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I surf the internet alot and occasional run across bits of information that i have to share.
I was reading this entry in the encyclopedia and it struck me that there were things in here that I have never heard of!
I am no expert and do not claim to know everything, that is not possible.
So when i read some things in this entry i wanted to share them to see if they have any basis for fact...
Afterall it is the Encyclopedia and the majority of people that read it will assume it is factual!
1) It mentions the significance of the red and blue colors of our blanket as representing the redman and bluecoats and that now days we put our military ribbons only on the blue part and the ndn motifs on the redpart
Any Comments?
Here is the link:
Gourd Dance
A Northern Ute dancer performs the Gourd Dance to "cleanse" the arena for the powwow grand entry, while women "nurture" their warriors from the sideline. The dancer depicted here is Clifford Duncan of the Northern Ute Tribe, the religious leader of the North American Native American Church in Utah.The Gourd Dance is a type of dance performed by some Native American nations, especially those of the Southern Plains region of the United States. Though often associated with a pow-wow, the Gourd Dance has its own unique style and customs. Gourd Dancing may precede the pow-wow, or it can be a separate event, not directly connected with a pow-wow. The Gourd Dance and the traditions of the Native American Church (NAC) evolved together, with the Gourd Dance incorporating many elements found in the NAC religion, including peyote rattles, waterbird symbolism, and the red and blue sash, which are also the official colors of the Native American Church.
Participation
A Warriors (Male) Gourd Dance Eagle Fan. This Gourd Dance Shield Fan is made from immature bald eagle feathers. The handle of this fan was made from the branch of a tree struck by lightning, and the handle of the fan has been stitched, bound, and fringed with bison hide.The Gourd Dance originated with the Kiowa tribe, and is traditionally considered a society dance for veterans and their families. One must be aware that this dance is primarily a "man's" dance, meaning a dance for men. Women participate by dancing in place behind their male counterparts and outside the perimeter formed by the men. There is a misconception about this being a veterans' dance but it is not required to be a veteran to participate.. There are two primary warrior societies that participate in the Gourd Dance, one is the Kiowa Black Leggins and the other the Commanche Little Ponies. The dance in the Kiowa Language is called "ti-ah pi-ah" which means "ready to go, ready to die".
Many Gourd Dances allow anyone to participate if they are willing to follow the appropriate customs. However, only veterans are typically inducted into the Tiah Piah Black War Shield Gourd Society as society membership has always been confined to warriors. The Kiowa consider this dance as their dance since it was given to them by "Red Wolf". It has spread to many other tribes and societies, most of which do not have the blessing of the Kiowa Elders. Some gourd societies do not distinguish race as a criteria, and even non-Indian veterans can and are inducted into the Gourd Society. Many participants may be older men, and the dance is less energetic and less physically demanding than most pow-wow dances. Another distinction between Gourd Dancing and pow-wow dancing is that it is common for the Gourd Dancers to be dressed in "western" attire (for example jeans and cowboy boots or sneakers) rather than in full dance regalia. Some of the Gourd Dances that are held go on all afternoon and on into the evening when it finally cools off enough so that more energetic Intertribal dances can begin. Some Tribal dances feature only Gourd Dancing.
[edit]
Dress
A Warriors (Male) Gourd Dance Shawl. Military Decorations are affixed to the blue half of the shawl and Native American motifs and patches are affixed to the red half of the shawl. This shawl belongs to a Cherokee and has an emblem of the sacred spider, the bringer of the sacred fire to the Cherokee People.The dress of a Gourd Dancer is characterized by three major items: a gourd sash or vest, a fan of Eagle or Hawk Feathers, and a rattle, which is traditionally made from a gourd or a large 2-3 inch diameter aluminum salt shaker filled with buckshot and mounted on a beaded handle. The rattle is carried in the dancer's right hand. The fan is carried in the dancer's left hand. The gourd rattle typically has peyote-stitch beadwork on the handle. The gourd sash is tied around the waist. Alternatively, a gourd blanket may be worn over the shoulders, or a specially made vest may be worn. The sash is not worn together with the vest or blanket. The vest or blanket has two colors: red and blue, with one color being worn over each shoulder. Sometimes the vest or blanket will feature a design or emblem, usually in the center where the two colors meet. This may be a simple set of red-white and blue stripes, or the decorations may depict items related to the dance, such as an image of a beaded rattle. They may also have a personal or religious meaning to the dancer wearing them.
