Earliest Drum Groups

[WhoMe]

Individual tribes had their own celebrations and ceremonies that led up to what we now know as the modern intertribal powwow. At each of these tribal dance ceremonies, drums with singers from mostly one tribe or region, sang appropriate songs to accommodate the dancing that took place.

Somewhere in the 1960’s the idea of independent drum groups began to gain acceptance and popularity. Individual drum groups have continued to the present day.

What early pioneer drum groups are you aware of? Perhaps some of these drum groups came from your tribe?

Below are some of the earliest organized (northern) drum groups, to get this tread started. They include:

Lakota/Dakota: Ho Hwo Sju singers, Teton Ramblers, Sioux Travelers, Crazy Horse singers, Sons of the Oglalas, Red Scaffold singers and Red Cloud Singers. Soon After: Ironwood and Porcupine came into prominence.

Blackfoot Confederacy: A-1 Club, Old Agency Singers, Kai-Spai singers, Siksika Ramblers, Kennedy singers, and Crowfoot singers. Soon After: Kicking Woman, Young Grey Horse Society and Black Lodge Singers (aka. Scabby Robe Family, aka. White Swan Singers).

Assiniboine/ Stoney: Ft. Kipp singers, Heart Butte singers, Poplar singers, and Eden Valley Singers. Soon after: Bad Land singers.

Cree: Pigeon Lake singers, Tootoosis Family, Little Boy singers, Little Pine singers, Treaty 6 Ermine Skin Band and Crooked Lake Agency

Chippewa/Cree: Parker Singers, Haystack Ramblers and Rocky Boy Singers.

Chippewa/Ojibway (Anishinabe): Ponemah singers, Red Lake, Leech Lake, Kingbird Singers, Lake of the Woods Singers and LCO Badger Singers.

Menominee: Smokeytown singers.

Potawatomi: White Thunder singers.

Three Affiliated Tribes: Dead Grass Society singers, Howling Wolf, White Shield and Mandaree Singers (aka. Baker Singers)

Northern Cheyenne: Whiteman Drum, Fisher singers and Ashland Singers.

Shoshone: Pogue singers and Snake River singers.

Crow: Bear Cloud singers, Lodge Grass singers and Mad Dog singers.

Mesquakie: Woodland singers and Mesquakie Bear singers.

Northern Ute: White Rocks Singers.

Yakama-Cayuse: Treaty of 1855 singers and Yakama Nation (of Satus Longhouse) singers.

Umatilla: Umatilla Intertribal Singers and Minthorn Singers.

Spokane: Bad Canyon singers.

Dine’ (Navaho): Four Sacred Mountain Singers and White Eagle singers.




This is a starter list. Some of these drums no longer exist. I would appreciate any help and corrections to this list of "earliest organized northern drums."

[Wojapi4Me]

Individual tribes had their own celebrations and ceremonies that led up to what we now know as the modern intertribal powwow. At each of these tribal dance ceremonies, drums with singers from mostly one tribe or region, sang appropriate songs to accommodate the dancing that took place.

Somewhere in the 1960’s the idea of independent drum groups began to gain acceptance and popularity. Individual drum groups have continued to the present day.

What early pioneer drum groups are you aware of? Perhaps some of these drum groups came from your tribe?

Below are some of the earliest organized (northern) drum groups, to get this tread started. They include:

Lakota/Dakota: Ho Hwo Sju singers, Teton Ramblers, Sioux Travelers, Crazy Horse singers, Sons of the Oglalas, Red Scaffold singers and Red Cloud Singers. Soon After: Ironwood and Porcupine came into prominence.

Blackfoot Confederacy: A-1 Club, Old Agency Singers, Kai-Spai singers, Siksika Ramblers, Kennedy singers, and Crowfoot singers. Soon After: Kicking Woman, Young Grey Horse Society and Black Lodge Singers (aka. Scabby Robe Family, aka. White Swan Singers).

Assiniboine/ Stoney: Ft. Kipp singers, Heart Butte singers, Poplar singers, and Eden Valley Singers. Soon after: Bad Land singers.

Cree: Pigeon Lake singers, Tootoosis Family, Little Boy singers, Little Pine singers, Treaty 6 Ermine Skin Band and Crooked Lake Agency

Chippewa/Cree: Parker Singers, Haystack Ramblers and Rocky Boy Singers.

Chippewa/Ojibway (Anishinabe): Ponemah singers, Red Lake, Leech Lake, Kingbird Singers, Lake of the Woods Singers and LCO Badger Singers.

Menominee: Smokeytown singers.

Potawatomi: White Thunder singers.

Three Affiliated Tribes: Dead Grass Society singers, Howling Wolf, White Shield and Mandaree Singers (aka. Baker Singers)

Northern Cheyenne: Whiteman Drum, Fisher singers and Ashland Singers.

Shoshone: Pogue singers and Snake River singers.

Crow: Bear Cloud singers, Lodge Grass singers and Mad Dog singers.

Mesquakie: Woodland singers and Mesquakie Bear singers.

