Iroquois Social Dance Songs: Volume 3
Iroquois Social Dance Songs: Volume 3
©1969 by Iroqrafts Ltd.
Play song |
Name |
Performed by |
Description |
Native Words |
Translation |
Notes |
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Strike The Stick Dance (Wun'i) | This is not given at "Tea Meetings" (or "Socials" as they are called by NY Seneca) but is performed by Show Business troupes and then usually called "Welcome Dance". It is also performed in association with the religious aspects of the Rain and Eagle Dances. On a show two lines of mixed males and females of any age face each other at a distance of perhaps 15-20 feet. The singers, 1 drum and 1-2 rattles, are off to one side. The two lines dance toward each other upon meeting briefly dance backwards to their original starting point then dance forward again and pass through and beyond the opposite line. With a second song the two lines have again reversed and returned to their first positions. On a show this usually concludes the dance, but for the religious use it will continue on for many more songs. In the latter case women dance if they belong to this ritual and are of a mind to participate. It is said that this dance originates from mimicking wild horses in the forest. The dancers footwork roughly simulates the pawing of the horses hooves as they move in a forward-backwards motion. The name "wuni'i" does not refer to sticks being beaten (as in keeping time) but seems to derive from "owen'ik" referring to "poles rubbing together" as would saplings in the woods as the horses moved about. | Iroquois | |||
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New Womens Shuffle Dance (New songs (E'skanya'ginu'sa) | The elevation of women in Iroquois society is too well know to again require elaboration here. Let it serve simply to accent this position to note that of all the older Iroquois dances only three are subject to frequent new compositions as a test of the composer's skill...Moccasin Dance, Stomp Dance, and Women's Dance. This is not to say that the other dances do nor receive new compositions as indeed occasionally happens, but it is rare and the composers prefer these three. Of them, Eskanya is the most favored by composers and indeed, the great resurgence of singing in the Longhouse Communities at Ohsweken and four of the western Iroquois reserves in NY State since 1964 has centered around composing new Women's Shuffle dance songs. Literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of these have appeared and most are preserved on tape by the members of each society. There have been frequent visits to each member reserve to participate in huge music festivals at which the latest songs are presented and recorded by many of the Iroquois spectators. The melodies to a great many of these songs are particularly haunting and would appeal very much to the non_Iroquois ear. In actual use each song is given twice, the first begun by the drummer and the repeat by the first assistant singer. Each set of songs (referred to as a "wheel") usually consists of 6-7 individual songs in a fixed order. Good singers can pluck a wheel from their memories of many hundreds of songs in general use which they may know and give them in this proper order. With some wheels this order is important if the emotional build-up is to be achieved in a coherent manner. Women of every age enjoy this dance. The foot work of children is usually a fast, almost in-place running shuffle of the simplest form. But for adults it is a shuffled twisting of the feet with considerable action from the hips down. The hands usually bob and rotate about close to the chest and some older women preserve an ancient practice from this position by making short flicking actions towards their shoulders. This is said to have represented women picking corn and throwing it into a pack basket on the back. Young women frequently dance with a boyish zest and action, the matrons with a smooth gracious dignity. At least two older sets of Eskanya songs exist and are performed as the Women's offering of respect to Our Creator at certain Longhouse Festivals. | Iroquois | |||
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Naked Dance (Danu'sta'kya) | With the beginning of accompaniment from a water drum and a number of horn rattles in the center of the dance area a number of women form two lines. They stand in place singing with the 'orhestra' during the slow introductory songs. With a change of tempo the first two women face backwards to the pair behind, as do every other pair of women in the column. Half way in each song they exchange places as in Giyowa. Soon pairs of men set themselves between these pairs or women and dance as partners to one couple. A slangy English name for this dance is "Kick Dance" for the hop, brush, and forward kick of the foot which are its steps. The dance originated West of Iroquoia among the "O'dani'sta hono"...Naked People. The NY Seneca call it "Shaking a Bush Dance". | Iroquois | |||
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(Passenger) Pidgeon Dance (Tca'go'wa'kya) | Two columns of men form behind the head singer and helper, each with a horn rattle, and proceed with a Gadatrot step. Women step between the men, some of whom may be singing if they know the songs. In effect it is a double file Gadatrot with horn rattle accompaniment. This is a common dance with which to end an evening's dancing. | Iroquois |