Gourt Home::Gourt :: Gourd Dance
The Gourd Dance is a type of dance performed by some Native American nations, especially those of the Southern Plains region of the United States. Though often associated with a pow-wow, the Gourd Dance has its own unique style and customs. Gourd Dancing may precede the pow-wow, or it can be a separate event, not directly connected with a pow-wow. The Gourd Dance and the traditions of the Native American Church (NAC) evolved together, with the Gourd Dance incorporating many elements found in the NAC religion, including peyote rattles, waterbird symbolism, and the red and blue sash, which are also the official colors of the Native American Church.
Participation
The Gourd Dance originated with the Kiowa tribe, and is traditionally considered a society dance for veterans and their families. One must be aware that this dance is primarily a "man's" dance, meaning a dance for men. Women participate by dancing in place behind their male counterparts and outside the perimeter formed by the men. There is a misconception about this being a veterans' dance but it is not required to be a veteran to participate.. There are two primary warrior societies that participate in the Gourd Dance, one is the Kiowa Black Leggins and the other the Commanche Little Ponies. The dance in the Kiowa Language is called "ti-ah pi-ah" which means "ready to go, ready to die".
Many Gourd Dances allow anyone to participate if they are willing to follow the appropriate customs. However, only veterans are typically inducted into the Tiah Piah Black War Shield Gourd Society as society membership has always been confined to warriors. The Kiowa consider this dance as their dance since it was given to them by "Red Wolf". It has spread to many other tribes and societies, most of which do not have the blessing of the Kiowa Elders. Some gourd societies do not distinguish race as a criteria, and even non-Indian veterans can and are inducted into the Gourd Society. Many participants may be older men, and the dance is less energetic and less physically demanding than most pow-wow dances. Another distinction between Gourd Dancing and pow-wow dancing is that it is common for the Gourd Dancers to be dressed in "western" attire (for example jeans and cowboy boots or sneakers) rather than in full dance regalia. Some of the Gourd Dances that are held go on all afternoon and on into the evening when it finally cools off enough so that more energetic Intertribal dances can begin. Some Tribal dances feature only Gourd Dancing.
Dress
The dress of a Gourd Dancer is characterized by three major items: a gourd sash or vest, a fan of Eagle or Hawk Feathers, and a rattle, which is traditionally made from a gourd or a large 2-3 inch diameter aluminum salt shaker filled with buckshot and mounted on a beaded handle. The rattle is carried in the dancer's right hand. The fan is carried in the dancer's left hand. The gourd rattle typically has peyote-stitch beadwork on the handle. The gourd sash is tied around the waist. Alternatively, a gourd blanket may be worn over the shoulders, or a specially made vest may be worn. The sash is not worn together with the vest or blanket. The vest or blanket has two colors: red and blue, with one color being worn over each shoulder. Sometimes the vest or blanket will feature a design or emblem, usually in the center where the two colors meet. This may be a simple set of red-white and blue stripes, or the decorations may depict items related to the dance, such as an image of a beaded rattle. They may also have a personal or religious meaning to the dancer wearing them.
The Gourd Dance sash colors symbolize the union between the army of the Indians (red) and the army of the Bluecoats (Blue). By tradition, military medals and decorations are placed on the blue section of the sash, and Indian motifs, patches, and tribal insignia are pinned or sewn onto the red section of the sash.
Music and choreography
Like pow-wow dancing, Gourd Dancing is performed in a circular arena. The drum is usually located in the center of the arena, though it can occasionally be located off to one side. The dancers take their place around the perimeter of the area, facing inward to form a circle around the drum. During most of the song, the dancers dance in place, lifting their feet in time to the drumbeats, and shaking their rattles from side to side. At certain points in the singing, the drum plays a set of harder beats, known as honor beats. At this point, the dancers will dance a short distance from their spots, returning to face the center as the honor beats subside back into the main rhythm of the song.
Typically, the dance begins at noon, and the opening song (referred to as a "Calling Song") is performed first. This song involves only the leader of the Gourd Society dancing alone. The Gourd Dance Leader then invites (calls) the other dancers to join the dance. Four rounds of four songs each are performed in a traditional Gourd Dance with breaks in between each round. The final dance song of a Gourd Dance is called the "Buffalo" song and concludes a Gourd Dance session. Most pow-wows that feature Gourd Dancing will host two Gourd Dance sessions per day. Gourd Dancers always use Southern Drums. Tribes which dance in the Northern Drum style do not typically perform Gourd Dances.
The dance is rich with symbolism. It is believed by some Native Groups that the performance of the dance "cleanses" the arena prior to the pow-wow., however, by Gourd Dance tradition, it is typically customary for the Native Tribe on whose ancestral lands the dance is performed on to bless the dance grounds prior to a Gourd Dance. The shaking of the gourds from side to side also represents the sound of the bullets of the battle, the drum in the center is a symbol of the battle and the sounds of the hooves of the horses and cannon fire, and the eagle fan is a symbol of the shield of the warrior. Gourd Dance necklaces and bandeliers are often made from brass bullet casings and red mescal bean (Sophora Secundiflora) with bone pipe and buffalo horn.
Blanket Dance
During the Gourd Dance, the Gourd Dance leader will at times select widows of veterans, young native american men entering military service, or older veterans from the audience or who are Gourd Dancing to be honored. The person chosen is led in a clockwise direction around the drum in the center of the dance, then stands to the right side of the Gourd Dance leader facing the drum. A blanket is spread on the ground, and the gourd dancers will each face the drum and remove several dollar bills from their pocket and place them on the blanket and shake the hand of the person being honored. Each dancer will then form a dance line after they place the money (or sometimes food ad other items) on the blanket and line up to the right side of the Gourd Dance leader. The person being honored stays until all the gourd dancers are formed into a single line. The drum then changes its beat to "honor beats" and the dancers will dance in-place throughout the remainder of the current song. After the song concludes, the person being honored will collect the money, food, and other items. This practice grew out of the Kiowa and Native American Church custom of honoring the war widows and their families for the sacrifice of their loved one.
Peyotism and the Gourd Dance
Although the Gourd Dance had its beginnings in the Native American Church, peyote use and the peyote religion is not associated with the Gourd Dance in modern times. However, most of the Gourd Dance leaders are leaders or members of the Native American Church. Kiowa Gourd Dances were usually performed the day following peyote ceremonies which typically preceded the Gourd Dance the night before the dance was performed during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many of the same elements associated with peyote ceremonies exist within the Gourd Dance, such as red mescal bean necklaces, waterbird and sun symbol ornaments, and the red and blue sash. The eagle bone whistle and the water drum are the only elements unique to peyote ceremonies which do not appear as elements of the Gourd Dance.
Sources
Notes
"Gourd Dance"