exaclty wat is?

Question

exactly why do native americans dance the Pipe dance??

Answer 1

Pipe Dance o f San Juan

I cannot reproduce the music which was used for this dance; but give that of a PIPE DANCE of the Chippewa, recorded by Frances Densmore (Chippewa Music, II, p. 294). Of the PIPE DANCE among these tribes, Miss Densmore says:

"The Pipe Dance was said to be the principal `good time dance' of the early Chippewa. It is very old; and, like all other dances, is believed to have come from the inanido. In this dance, a man carried a pipestem, and his body was supposed to represent a pipe. The dancer never rose erect, but took a crouching or squatting posture, trying to assume the form of a pipe as nearly as possible. Many contortions of the body were used, and the antics of the dancers were considered very amusing . . . . It was considered a test of courage for a man to brave the ridicule of the assembly, and seat himself where he would be asked to dance the Pipe Dance. In the early days, the men who danced this wore no clothing except the moccasins, which were a necessity to protect the feet.

"A characteristic of the music of this dance is that a sharp short beat of the drum is frequently given, followed by an instant of silence. When this drumbeat is heard, the dancer pauses in whatever attitude he may chance to be, and remains motionless until the drumbeat is resumed."' This pause is indicated in the music by the rest in each of the 3/4 time measures, and is a characteristic of much of the music and dancing of the Southwest.

The dance is a prayer for the rain clouds to form.

It is performed by two dancers.

(a) Holding a pipe at waist level in both hands, they bend th

body forward at each two steps, and backward at each two

enter with the back-trot step (2 steps to each meas

ure) 8 meas

(b) Stand perfectly still while the chorus continues th

song 4 mea

At the second and fourth of these four measures, the dance bend both knees quickly, and yelp once.

(c) Trot right, left, hold

(d) Drop foot, and bend knees, giving one yelp

44

I mea; I mead

(e) With back-trot step in place, and bending body as in (a),

but holding pipes up at arms' length and looking up at

them 4 meas.

(f) Trot, trot, hold i meas.

(g) Drop foot, bend knees, and yelp i meas.

(h) Quickly about face, and repeat whole in opposite direction.

lance; but ices Densiong these

dance' of is believed pipestem, never rose Lssume the body were sing . . . . :ule of the e the Pipe o clothing t.

short beat ~e. 'When le he may resumed." to 3/q. time lancing of

bend the each two, Lch meas8 meas.

inues the 4 meas. he dancers

i meas. i nneas.

45

Rhythm of the Redman

Answer 2

I think it's a peace with mother nature, Offering the peace pipe to mothe rnature. It actually means different thing so t different tribes all o fwhom have pipoe dances.
check these sites;
www.nativeradio.com/prints/ecurtis/images.cfm?tribe=Blackfoot+(Piegan)

strspdrdncng.www.50megs.com/medwheel/pipe.html

Native American Indian Songs Online, Native American Indian Song Collection
PIPE DANCE SONG (Chippewa) PRAYER OF THE WARRIORS BEFORE SMOKING THE PIPE (Omaha) ... Native American "Indian" Dance. Ernest Thompson Seton's: Birch Bark ...www.inquiry.net/outdoor/native/song - 56k

Native American Healing Intro
The Goast Dance. The Pipe Ceremony. The Purification Ceremony. The Vision Quest ... Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves and Our World, says that most pipe ...www.spiritalk.net/nahealin.htm

NATIVE AMERICAN HEALING http
NATIVE AMERICAN CEREMONIES. The Ghost Dance ... surrounded by these ghost dance shirts and dresses, and pass a sacred pipe. ...www.accd.edu/sac/english/gburton/native_american_healing.htm - 140k - Cached - More from this site

Answer 3

Go to: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rtcO66jUG_0&mode=user&search=

you can actually see the dance on a video.