Song and Dance of Western Plains Indians
... The culture of the Central Plains Indians has not really changed after almost being lost from American Government by them banning and prohibiting a main aspect of there life, there song and dance. Through readings, in-class discussion, and listening knowledge I will show how central plains Indians have been able to keep and maintain there own song and dance and kept a sense of there own culture. Through times in which they were forced to move to reservations and even have some of there songs and dance lost due to laws. Also how the American culture wouldn’t let the plains Indians be a sense of there own society and have there own rituals. First of all before the American invasion of Indians land song and singing was accompanied by all aspects of life, especially political life. ... ”(Gooding, Erik pg 441, Plains) Music also plays a key role in Plains religion both formally and informally. The express there song for higher powers and gods but also for individuals for religious ceremony. Plus many of there economics aspects of plains life were also accompanied by music. ... There life cycle was accentuated by song. ... The flute is one of the few instruments that the plains Indian use. ... “Dancing was also a key social activity and was always accompanied by a variety of song forms.”(Gooding, Erik pg 441, Plains) Songs were also used for intertribal warfare as well as to recount individual exploits. Many of these societies accompanied dance with song. As we can see here the central plains Indians used song in every aspect of there life. ... In the early years of the nineteenth century the United States government initiated a policy toward Plains Indians intended to destroy their traditional cultures and force them to assimilate into the dominant American society, and measures were enacted in the mid-1800s in order to break down their economic, religious, political, and social systems. With the separation of Plains Indians into reservation s located in north and south plains two separate music and dance traditions, although based on common heritages began to emerge.