Native American Healing And Dance :: essays research papers

Native American Dance and Healing Native Americans in Contemporary Society: The population in the United States has increased steadily in the 20th century. In 1990 the number of Native Americans was almost two million, 8 percent of the total population. Slightly more than one third live on a reservation; about half live in urban areas. Indian reservations function as independent governments within the federal framework. Among many of the Native Americans, there are many musical styles, singing is the dominant form of musical expression, with instrumental music serving primarily as rhythmic accompaniment. Throughout the Americas the principal instruments have been drums, flutes, and whistles. The American Indian lived life in love with nature. Their wisdom showed in everything, their capacity for harmony with the environment, what they wore, what they created, what they ate and how it was prepared, in their philosophies and beliefs. Music and dance were confined to the native world or offered in tourist attractions as an illustration of a lifestyle unknown to many people. Over the past few years there has been a heightened interest in all Indian things, such as in their art. Expression in the art and dance among North American people this part of life in the form of function and ceremony as it is decoration or performance. Today the Indian Arts have been â€Å"discovered†, and a large cross section of humanity is enjoying its intrinsic excellence, vitality, originality and tradition they offer to the heart and head. Men’s Traditional Dance: They danced with exaggerated movement above the waist to simulate hunting, tracking, or fighting, but heavy grounded, flat footed loser body. This dance originated with members of warrior societies on the Great Plains. Costumes includes an eagle feather bustle and hair roach made of porcupine quills. Women’s Traditional Dance: This dance is extremely reversed in nature, simply a single or double step done in a circle. Sometimes as a up and down movement is done while standing in place. Costumes for women’s traditional dance also remains tribal specific, and sometimes with elaborate beadwork on a long buckskin or trade cloth dresses. Stomp Dances: This dance they get into nature by way of rhythm and it can make your body healthier and relieve stress. Native Americans believe then and still believe now that when the body works in harmony with nature, the natural rhythms of the body and spirit work together. It is that energy that makes one whole. In the Native stomp dances, in the habitats of the native homelands, when they get into rhythm with nature then your body becomes healthier, your mental stress is relieved and you become a whole person