Hello again, or should I say "Hau!"
I am very excited yet nervous to present my findings and dance for the class to represent my Seneca ancestry!
I am going to incorporate the history behind the Seneca tribe as a whole, as well as inform the class on the origins of the smoke dance itself. Below I have provided a link that gives an in depth analysis of this particular dance. However, I will not be presenting all aspects of this information, but only the features that I deem to be most important.
origins of the smoke dance link
Here are the aspects I wish to incorporate: (I will simplify/ shorten to meet the time requirements)
Culture/History
- In the Seneca language, Seneca people are known as O-non-dowa-gah, (pronounced: Oh-n'own-dough-wahgah) or "Great Hill People."
- The historical Seneca occupied territory throughout the Finger Lakes area in Central New York, and in the Genesee Valley in Western New York, living in longhouses on the riversides.
- The smoke dance is a Haudenosaunee dance
- Seneca is the largest of the Six Nations (8,000 citizens) that comprise the Haudenosaunee, so displaced Seneca people could have brought the dance to the Great Lakes region. (the original Seneca land and where the bulk of Seneca people live)
- Therefore, the smoke dance is uncommon outside of the eastern region
- The dance itself has multiple tales of origin
- The home-grown theory: At Haudenosaunee longhouses, the open fire pits would create thick smoke. Young men would dance to create enough air movement to push the smoke upward toward longhouse vents; young women would also help with movements of their own.
- Though this theory most closely relates to the dance’s name, it’s also the most unlikely because:
- The Osage and Haudenosaunee elders talk of the dance as a transfer between nations: (The Osage did a dance until the mid-19th century that accompanied gift-giving, either to visitors or within the Osage community. Key participants smoked pipes, hence the dance’s nomenclature of Smoke Dance, which later became synonymous with a giveaway dance......not sure if I want to incorporate this or not).
- The main problem with this theory is the unlikely dispatch from the Osage to the Haudenosaunee, which some scholars explain by the close proximity of the Oklahoma Osage reservation to Oklahoma Seneca land.
- But the likeliest origin of Smoke Dance probably has little to do with smoke, and more to do with war. The Six Nations had dances that would help warriors prepare for battle; once nations stopped warring, the dances became ceremonial, an honoring of those who came before. These dances—done solely by men at this time—were slow, heavy, and dramatic, meant to incite or mimic the bravery required on the battlefield.
- The Senecas were particularly skilled at warfare, and were considered fierce adversaries. But the Seneca were also renowned for their sophisticated skills at diplomacy and oratory and their willingness to unite with the other original five nations to form the Iroquois Confederacy of Nations.
- Over time, as war dances had lost their original inspiration, and these dances became known as smoke dances
- Beginning in the 1920s to 1930s the Smoke Dance began evolving from a ceremonial dance, to being done as a special, or competitive dance.
- Since the 1960's it has become known as a dance for women. Though men are also included, it’s the women’s competition that’s often the highlight.
- Through these competitions, both men and women could show off their athleticism and footwork.
- Both sexes use similar footwork and enthusiasm, however women go fast, and men maintain a slower tempo.
- Ending with the final beat of the drum is crucial, as is staying on the beat throughout the song.
(I will demonstrate for the class the footwork at a slower tempo, as well as how the feet and arms/hands should be on the final beat of the song) - Music and regalia (symbols/patterns, bead work etc that display status or tribe affiliation) are kept simple.
- The music is a solo singer and a single water drum,
- Women’s regalia: cloth dresses with raised bead work is kept relatively plain.
- Men’s regalia: Also simple, but not as plain as women's garb. They often wear a feathered cap known as a gustoweh, and possibly an apron over a cloth top and pants - sometimes featuring flat or raised bead work.
https://youtu.be/ejR8a7Q6Vg8
And here is the music I will use: (If I figure out how to loop it because it is only 1 minute, and/or unless I find a better/longer song)
https://youtu.be/VVSEytfcqFU
