Native American Music Final Exam

MUNM-3213

Intertribal

Plains

Powwow social dance song

Southern style

Non-competitive dance open to all participants

Promotes community, social interaction, and cultural sharing

Accompanied by drum-led songs

Round Dance

Plains

Powwow social dance song

Northern style

Circular group movement prioritizes relational alignment and community cohesion

Dancers join hands and move laterally around the drum, creating a shared rhythm environment that reinforces social connectivity

Fancy Dance – Ruffle

Plains

Powwow competition dance song

Southern style

High-velocity footwork & elevated spins showcase technical agility & competitive differentiation

Visual intensity, energy management, and rapid directional shifts

Movements sync w/ accelerated drum pattern, driving escalation in tempo and crowd engagement

Peak athleticism, personal style, and brand-level individuality

large powwow drum (fast, tightly controlled beat)

Multiple singers (coordinated vocal)

Northern Traditional – Sneak-Up

Plains

Powwow competition dance song

Northern style

Controlled, story-driven sequence simulates tracking, scouting, and tactical engagement

Historical narrative tied to warrior experience

Precision, discipline, and interpretive strength rather than raw speed

Northern-style powwow drum (strong, steady beat) w/ clearly marked breaks

Coordinated singing

Jingle Dress – Side-Step

Plains

Powwow competition dance song

Northern style

Dancers move in a coordinated lateral pattern

Healing tradition

Powwow drum w/ supporting singers

Jingle cones on regalia

When the Moon is Full

Plains

Native flute song

Doc Tate N 

Comanche

Powwow Musical Characteristics

Plains

Tense, tight and strained vocal style

“Tumbling Strain”

Wide Melodic Range

Pulsations on Longer Notes

Words & Vocables

“Trills”–– Lulu women only

Monophonic, Unison Singing, Women in Octaves

1 Large Drum

North region style

Plains

Higher Vocal Range

Smaller Drum – 10 ppl

“Push-Up”: 4 Plus Push-Up – Intertribal. 4 Push-Up –Contest

4-12 Honor Beats

South region style

Plains

Medium range (lower than North)

Larger Drum – 12 ppl

“Start”: 4 plus Starts – Intertribal. 4 Starts -Contest

3 Honor Beats

General Powwow Order

Starts with Grand Entry, Flag Song, and Veteran or Honor Song

Closes with retiring of flags

Grand Entry (Powwow)

Formal opening procession that launches powwow

Led by veterans, color guards, and flag carriers, followed by dignitaries and all dance categories

Powered by a designated drum group performing the Grand Entry song with vocal leads

Flag Song (Powwow)

A formal honor song performed after Grand Entry to recognize the flags carried into the arena, especially tribal, national, and veteran flags

Functions as a moment of collective respect where all movement stops and the arena shifts into full protocol mode

Delivered by a designated drum group whose vocals and rhythm provide the ceremonial weight of the moment

Veteran’s Songs (Powwow)

Dedicated honor songs that recognize veterans for their service, sacrifice, and standing within the community

The arena pauses to give full attention while dancers and spectators show respect through stillness or designated movements

Driven by a lead drum group whose vocals and rhythm deliver the ceremonial gravity required for the acknowledgment

Victory Dance (Powwow)

A post-honor social dance that celebrates triumph, resilience, and collective strength, drawing from warrior-society traditions

Dancers move with confident, open energy, shifting the arena from formal protocol into a more activated, community-oriented mode

A lead drum group drives the rhythm and vocals, creating a high-momentum environment that reinforces pride and cultural continuity

Contest (Powwow)

Competitive dance rounds where participants showcase skill within their categories

Judges score timing, style, and category alignment

Drum groups provide consistent song structure for each round

Exhibitions (Powwow)

Non-competitive showcase dances used to highlight specific styles, age groups, or invited performers

Designed to boost audience engagement and demonstrate cultural range without the pressure of scoring

Supported by drum groups delivering tailored songs that frame the exhibition and keep the arena workflow moving

Honor Songs (Powwow)

Ceremonial songs that recognize individuals or groups for significant achievements or needs

The arena pauses to show respect during the acknowledgment

Led by a drum group providing the formal song structure

Duel Song

Arctic

Inuit drum dance song

Two individuals perform a vocal face-off to publicly work through conflict while the community observes

Resolves disputes through controlled performance and reinforces social cohesion

Single frame drum and vocals only

I’m So Happy

Arctic

Inuit drum dance song

Dance: lightly stomping / shuffling in place

Expresses happiness for surviving tuberculosis

Hand drum and vocals

Sayuun

Arctic

Inuit drum dance song

The song often accompanies a relaxed gathering or social interaction rather than formal ceremony

Reinforces community bonds and shared cultural identity

Hand drum + vocals

Tea Dance

Subarctic

Invitation song

Dogrib

Dancers perform a light, rhythmic stepping pattern that mirrors the ceremonial flow of a tea gathering.

The movement creates a structured yet social space for participants to engage and interact

Supports ceremonial and social functions tied to tea gatherings.

Reinforces community bonds and shared cultural practices

Hand drum + vocals

Hamatsa dance song

Northwest Coast

Kwakiutl

Dancers perform ritual movements with masks and props as part of Hamatsa initiation

Supports spiritual initiation, conveys mythic stories, and reinforces community cohesion

Drums, whistles or rattles, and vocal chants

Mask represents the spirit of Baxbaxwalanuksiwe

Drinking Song

Northwest Coast

Welcoming song 

Haida

Communal drinking ritual

Simple movements / gestures

Social & ceremonial

Social drinking practices

Drum + vocals

Bear Dance

Plateau / Great Basin

Ute

Dancers perform slow, circular steps honoring the bear

Marks seasonal transitions, reinforces traditions, and strengthens community bonds

Hand drums and vocals

Sun Dance

Plateau / Great Basin

Ute

Ritual dancing around central altar / pole

Supports prayer, renewal, and communal spiritual connection

Reinforces cultural continuity and sacred traditions

Marks the significance of seasonal or life-cycle events

Drums + vocals

The Sacred Moon is Right Before Us Again

Southwest

Native American Church hymn

Navajo

Ritual aligns w/ lunar cycles

Ceremonial

Marks the timing of lunar events and seasonal cycles

Drums + vocals

Nightway song

Southwest

Navajo

Healing ceremony

Drums and vocals

Sand paintings

Mountain Spirit Dance

Southwest

Fire dance song

Apache

Honoring Mountain Spirit (masks / symbolic gestures)

Drums and vocals

Creek hymn

Southeast

Creek

Group singing

Vocals

Trail of tears

Stomp Dance

Southeast

Creek

All Night Ceremony

Medicine Man

Lead Man Singer

Counterclockwise circle around fire

Some improvised songs

Vocables & Native Text

Alternating with women

Turtle Shells or Milk Cans: Double Stop

Non-menstruating

Must Have Shakers