Northern Ute: White Rocks Singers.

Yakama-Cayuse: Treaty of 1855 singers and Yakama Nation (of Satus Longhouse) singers.

Umatilla: Umatilla Intertribal Singers and Minthorn Singers.

Spokane: Bad Canyon singers.

Dine’ (Navaho): Four Sacred Mountain Singers and White Eagle singers.




This is a starter list. Some of these drums no longer exist. I would appreciate any help and corrections to this list of "earliest organized northern drums."

It would be hard for someone to argue that you're not one of the most knowledgeable people on this board. Man, this list takes me back! I guess I feel privileged to have been able to dance to and sing with some of these groups. And, like you said, a lot of these no longer exist as organized groups.

I sang at the official retirement of the Porcupine Singers back in 93' or 94', and at that dance the eyapaha gave an entire history of that group dating back to the 1870s. I know they've sang since then - heck, I've sung with them since then - but, they did officially retire their drum at that time.

I remember loving the Kicking Woman Singers, Badland Singers, and hearing an old tape of the Treaty 6 Ermineskin Band and thinking, "man, that sounds different, but wow does it sound good." Those Crees really "creeated" the contemporary sound. Sorry, that was really cheesy, but couldn't resist. Thanks for the memories.

[Pushtay Hill]

Old Skool Eh?!

What about Snake River of Fort Hall,the Gould Family?! Some singers were never recorded by the recording companys,but there were some top singers who were influential. From Yakama and the Columbia River area were the Thompson Brothers,the George brothers.and the Yallup Brothers and they were all big drum singers raised in an era when pow-wows were becoming a big pasttime. Their influence is still felt today from many of us who had the priviledge to listen to them sing and to hear their stories of their travels across the West and into Canada. I can remember waiting for my uncle to get back from wherever he traveled,to listen to his recordings of places such as Crow Fair,Poplar Oil Days,Ft.Kipp,MT and even Hobbema,Alberta. Yep,Way Kool Old Skool

[Stormcutter]

Earliest Drum Groups

Under Cree early groups you have Little Boy Singers, Little Boy are Stony Tribe. Also two prominant groups that were active at that time were " Mosquito Jrs." from Saskatchewan and the" Maskwachees Jrs". from Alberta.

[Pushtay Hill]

Drummerz History 101

Under Cree early groups you have Little Boy Singers, Little Boy are Stony Tribe. Also two prominant groups that were active at that time were " Mosquito Jrs." from Saskatchewan and the" Maskwachees Jrs". from Alberta.

WHO? Never heard of'em,.........ayc!!! Hey man fo'sho. Is it musk/wa or mask/wa? Wonderin' if they're comin' back to Wildhorse to defend their title? Laterz

[chip]

[chip]

I remember:

thunderchild singers
wikwemikong drum committee
Otonabee
red earth
whitefish bay
chicago singers
detroit singers
all nations
stoney creek (ontario)
omaha singers
chippewa singers
otterhead singers
white eye singers
red ryder
red nation
two thunder
red tail (wisconsin)
bobtail
three fires
hardcore
chi-noodin
bear claw
cumberland

[WhoMe]

thunderchild singers
wikwemikong drum committee
Otonabee
red earth
whitefish bay
chicago singers
detroit singers
all nations
stoney creek (ontario)
omaha singers
chippewa singers
otterhead singers
white eye singers
red ryder
red nation
two thunder
red tail (wisconsin)
bobtail
three fires
hardcore
chi-noodin
bear claw
cumberland

Thanks for the additions and corrections (aye, Roberts Rules of Order jargon).

Chip, can you put a tribe next to each drum group. It's are really good list!

[sewiyakana1]

Otterhead (james bay ontario)

[whalawitsagirl]

what ever happened to Whitefish Bay?

In true drumfly fashion I use to have the biggest crush on one of them and I use to hear them at Red Earth all the time, But now all I do is listen to their tapes I managed to find at various vendors.
And I remember hearing Red Nation at United Tribes long time ago, I even have an old "recorded live at United Tribes" and you just don't hear thoes songs anymore. But thanks for the memories.

[Purple Reign]

Individual tribes had their own celebrations and ceremonies that led up to what we now know as the modern intertribal powwow. At each of these tribal dance ceremonies, drums with singers from mostly one tribe or region, sang appropriate songs to accommodate the dancing that took place.

Somewhere in the 1960’s the idea of independent drum groups began to gain acceptance and popularity. Individual drum groups have continued to the present day.

What early pioneer drum groups are you aware of? Perhaps some of these drum groups came from your tribe?

Below are some of the earliest organized (northern) drum groups, to get this tread started. They include:

Lakota/Dakota: Ho Hwo Sju singers, Teton Ramblers, Sioux Travelers, Crazy Horse singers, Sons of the Oglalas, Red Scaffold singers and Red Cloud Singers. Soon After: Ironwood and Porcupine came into prominence.

