Iroquois music
Encyclopedia
The Iroquois
is a confederacy of six Native American
tribes.
Traditional social gatherings among the Iroquois feature music and dance as central components. These gatherings are led by an individual who finds lead dancers and singers and introduces them to the audience, also providing dancing instructions. Dances are always counter-clockwise. Instruments used include rattle
s, drum
s, flutes, and
other percussive instruments. Their music is always religious music.
Socials within all Iroquois communities are meant to be enjoyed by all in attendance, especially when everyone dances.
Social songs vary in length, verses and tempo depending on the song selection of the singers. All dances are done in a counter clockwise direction.
A social is run by a "house keeper" or "pusher". The job of the "house keepers" is to find lead singers and to know which songs that each lead singer knows. Their job also includes finding lead dancers for the upcoming dance. He then goes to the announcer with the information. All dances are introduced in the Iroquois language of the speaker. In some instances, instructions are provided to ensure that dances are carried out properly.
The instruments used in the social dances in various combinations are the water drum, the horn rattle, hard sticks and the beating of the feet on the floor.
The social dances can be categorized into three types of step styles: "stomp," "fish" and "side-step shuffle
". Stomp is a shuffling type of dance, the right foot leads and the left foot is brought up to meet the right. The feet "hit" the floor with just enough impact to maintain the beat of the song. Fish is a dance where each foot hits in two or more consecutive beats. Side-step shuffle is done by the women, the right foot and the left foot shuffle oppositely.
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
is a confederacy of six Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes.
Traditional social gatherings among the Iroquois feature music and dance as central components. These gatherings are led by an individual who finds lead dancers and singers and introduces them to the audience, also providing dancing instructions. Dances are always counter-clockwise. Instruments used include rattle
Rattle (percussion)
A rattle is a percussion instrument. It consists of a hollow body filled with small uniform solid objects, like sand or nuts. Rhythmical shaking of this instrument produces repetitive, rather dry timbre noises. In some kinds of music, a rattle assumes the role of the metronome, as an alternative to...
s, drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, flutes, and
other percussive instruments. Their music is always religious music.
Socials within all Iroquois communities are meant to be enjoyed by all in attendance, especially when everyone dances.
Social songs vary in length, verses and tempo depending on the song selection of the singers. All dances are done in a counter clockwise direction.
A social is run by a "house keeper" or "pusher". The job of the "house keepers" is to find lead singers and to know which songs that each lead singer knows. Their job also includes finding lead dancers for the upcoming dance. He then goes to the announcer with the information. All dances are introduced in the Iroquois language of the speaker. In some instances, instructions are provided to ensure that dances are carried out properly.
The instruments used in the social dances in various combinations are the water drum, the horn rattle, hard sticks and the beating of the feet on the floor.
The social dances can be categorized into three types of step styles: "stomp," "fish" and "side-step shuffle
Shuffle
Shuffling is a procedure used to randomize a deck of playing cards to provide an element of chance in card games. Shuffling is often followed by a cut, to help ensure that the shuffler has not manipulated the outcome.-Shuffling techniques:...
". Stomp is a shuffling type of dance, the right foot leads and the left foot is brought up to meet the right. The feet "hit" the floor with just enough impact to maintain the beat of the song. Fish is a dance where each foot hits in two or more consecutive beats. Side-step shuffle is done by the women, the right foot and the left foot shuffle oppositely.