women and men owned their own songs as property which could be inherited, sold or given as a gift to a prestigious guest at a Yaawk (Feast). While not professionals, music was taught and rehearsed, and those who made musical errors were punished, usually through shaming (we take no prisoners on the northwest coast!!). Some of the most complex music comes from this area. Employing octave singing, but rather than running up and down the scale, it was not uncommon to jump notes and go from bottom to top or top to bottom in a couple of notes. It requires stamina and good pitch. Vocal Rhythmic patterns are often complex and run counter to rigid percussion beats. The original 'jazz' singers!
HAUDENOSAUNEE
Have
both ritual and social music and the water drum is used. ANISHINAABE: Shaker, Flute and Drum play a central role in 'nish music. The flute is is believed came out of of a period of mourning by a woman who grieved the loss of her husband; a spirit born on the wind blew through the reeds to console her. The hand drum represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth (a universal belief). Like all Indigenous culture, music was and is vital to the cultural grounding of the Anishinaabe people. Wherein, again like a lot of cultures, the decline in the number of Native speakers has led to a decline in 'meaningful' song texts; hence, many songs today are sung with just vocables. Yet in the world of the 'Nish, tradition remains strong and good singers are held in high esteem. PLAINS Distinguished by a nasal sound with high-pitched and frequent falsettos using what is often referred to as the "Native Throat". The power of the vocals can be extreme to say the least. Singers employ octave singing, which requires incredible stamina and good pitch. What distinguishes this music is the use of a rhythmic and deliberate descent down an octave (unlike Pacific Northwest coast which can jump about). Ceremonial or ritual songs were usually the result of a vision and passed down to succeeding generations. Inspirational songs usually had something to do with honouring warrior exploits, Social Songs accompanied dances such as the round dance. A really good singer is something to behold.
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NATIVE WOMEN & MUSIC
In
the public forum men's music and dancing dominates because much
of Native women's traditional music takes place in a private
setting associated with family, clan, ceremonial or work
activities. If a person is not familiar with these traditions
then it is easy to believe that women have little presence or
significance in the performance of Native musical traditions.
(Above article taken from a CD insert of Indigenous Women's Music)
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A COUPLE OF AFFIRMATION SONGS
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CALL AND RESPONSE SONG
"TODAY"
Today I'm going to dream
I say, Hey to the Red Race
Way ya hey ho; Way ya hey ho;
Today I'm going to do
Hey to the Sightless
Way ya hey ho; Way ya hey ho;
Today I'm going to learn
I say, Hey to be humble
Way ya hey ho; Way ya hey ho;
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CALL AND RESPONSE SONG
"ISPIMING" (Ojibwa)
Call:
Away ya-huh
Call:
Deb-we-win (Truth)
Call:
Wayn da ni Muk (Four Directions)
Away ya-huh, Away ya-huh
Most of Teya Peya's
programs can be adapted to the specific |
WHY DO WE DANCE?
We dance because this is
simply the way of it....
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REGINA, SASK. |
MOOSENEE,
NORTHERN ONTARIO |
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JAPAN |
OTTAWA
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