Blackfoot Confederacy: A-1 Club, Old Agency Singers, Kai-Spai singers, Siksika Ramblers, Kennedy singers, and Crowfoot singers. Soon After: Kicking Woman, Young Grey Horse Society and Black Lodge Singers (aka. Scabby Robe Family, aka. White Swan Singers).

Assiniboine/ Stoney: Ft. Kipp singers, Heart Butte singers, Poplar singers, and Eden Valley Singers. Soon after: Bad Land singers.

Cree: Pigeon Lake singers, Tootoosis Family, Little Boy singers, Little Pine singers, Treaty 6 Ermine Skin Band and Crooked Lake Agency

Chippewa/Cree: Parker Singers, Haystack Ramblers and Rocky Boy Singers.

Chippewa/Ojibway (Anishinabe): Ponemah singers, Red Lake, Leech Lake, Kingbird Singers, Lake of the Woods Singers and LCO Badger Singers.

Menominee: Smokeytown singers.

Potawatomi: White Thunder singers.

Three Affiliated Tribes: Dead Grass Society singers, Howling Wolf, White Shield and Mandaree Singers (aka. Baker Singers)

Northern Cheyenne: Whiteman Drum, Fisher singers and Ashland Singers.

Shoshone: Pogue singers and Snake River singers.

Crow: Bear Cloud singers, Lodge Grass singers and Mad Dog singers.

Mesquakie: Woodland singers and Mesquakie Bear singers.

Northern Ute: White Rocks Singers.

Yakama-Cayuse: Treaty of 1855 singers and Yakama Nation (of Satus Longhouse) singers.

Umatilla: Umatilla Intertribal Singers and Minthorn Singers.

Spokane: Bad Canyon singers.

Dine’ (Navaho): Four Sacred Mountain Singers and White Eagle singers.




This is a starter list. Some of these drums no longer exist. I would appreciate any help and corrections to this list of "earliest organized northern drums."

Is this list from your memory or did you just go to the Canyon Records website?

[plainswindrdr]

Does anyone have any information on "Whitefish Bay Juniors"?

[stillrezin]

Individual tribes had their own celebrations and ceremonies that led up to what we now know as the modern intertribal powwow. At each of these tribal dance ceremonies, drums with singers from mostly one tribe or region, sang appropriate songs to accommodate the dancing that took place.

Somewhere in the 1960’s the idea of independent drum groups began to gain acceptance and popularity. Individual drum groups have continued to the present day.

What early pioneer drum groups are you aware of? Perhaps some of these drum groups came from your tribe?

Below are some of the earliest organized (northern) drum groups, to get this tread started. They include:

Lakota/Dakota: Ho Hwo Sju singers, Teton Ramblers, Sioux Travelers, Crazy Horse singers, Sons of the Oglalas, Red Scaffold singers and Red Cloud Singers. Soon After: Ironwood and Porcupine came into prominence.

Blackfoot Confederacy: A-1 Club, Old Agency Singers, Kai-Spai singers, Siksika Ramblers, Kennedy singers, and Crowfoot singers. Soon After: Kicking Woman, Young Grey Horse Society and Black Lodge Singers (aka. Scabby Robe Family, aka. White Swan Singers).

Assiniboine/ Stoney: Ft. Kipp singers, Heart Butte singers, Poplar singers, and Eden Valley Singers. Soon after: Bad Land singers.

Cree: Pigeon Lake singers, Tootoosis Family, Little Boy singers, Little Pine singers, Treaty 6 Ermine Skin Band and Crooked Lake Agency

Chippewa/Cree: Parker Singers, Haystack Ramblers and Rocky Boy Singers.

Chippewa/Ojibway (Anishinabe): Ponemah singers, Red Lake, Leech Lake, Kingbird Singers, Lake of the Woods Singers and LCO Badger Singers.

Menominee: Smokeytown singers.

Potawatomi: White Thunder singers.

Three Affiliated Tribes: Dead Grass Society singers, Howling Wolf, White Shield and Mandaree Singers (aka. Baker Singers)

Northern Cheyenne: Whiteman Drum, Fisher singers and Ashland Singers.

Shoshone: Pogue singers and Snake River singers.

Crow: Bear Cloud singers, Lodge Grass singers and Mad Dog singers.

Mesquakie: Woodland singers and Mesquakie Bear singers.

Northern Ute: White Rocks Singers.

Yakama-Cayuse: Treaty of 1855 singers and Yakama Nation (of Satus Longhouse) singers.

Umatilla: Umatilla Intertribal Singers and Minthorn Singers.

Spokane: Bad Canyon singers.

Dine’ (Navaho): Four Sacred Mountain Singers and White Eagle singers.




This is a starter list. Some of these drums no longer exist. I would appreciate any help and corrections to this list of "earliest organized northern drums."

WhoMe you have a good memory and these names take me back to when i was a young man and traveed the pow-wow trail i heard most of them singing.
good memories.

[stillrezin]

bumping this back up to the top.

[WhoMe]

Is this list from your memory or did you just go to the Canyon Records website?

Purple R,

Some from memory, some from archival sites.

Researching powwow history is what I do!

Are you advertising for Canyon? *L