Essay Sample on Native American Music: Expressing Feelings, Healing, and Recreation

Introduction

Music plays a very significant role in all cultures and Native Americans are not anomalies. Music was and it is still being used in many diverse ways, for instance in expressing one's feelings, in healing, ceremonial and recreational purposes. There were unique collections of musical instruments played in different events. The most used instruments in such events included rattles, flutes, drums, and other thumb instruments. Additionally, the voice was considered to be the backbone of Native American music. Irregular rhythms and discord style of singing were mostly incorporated, even though people could sing at once sometimes, the vocals were not in sync (Winslow & Winslow, 2006).

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The vocals of Native American are passionate, and was mostly used to ask for healing and heal the sick, ask for rains, and invoke spirits. During these practices, the tribes' men and women would sing different songs and dance differently. The women typically would dance in place while the men would dance around in circles. For decades, Native American music has been considered to be one of the most complex forms of music that were performed. Considering the flexing and freeing of the vocals fused with alternating drum beats and flutes, Native American music becomes a very complex form of art. Additionally, it is important to note also that, there are varying sounds and forms of music in every region across the country where the natives settled. With many diverse tribes, each specific group produced its unique music and style (Hamill, 2011).

Considering all the genres of Native American music, Eskimo music is regarded to be the most simple of all. On the other hand, Pueblo, Zuni, and Hopi tribes of the far southwestern part of the nation have been known to be producing a more intricate form of sounding music. Singers and dancers are outlined by their diverse style of dancing and different types of instruments they used indicated the tribe they come from. Most of these instruments were handmade symbolizing their hard work and creativity (Winslow & Winslow, 2006). Flutes and drums were the two commonly made and played and they used them to express their feelings through pounding and playing them in different ways (Miller & Goss, 2014).

The Fundamental Role of the Flute in the Development of Native American Culture

Hamill argued that flute played a very intrinsic function in the development of Native American culture (2011). The flute was extensively used on various occasions such as in courtship, healing, and meditation. The instrument is still being used in diverse modern music. The instrument is made up of two air chambers, one on the top and the other one on the bottom where there are finger holes. Originally, there were very many factors that would determine the length of the flute, for example, the length from an individual's wrist to elbow would probably determine the length of their particular flute.

The spaces between flute holes were about thumb width. The Natives used different materials to assemble their flute, and such commonly used woods were redwood, walnut, and cherry, depending on the desired sound required. At times, bamboo would be used in constructing the flute and most had about five to six holes but some could be made with about seven to nine holes. The Native American flute was typically played on the minor pentatonic scale, the same scale similar notes used on a piano (Winslow & Winslow, 2006).

The Courting Flute in Natives Culture

The courting flute is one of the trio melody instruments used by the natives and it is also regarded as one of the fundamental parts of the traditional music in Native American tribes such as the Indians. Voice and Apache violin was used to complete the trio of the melody instruments among the Indian tribes. This flute was predominantly used by Southwestern tribes, Woodlands tribes, and both Northern and Southern plains. The flute played a basic role in love and courtship in the Natives' society. Courtship among the Native American society was traditionally public affair involving a lady's both family and friends. Before marriage, families used to guard their daughters against engaging in free relations with other unknown men. The Indian flute was formally used to transmit signals, however, it was often used by young men as a means to communicate their love (Miller & Goss, 2014).

To allure a girl's awareness, the interested man would come in the evening and begin playing attractive love songs on his flute outside the girl's family's home. The entertaining tones of the flute, the rising and falling in a very smooth sliding tempo, served to attract the girl into falling in love with the man. However, there were variances across all the tribes and in different villages concerning specific traditions. For instance, some traditions hold that a girl could not be given a chance to appropriately respond to a man's flute whenever he plays it.

They argued that the potential suitor was mandated to present spoils of hunting groups to the girl's family before being considered a justifiable sweetheart. Flute melodies are both contemporary and traditional. The traditional melodies are transcribed and moved from riding songs, love songs, and dance linked songs that are considered to be traditionally part of Native American society's song systems (Winslow & Winslow, 2006). Flute song pieces that were composed by people were often rooted in the present time experiences of the composer or the tribe.

The Use of the Flute in Meditation Among the Native American Society

According to Miller and Goss (2014), in Native American culture, spirituality was regarded as the connection between the natural world and humanity. They believed that through meditation they could establish that natural world and humanity connection. Additionally, they also believed that meditation was the ultimate way of transcending past material world and acquiring divine wisdom. Additionally, through meditation, they found inner peace, they felt oneness and interconnectedness with mother earth. As a result, meditation practices become very common among Native American society. However, meditation alone was not entirely complete without playing and listening to specific music played on the natives' flute. The Native American flute is one of the music styles commonly used for soothing souls and emotional breakthroughs during meditation. Besides, playing flute during meditation in the Native American culture was purposefully to provide a peaceful atmosphere, reduce stress and worry, creating the most sacred and safe space while advancing a tranquil relaxation and emotional comfort (Hamill, 2011).

The Healing Power of Flute in Native American Culture

Native American cultures across the United States believed that the music possessed supernatural powers and they also accepted the flute plying ideology to be spiritual. With the belief instilled in them, playing the flute to the sick people provided that inner peace, making them feel soothed and relaxed. The Native Americans believed that playing music using flute produced magical healing powers. According to Miller and Goss (2014), music played using flute helped them minimize stress, reduce muscle tension, increase immune function and endorphin levels, and balance brain-wave activity.

References

Hamill, C. (2011). Native American Music in Eastern North America: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. Global Music Series. By Beverley Diamond. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008. Journal Of The Society For American Music, 5(4), 557-559. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1752196311000319

Miller, E., & Goss, C. (2014). Trends in physiological metrics during Native American flute playing. Nordic Journal Of Music Therapy, 24(2), 176-178. https://doi.org/10.1080/08098131.2014.908944

Winslow, M., & Winslow, H. (2006). Using the Native American Flute in a Beginning Instrumental Classroom. Music Educators Journal, 92(3), 46-49. https://doi.org/10.2307/3401140