The Great Plains Indian Singers and Songs


Following many requests, Canyon Records presents on Long Play record the music of the Indians of the Great American Plains. In this memorable collection are 14 songs not previously released on Canyon Records, and 5 of the more-often asked for songs from Canyon Records library of single records.

The music has been recorded under varying conditions – on-location at actual dances, at celebrations and Pow-Wows, and in a modern studio setting. All recordings were originally obtained by Canyon Records through negotiation with the singers or song-owners, who expresses their pride in being able to be part of the growing archives of authentic Indian music–to be made known to today's listeners, and preserved in its integrity for the future.

Efrem Zimbalist, Sr., who studied primitive music all over the world, has been quoted as saying that American Indian music is the most difficult he has known. "Lacking in harmony, the Indian achieves his effects entirely by rhythm, often combining several rhythms in on song, and always using short intervals and very baffling pauses." (Fergusson - "Dancing Gods.")

The singing of the Plains is characterized by loudness and great vocal tension. The drumming is strong, almost heavy. Sometimes the song is faster, sometimes slower than the drum. Like much Indian music, it has a descending pattern.

As indicated in the descriptions of the individual selections, some of these singing groups are no longer together; some of the dance customs are disappearing. Recordings like the following may never again be possible. Here, for posterity, are some Great Plains Singers and Songs!

Play song

Name

Performed by

Description

Native Words

Translation

Notes

Medium Fast War Dance William Koomsa, Sr. and Kiowa Singers Kiowa
Fast War Dance Song William Koomsa, Sr. and Kiowa Singers The War Dance is highly typical of Plains music. It derives from the days when many of the Plains Indian were organized into Warrior Societies, and was a sincere prayer to the Great Spirit or Thundergod of War for strength to fight and win. It is now used for entertainment and for dance contests. The War Dance is always popular at Pow-Wows, and today's employs spectacular costumes with colored back bustles, feathers, and bells. Kiowa
Round Dance Song 1 William Koomsa, Sr. and Kiowa Singers Kiowa
Round Dance Song 2 William Koomsa, Sr. and Kiowa Singers The Round Dance is a social dance, favored among most Plains tribes. Men and women participate together in the dance, which takes place around a huge drum. The singers make a close circle around the drum, and the moving dancers form a large outer ring.
49 Dance Song 1 William Koomsa, Sr. and Kiowa Singers Kiowa
49 Dance Song 2 William Koomsa, Sr. and Kiowa Singers Here is another social dance prevalent today among most tribes living in the Southern Plains area. The Kiowas are reported to have originated the 49 Dance and introduced it to other tribes, where it caught on first among younger people, and gradually won general acceptance.

The Kiowas were originally a nomadic people and anthropologists have traced them from mountain fastnesses near present-day Yellowstone National Park, to the Northern Plains, to the Black Hills of Dakota, southward to the Southern Plains. Horses had been unknown to the Kiowas when they lived in the mountains, but once they had the horse they became great horsemen and horse breeders, and the horse lured them continually southward. Feared warriors, they made unrelenting war against the westward-moving White man, and against other tribes. After the Medicine Creek Treaty, they settled in Oklahoma, where they reside today, in the region near Anadarko, loyal U.S. citizens.
Kiowa
Were In This World A Short Time Arikara Singers of Parshall, ND: Ralph Wells, Jr, Ralph Wells III, Emanuel Wells, Thomas Howling Wolf, John Fox, Sr., Charles Ross Arikara
My Enemy I Come After Your Good White Horse Arikara Singers of Parshall, ND: Ralph Wells, Jr, Ralph Wells III, Emanuel Wells, Thomas Howling Wolf, John Fox, Sr., Charles Ross (From the days when taking the best horse from within the camp of an enemy became one of the highest ranking war deeds) Arikara
Bloody Knife's Warrior Song Arikara Singers of Parshall, ND: Ralph Wells, Jr, Ralph Wells III, Emanuel Wells, Thomas Howling Wolf, John Fox, Sr., Charles Ross (Bloody Knife was a great warrior for whom tribal singers composed this son) Arikara
Beartail's Song: Pinto Horse Returns Alone Arikara Singers of Parshall, ND: Ralph Wells, Jr, Ralph Wells III, Emanuel Wells, Thomas Howling Wolf, John Fox, Sr., Charles Ross (Beartail, like Bloody Knife was one of the warrior Arikara scouts for Custer before the battle of the Little Big Horn. These last two songs are classics of the tribe)