The Gourd Dance sash colors symbolize the union between the army of the Indians (red) and the army of the Bluecoats (Blue). By tradition, military medals and decorations are placed on the blue section of the sash, and Indian motifs, patches, and tribal insignia are pinned or sewn onto the red section of the sash.
[edit]
Music and choreography
Both a Man's (right) and Womans (left) Gourd Dance Necklaces. The Man's Necklace is made from Buffalo horn pipe, red mescal beans, bear claws, and elk teeth to represent long life. The Woman's Necklace is made from the long wing bones of a bald eagle, red mescal beans, and eagle talons. Both of these particular necklaces also use 150 year old French trade beads called Chevrons.Like pow-wow dancing, Gourd Dancing is performed in a circular arena. The drum is usually located in the center of the arena, though it can occasionally be located off to one side. The dancers take their place around the perimeter of the area, facing inward to form a circle around the drum. During most of the song, the dancers dance in place, lifting their feet in time to the drumbeats, and shaking their rattles from side to side. At certain points in the singing, the drum plays a set of harder beats, known as honor beats. At this point, the dancers will dance a short distance from their spots, returning to face the center as the honor beats subside back into the main rhythm of the song.
Typically, the dance begins at noon, and the opening song (referred to as a "Calling Song") is performed first. This song involves only the leader of the Gourd Society dancing alone. The Gourd Dance Leader then invites (calls) the other dancers to join the dance. Four rounds of four songs each are performed in a traditional Gourd Dance with breaks in between each round. The final dance song of a Gourd Dance is called the "Buffalo" song and concludes a Gourd Dance session. Most pow-wows that feature Gourd Dancing will host two Gourd Dance sessions per day. Gourd Dancers always use Southern Drums. Tribes which dance in the Northern Drum style do not typically perform Gourd Dances.
The dance is rich with symbolism. It is believed by some Native Groups that the performance of the dance "cleanses" the arena prior to the pow-wow.[1], however, by Gourd Dance tradition, it is typically customary for the Native Tribe on whose ancestral lands the dance is performed on to bless the dance grounds prior to a Gourd Dance. The shaking of the gourds from side to side also represents the sound of the bullets of the battle, the drum in the center is a symbol of the battle and the sounds of the hooves of the horses and cannon fire, and the eagle fan is a symbol of the shield of the warrior. Gourd Dance necklaces and bandeliers are often made from brass bullet casings and red mescal bean (Sophora Secundiflora) with bone pipe and buffalo horn.
[edit]
Blanket Dance
A Man's (Warriors) Gourd Dance bandelier and both Gourd and Salt Shaker Gourd Rattles. The man's bandelier is made from buffalo bone pipe, red mescal beans, nickel beads which symbolize bullets, and the tail of an American bison and a shell mirror. This bandelier also incorporates buffalo head nickels and several large glass trade beads.During the Gourd Dance, the Gourd Dance leader will at times select widows of veterans, young native american men entering military service, or older veterans from the audience or who are Gourd Dancing to be honored. The person chosen is led in a clockwise direction around the drum in the center of the dance, then stands to the right side of the Gourd Dance leader facing the drum. A blanket is spread on the ground, and the gourd dancers will each face the drum and remove several dollar bills from their pocket and place them on the blanket and shake the hand of the person being honored. Each dancer will then form a dance line after they place the money (or sometimes food ad other items) on the blanket and line up to the right side of the Gourd Dance leader. The person being honored stays until all the gourd dancers are formed into a single line. The drum then changes its beat to "honor beats" and the dancers will dance in-place throughout the remainder of the current song. After the song concludes, the person being honored will collect the money, food, and other items. This practice grew out of the Kiowa and Native American Church custom of honoring the war widows and their families for the sacrifice of their loved one.
