Native American Dance

    Native Americans use dances for special occasions such as weddings, births, birthdays, and religious ceremonies.
    The natives of  Alaska and Canada mostly use a type of dancing called drum dancing. Drum dancing is used in ceremonies for dead ancestors. Everyone is invited, including people from neighboring villages. The dancers wear beautiful costumes and sometimes masks. The holders of the festival give presents to the guests. Drummers sing while they are drumming, and the dancers, men and women, move using their bodies to show feelings.
    They also use dancing for potlatches. A potlatch is a gathering for the community. A dance called Spirit Dance is very popular. The dancers "catch" a spirit, and create their own dance for their spirit. New dancers paint their faces and wear brightly colored costumes. Sometimes dancers take on animal spirits for their dance, and with the help of costumes that make them look like a raven, bear, or another animal that they choose. Small presents are given to the people that attend, so that they will be reminded to come back next year.
     The people of Arizona, Nevada, Utah, California, and Oregon do dances that honor certain things, such as the Bear Dance that prays for enough food for the village, or the Sun Dance that prays for enough sunlight to grow crops, and to worship the sun.
    The people of the Pueblo in the Southwest have dances that have to do with agricultural needs such as water and crops- two important things in their lives. The Blue Corn Dance is one type of dance for these people. In this dance, the people of the village act out the planting, growing, and harvesting of crops. The Hopi (a type of people) do a dance called the Snake Dance. This dance lasts for 4 days. Snakes are caught and held all during the dance. Then, at the end of the dance, the snakes are set free, hopefully taking the prayers of the people to the sprits of the animals.
    The natives of the plains which were the Blackfoot, Lakota, and Crow celebrated by performing powwows. Powwows originated in the 1800s. Powwows can be held for fun, or to serve as reunions. Non Natives are sometimes invited to join in a powwow. There are several strict rules if you are invited.
     Dancing is a very important part of the Native American culture. It has been kept alive in some places, but has died out in others. But as for the tribes that still dance the sacred dances, their culture will last for centuries to come.

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