The Arikara were formerly members of the Pawnee Confederacy, but were separated in 1832, and gradually made their way northward along the Missouri River. Part of the year they dwelt in earth-log houses, and part on the plains in tipis, while they hunted buffalo. In 1854, along with two tribes of Siouan stock, they were moved to the Fort Berthold Reservation North Dakota, where they have continued to reside. They have always been friendly to the U.S., and in 1904 were noted as 'men of high honor' by the anthropologist Dorsey.

This present day singing group has appeared, by special invitation from other tribes, at numerous Indian celebrations throughout the Midwest, the Northern Plains, and Canada. These songs are all original Arikara songs, passed down from generation to generation. Some belong to the three-generation singing family of Thomas Wells, Sr.
Arikara
Stomp Dance - Morning Little Axe Singers Shawnee
Four Corners Little Axe Singers The Stomp Dance is a dance of diffusion, a spread of culture traits. According to Edward Curtis, in his monumental study of the North American Indian, it "originated among the Seminoles: yet, a study of the music of the dance would seem to indicate an African origin, as the rhythm and the minor wail seem quite foreign to Indian musical concept. Nevertheless, the words or vocables are Indian."

Although the Stomp Dance prevails chiefly among the Indians of Northeastern Oklahoma, it has spread rapidly throughout much of the Southern Plains country, and can be witnessed at almost all Pow-Wows after the ceremonial or entertainment dances have concluded. White friends of the Indian, if present, are invited to join in.

The Stomp Dance, being a fun or social dance is performed by men and women who form a single line, facing forward around a central fire. Two leaders are needed: the dancers follow the leader at the head of the line round and round the fire, while a leader in the middle of the line leads the chant which the dancers repeat in unison The dance is characterized by a rhythmical stomping of feet and a swaying posture.

When the song changes the dancers face the fire, clasp hands, while the leader guides them so that many concentric circles are formed, growing smaller and smaller. The, the leader works his way out again, until the dancers end up in a single line as they began.

Two songs are almost standard for the Stomp Dance. Here presented two other, less common, selections. The Shawnees, originally from Tennessee and Georgia, were gradually pushed westward, and for more than a century have been settled in Oklahoma.
Shawnee
Oklahoma Round Dance Cheyenne Dave Group: Alfrich Heap of Birds, leader; John Washee, Alberta and Nellie Whiteskunk, Cheyenne Dave Southern Cheyenne
Slow War Dance Cheyenne Dave Group: Alfrich Heap of Birds, leader; John Washee, Alberta and Nellie Whiteskunk, Cheyenne Dave Both selections are typical of Cheyenne singing, and this particular group was invited to participate in many Pow-Wows and celebrations during its hey-day. With the marriage of the Whiteskunk sisters, and shifts among the other singers, the group in this form no longer exists. Cheyenne Dave is still an imposing figure each year at the Flagstaff Pow-Wow, and is still an organizer and leader of Cheyenne singing groups.

The Cheyennes were a daring tribe whose stalwart warriors ranged over the Northern and Southern Plains for several generations. The tribe was divided in the mid-19th century into two groups: The Southern Cheyenne being settle on a reservation in Oklahoma, and the Northern Cheyenne occupying a large reservation in Montana.
Northern Cheyenne
Sun Dance Song Philip Whiteman, leader; Tom Wooden Legs, Gilbert White Dirt, Harvey Whitman, Ross Teeth, Jmaes Red Cloud The Sun Dance has been called by John Collier "the master-expression of Plains Indian religion. It richly symbolized and implied, the union of man in God." Lasting usually five to ten days, it was characterized by prayers and sacrifices to the sun. It was performed annually in summer in fulfillment of a vow made by a virtuous woman of the tribe in time of trouble, and with the belief that her promise to erect a lodge to the sun would result in aid.