I was reading this entry in the encyclopedia and it struck me that there were things in here that I have never heard of!
I am no expert and do not claim to know everything, that is not possible.
So when i read some things in this entry i wanted to share them to see if they have any basis for fact...
Afterall it is the Encyclopedia and the majority of people that read it will assume it is factual!
1) It mentions the significance of the red and blue colors of our blanket as representing the redman and bluecoats and that now days we put our military ribbons only on the blue part and the ndn motifs on the redpart
Any Comments?
Here is the link:
Gourd Dance
A Northern Ute dancer performs the Gourd Dance to "cleanse" the arena for the powwow grand entry, while women "nurture" their warriors from the sideline. The dancer depicted here is Clifford Duncan of the Northern Ute Tribe, the religious leader of the North American Native American Church in Utah.The Gourd Dance is a type of dance performed by some Native American nations, especially those of the Southern Plains region of the United States. Though often associated with a pow-wow, the Gourd Dance has its own unique style and customs. Gourd Dancing may precede the pow-wow, or it can be a separate event, not directly connected with a pow-wow. The Gourd Dance and the traditions of the Native American Church (NAC) evolved together, with the Gourd Dance incorporating many elements found in the NAC religion, including peyote rattles, waterbird symbolism, and the red and blue sash, which are also the official colors of the Native American Church.
Participation
A Warriors (Male) Gourd Dance Eagle Fan. This Gourd Dance Shield Fan is made from immature bald eagle feathers. The handle of this fan was made from the branch of a tree struck by lightning, and the handle of the fan has been stitched, bound, and fringed with bison hide.The Gourd Dance originated with the Kiowa tribe, and is traditionally considered a society dance for veterans and their families. One must be aware that this dance is primarily a "man's" dance, meaning a dance for men. Women participate by dancing in place behind their male counterparts and outside the perimeter formed by the men. There is a misconception about this being a veterans' dance but it is not required to be a veteran to participate.. There are two primary warrior societies that participate in the Gourd Dance, one is the Kiowa Black Leggins and the other the Commanche Little Ponies. The dance in the Kiowa Language is called "ti-ah pi-ah" which means "ready to go, ready to die".
Many Gourd Dances allow anyone to participate if they are willing to follow the appropriate customs. However, only veterans are typically inducted into the Tiah Piah Black War Shield Gourd Society as society membership has always been confined to warriors. The Kiowa consider this dance as their dance since it was given to them by "Red Wolf". It has spread to many other tribes and societies, most of which do not have the blessing of the Kiowa Elders. Some gourd societies do not distinguish race as a criteria, and even non-Indian veterans can and are inducted into the Gourd Society. Many participants may be older men, and the dance is less energetic and less physically demanding than most pow-wow dances. Another distinction between Gourd Dancing and pow-wow dancing is that it is common for the Gourd Dancers to be dressed in "western" attire (for example jeans and cowboy boots or sneakers) rather than in full dance regalia. Some of the Gourd Dances that are held go on all afternoon and on into the evening when it finally cools off enough so that more energetic Intertribal dances can begin. Some Tribal dances feature only Gourd Dancing.
[edit]
Dress
A Warriors (Male) Gourd Dance Shawl. Military Decorations are affixed to the blue half of the shawl and Native American motifs and patches are affixed to the red half of the shawl. This shawl belongs to a Cherokee and has an emblem of the sacred spider, the bringer of the sacred fire to the Cherokee People.The dress of a Gourd Dancer is characterized by three major items: a gourd sash or vest, a fan of Eagle or Hawk Feathers, and a rattle, which is traditionally made from a gourd or a large 2-3 inch diameter aluminum salt shaker filled with buckshot and mounted on a beaded handle. The rattle is carried in the dancer's right hand. The fan is carried in the dancer's left hand. The gourd rattle typically has peyote-stitch beadwork on the handle. The gourd sash is tied around the waist. Alternatively, a gourd blanket may be worn over the shoulders, or a specially made vest may be worn. The sash is not worn together with the vest or blanket. The vest or blanket has two colors: red and blue, with one color being worn over each shoulder. Sometimes the vest or blanket will feature a design or emblem, usually in the center where the two colors meet. This may be a simple set of red-white and blue stripes, or the decorations may depict items related to the dance, such as an image of a beaded rattle. They may also have a personal or religious meaning to the dancer wearing them.
