A tribal society is a self-sufficient group with many complex sensitive cultural and social beliefs. Their dance forms can be classified as tribal dance. Dancing is a basic human instinct or a biological impulse to express moods, religious beliefs and social culture. Tribal dancing brings to the fore their customs and religious practices invoking gods, spirits or nature. When we talk about tribes, our mind goes to African, Indian or parts of the developing and underdeveloped countries, rarely the western world. This is far from the truth; Tribal societies are the history of humankind and are prevalent in all countries including the advanced countries like United States of America, Europe, etc.

The Native American Indian tribal dance is one of the most mesmerizing dance forms of the world. In its original primitive method, dancing is physical and muscular movements of the human body to display emotion and their way of life. Most of such dances were to please Gods, Goddesses, Tribal Chieftains and Nature. A range of musical instruments, mainly drums beat to the steps of the dancers creating a melodramatic mood in the environment. Set to the beautiful background of Jungles with fire and chanting, many a movie director have recreated the mood of exotic tribal dances magnificently. The famous war dance of the Red Indians in the Wild West films comes immediately to us.

Nature’s seasons are ushered in with tribal dances, like the welcoming of spring or the arrival of rains. When there is scarcity of rain and, a drought like situations threatens their very survival they perform the rain dance to please rain gods. Native American Indians in Santa Fe, New Mexico participate in a ritual dance called “Corn Dance” to bring rain. The pueblo cultural center in Albuquerque, New Mexicois offers interpretive programs that include Native American dances, musical performances and story telling. “Gathering of Nations” is the largest Powwow held every year in April at the sports arena of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. More than two thousand Native American dancers in their colorful costumes and many hundreds of drummers participate in this festival. Tens of thousands of Native American Indian spectators and thousands of guests witness this amazing and spectacular event. A variety of tribal dances is displayed to the utmost thrill of the spectators. Some of the dances are tribe specific; Men, women’s and children’s dances in different categories are also awarded prizes.

The Kiowa Gourd dance honors the warriors and the elders of the tribe. The drummers are positioned in the center with the tribal elders seated around and begin with a slow rhythmic beat and the warriors around the edges of the arena. Every one wears a red and blue scarf over their shoulders and carries a gourd rattle, the red stand for their battles against the Spaniards and the blue their encounters with the American cavalry. However, the atmosphere is filled with a mood of peace and friendship with an experience of the Native American Culture. While many of these tribal dances have been preserved for posterity, there are cases where many tribes and their dances are extinct. In these modern times, it is a challenge for tribal dance lovers to spread this love for this diminishing art to all sections of the human race.

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Category: Culture
Keywords: Tribal Dance, Native American Indian, Warriors, Drummers, Mesmerizing Movements