American Indian Music of the Mississippi Choctaws

Funded under ESEA Title II Project Music Resources

United Sound Recorders

Play song	Name	Performed by	Description	Native Words	Translation	Notes
	Jump Dance	Prentiss Jackson - Lead Chanter; Henry Joe, Tony Bell, Ida Mae Frasier	Danced in a ring around the fire after feasting together.			Choctaw
	Walk Dance	Prentiss Jackson - Lead Chanter; Henry Joe, Tony Bell, Ida Mae Frasier	Traditionally the last dance of the evening, danced toward the rising sun. Today's chanters sing it in second place and of from it into another version of the JUMP DANCE.			Choctaw
	Stealing Partners	Prentiss Jackson - Lead Chanter; Henry Joe, Tony Bell, Ida Mae Frasier	Only non-relatives could dance this dance. The accompanying shouts are traditional.			Choctaw
	Drunk Dance	Prentiss Jackson	Traditionally a happy dance, not what the name implies.			Choctaw
	Turtle Dance	Prentiss Jackson, Tony Bell, Henry Joe				Choctaw
	Fast War Dance	Henry Joe - Lead Chanter; Tony Bell, Ida Mae Frasie	In the Choctaw culture both men and women dance the war dances. Drums are not used with the singing and dancing. The lead chanter uses striking sticks on some songs.			Choctaw
	Four-Step War Dance	Ida Mae Frasier - Chanter				Choctaw
	Quail Dance	Henry Joe and Tony Bell - Lead Chanters, Ida Mae Frasier, Prentiss Jackson - Counter Chanter				Choctaw
	Friendship Dance	Prentiss Jackson - Chanter				Choctaw
	Wedding Dance	Prentiss Jackson - Lead Chanter; Henry Joe, Tony Bell, Ida Mae Frasier	Only non-relatives dance this dance. Couples dance in a ring around the fire.			Choctaw
	Duck Dance	Tony Bell - Lead Chanter; Ida Mae Frasier, Henry Joe	The duck was important to the Choctaws for many reasons. Probably the most important one was the use of the wing bones to make arrow tips.			Choctaw
	Raccoon Dance	Prentiss Jackson - Lead Chanter; Henry Joe, Tony Bell, Ida Mae Frasier	This dance is a favorite of young and old. The Choctaws baked and ground the bones of the raccoon which were then mixed with clay to make a fire-proof bowl.			Choctaw
	Snake Dance	Prentiss Jackson - Lead Chanter; Henry Joe, Tony Bell, Ida Mae Frasier	This dance is danced in honor of the rattlesnake. The Choctaws honor the snake because the snake ate the insects and the small animals that otherwise would destroy the food crops.			Choctaw