Kiowa Scalp and Victory Dance Songs

Canyon Records
Kiowa Dance Group Singers: Men; Bill Koomsa, Sr. Lead Singer, Billy Hunting Horse, Wilbur Kodaseet, Bill Koomsa, Jr., Lonnie Tsotaddle, Women; Georgia Dupoint, Ann Koomsa, Martha Koomsa Perez, Pearl Woodard.

Lead singer Bill Koomsa Sr. has to be considered as one of the outstanding Indian singers in the United States today. He is the son of Bob Koomsa, who was a prominent Kiowa singer and who had been a member of the committee which adopted the Kiowa Flag song after World War I. Bill Koomsa, Sr. learned many of the old songs from his Dad, and has preserved them.

Bill, Sr. is able to sing a great variety of Kiowa songs. He was one of the group which began the revival of the Gourd Dance in 1941. For many years he was prominent in the Oklahoma pow wow circle, but seldom participates today. However, his dance group performs annually at the Gallup Inter-Tribal; Ceremonials, and at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque.

Notes by Glenn A. White

Play song

Name

Performed by

Description

Native Words

Translation

Notes

Scalp Dance Song 1 "These songs were sung by the war party after they returned to their village. Texas and Mexico were their common destinations and they returned with horses, scalps, and other trophies as proof of their deeds. We sing these songs today during the Veteran's Day celebration in Carnegie on November 11. Very few people know these songs anymore as they have just about been lost by the Kiowas." Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 2 Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 3 Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 4 Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 5 Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 6 Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 7 Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 8 Kiowa
Scalp Dance Song 9 Kiowa
Victory Dance Song 1 "These haven't been sung very much. Very few singers know them today. At one time, I guess, there were many of these songs.

"The Victory Dance is danced in a circle like a round dance except you dance in the opposite direction – counter clockwise."

All quotations credited to Bill Koomsa, Sr.
Kiowa
Victory Dance Song 2 Kiowa
Victory Dance Song 3 Kiowa
Victory Dance Song 4 Kiowa
Victory Dance Song 5 Kiowa
Victory Dance Song 6 Kiowa
Victory Dance Song 7 Kiowa