The Gourd Dance sash colors symbolize the union between the army of the Indians (red) and the army of the Bluecoats (Blue). By tradition, military medals and decorations are placed on the blue section of the sash, and Indian motifs, patches, and tribal insignia are pinned or sewn onto the red section of the sash.
[edit]
Music and choreography
Both a Man's (right) and Womans (left) Gourd Dance Necklaces. The Man's Necklace is made from Buffalo horn pipe, red mescal beans, bear claws, and elk teeth to represent long life. The Woman's Necklace is made from the long wing bones of a bald eagle, red mescal beans, and eagle talons. Both of these particular necklaces also use 150 year old French trade beads called Chevrons.Like pow-wow dancing, Gourd Dancing is performed in a circular arena. The drum is usually located in the center of the arena, though it can occasionally be located off to one side. The dancers take their place around the perimeter of the area, facing inward to form a circle around the drum. During most of the song, the dancers dance in place, lifting their feet in time to the drumbeats, and shaking their rattles from side to side. At certain points in the singing, the drum plays a set of harder beats, known as honor beats. At this point, the dancers will dance a short distance from their spots, returning to face the center as the honor beats subside back into the main rhythm of the song.
Typically, the dance begins at noon, and the opening song (referred to as a "Calling Song") is performed first. This song involves only the leader of the Gourd Society dancing alone. The Gourd Dance Leader then invites (calls) the other dancers to join the dance. Four rounds of four songs each are performed in a traditional Gourd Dance with breaks in between each round. The final dance song of a Gourd Dance is called the "Buffalo" song and concludes a Gourd Dance session. Most pow-wows that feature Gourd Dancing will host two Gourd Dance sessions per day. Gourd Dancers always use Southern Drums. Tribes which dance in the Northern Drum style do not typically perform Gourd Dances.
The dance is rich with symbolism. It is believed by some Native Groups that the performance of the dance "cleanses" the arena prior to the pow-wow.[1], however, by Gourd Dance tradition, it is typically customary for the Native Tribe on whose ancestral lands the dance is performed on to bless the dance grounds prior to a Gourd Dance. The shaking of the gourds from side to side also represents the sound of the bullets of the battle, the drum in the center is a symbol of the battle and the sounds of the hooves of the horses and cannon fire, and the eagle fan is a symbol of the shield of the warrior. Gourd Dance necklaces and bandeliers are often made from brass bullet casings and red mescal bean (Sophora Secundiflora) with bone pipe and buffalo horn.
[edit]
Blanket Dance
A Man's (Warriors) Gourd Dance bandelier and both Gourd and Salt Shaker Gourd Rattles. The man's bandelier is made from buffalo bone pipe, red mescal beans, nickel beads which symbolize bullets, and the tail of an American bison and a shell mirror. This bandelier also incorporates buffalo head nickels and several large glass trade beads.During the Gourd Dance, the Gourd Dance leader will at times select widows of veterans, young native american men entering military service, or older veterans from the audience or who are Gourd Dancing to be honored. The person chosen is led in a clockwise direction around the drum in the center of the dance, then stands to the right side of the Gourd Dance leader facing the drum. A blanket is spread on the ground, and the gourd dancers will each face the drum and remove several dollar bills from their pocket and place them on the blanket and shake the hand of the person being honored. Each dancer will then form a dance line after they place the money (or sometimes food ad other items) on the blanket and line up to the right side of the Gourd Dance leader. The person being honored stays until all the gourd dancers are formed into a single line. The drum then changes its beat to "honor beats" and the dancers will dance in-place throughout the remainder of the current song. After the song concludes, the person being honored will collect the money, food, and other items. This practice grew out of the Kiowa and Native American Church custom of honoring the war widows and their families for the sacrifice of their loved one.
I miss out on all the good stuff. 
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