Listen to the Drum

[ysabetwordsmith]

I was fascinated by this article about powwow drums.  I knew, for instance, that the music went with particular dances or other activities.  I didn't know that some of the songs are narrative lyrics rather than vocables -- the drum songs I've heard at powwows were either rhythm only or vocables.  So it is vitally important for people to learn those songs and their meanings, to keep the tradition alive.

And now I really, really want a copy of the six-song series "When the Battle Happened" about the Battle of the Little Bighorn, preferably with bilingual liner notes.

Comments

[zeeth_kyrah]

I really liked this article. It taught me a few things I hadn't quite grasped, since I've only experienced one actual powwow. Thank you for linking to it.