The erection of the lodge with its center sun dance pole, was prefaced by fasting and ritual. When the dance is performed, men, fasting, take turns dancing around the pole, looking steadfastly at the sun. Voluntary flesh stripping, as a sacrifice to the sun, formerly accompanied the ceremonies in certain tribes, but this practice has died out. The ceremony itself has disappeared from many tribes, and the old folks in the annual circular encampment where hundreds would be set up. Younger tribal members still come to the encampment when it is held, but usually do not participate in the ceremonies, and come for the social contacts.

A popular group of Northern Cheyenne Singers offers this Sun Dance Song.
Northern Cheyenne
Helushka Dance Chief Spotted Back Hamilton (Omaha) with Ponca Singers The Helushka, a very typical Ponca Dance, is a war dance, formerly the property of the Helushka Warrior Societies. When warfare came to an end, the dance was still preserved, chiefly for religious purposes. Today, its religious significance has passed, and it is retained as a cultural survival of a by-gone day, and for social pow-wows–when visiting Indians or non-Indians, men and women, may participate.

The Ponca tribe (since an act of the U.S. Government in 1877) is divided into the Northern Ponca (Oklahoma). Originally from Northeastern Nebraska, they hunted and ranged over most of the Great Plains.
Ponca
49 Dance Song Rough Arrow, Leader; with Phoenix Plains Singers Plains
Friendship Song Rough Arrow, Leader; with Phoenix Plains Singers Indian music is not confined to the Reservations, nor to the public dance exhibits such as the Flagstaff Pow-Wow, the Gallup Ceremonials, the Anadarko War Dance Competitions, or the Sheridan All Indian Days. The Indian never loses his love for the music which has been part and parcel of his life since childhood; if he goes to live and work in big urban centers, he seeks out other Indians there or Indian clubs. Often, as the good singers of various similar tribes meet each other and get acquainted, they form singing groups as an avocation. One of the best during the early 1960's was the Phoenix (Arizona) Plains Singers, under Rough Arrow, who, by day, had a responsible position in the Phoenix plant. The group was much in demand at local events.

When a better job elsewhere came along, Rough Arrow moved on; as other singers gradually moved, the original group had to disband. Here are two of their selections, especially treasured now.
Plains
Korea Memorial Song Willie Horncloud, leader; Ben Sitting Up, Frank Afraid of Horses (Pine Ridge, S.D.) This is a modern day song, memorializing the Sioux boys in the U.S. Armed Services who participated in the Korean conflict. Written while they were still in service, it plaintively sings of "the Indian of the Peace Pipe being shot at in Korea."

The Sioux, one of the largest of the North American Indian nations, were chiefly hunters, and once occupied wide areas of the northern plains and prairies of the U.S. and southern Canada. Today they live chiefly in North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana, and sent many of their young men to the U.S. Armed forces where they have served with bravery and distinction.
Oglala Sioux
Fast Wolf Dance Otto Hungary, Director; White O. Goggles, Helen Crispin, Francis Goggles, Rose Moss Wolf Dances are known and have been used in many Northern Plains tribes. Usually a dance of young men its origin is said to have grown out of ancient legend. This involved a handsome youth who was besieged and tormented by love-struck girls, rescued from them by the mythical Wolf, and made into a Wolf-Man. By arduous effort he was later recovered from the wolves by the men of the tribe, and by ritual restored to his former state. In honor of his friends, the wolves, he established the Wolf Dance. In some tribes the Wolf Dance has declined, but the reasons if known to any, are not generally clear.

The Northern Arapahoes live on a reservation on the Wyoming plains, and have a reputation of being a brave and kindly people, more conscious than many tribes of ceremonial observance. The singing group in this selection was outstanding, and made the song in 1957.
Northern Arapahoe