My mothers people are descended from Ohitika, or, Brave. I grew up among the Oglala Lakota. Among the Oglala, the Lakota, Nakota and Dakota, our mothers sing to us in our dialects (L, N, or D) while were still in the womb. The songs that I was taught by my Elders are the songs of my Ancestors, the Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota. Our gatherings are called Wacipi. At Wacipi we sing the songs of our Ancestors, establishing and reestablishing family and community ties, honoring ceremonies etc. I remember as a child seeing my first inter-tribal Pow Wow where the different Nations shared their songs. I also remember hearing my people singing inter-tribal songs that were created for these gatherings of many Nations, where the words are telling the people to come out and dance, or variations of that theme. I have seen and heard other Nations sing the stories of my Lakota Ancestors and people. Ive heard a local Drum group here in the City singing a song that my grandfather and his Brothers made. People know it as the Sioux National Anthem or Flag Song. I have seen and heard songs go from the languages and vocables of the song makers to something else, melodies without meaning, not even vocables. The last Wacipi I went to was among my own people, obviously. I have been fortunate in that I have participated in Pow Wows all across this country, dancing and singing, or just watching. At some of these Inter-Tribal Pow Wows they sang honor songs that I had to dance to, because they were for me and the others who were given these songs, so that all who were there could know who we are. I remember a time when one could tell which Nation a Native was from by their regalia. Thats not true these days, at least not here on the East Coast, with the exception of the Haudenosaunee (Im still learning to tell their individual Nation by their Feathers). Today we have Nations wearing the symbols and regalia of the Plains Nations, or the Northern Woodlands Nations, etc., rather than their own Nations regalia and symbols. I have learned the songs of other Nations, learning the words and the meaning of the words. Now Im on the East Coast, learning to sing melodies, which are easy, because thats all they are. They have no meaning. But darn they sound good in harmony! Ha!
Posted on: Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:36:16 +0000
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