Of all Native American tribes in the south-western area of North America, the Pueblo are generally considered the most important.
The current day Pueblo tribes are descended from the prehistoric Anasazi culture, and share many of the same traditions.
Typically the tribe is peacefully ruled by a communal group of elders.
They worshiped both the sun and the elements. More than half their time was devoted to religious activities and from this many of their musical traditions grew.
As well as being known for their deep and complex music, they are respected for their beautiful artwork.
Despite the harsh treatment they faced from conquerors, the Pueblos traditions have managed to survive along with them to this day.
A large part of Pueblo music was expressed through dance. It was very important in both religion and in cultural events.
Each tribe preformed unique dances.
Some examples of the unique dances are the Zuni Shalako Dance and the Hopi Snake Dance.
There are also some dances preformed by all tribes, such as the Eagle Dance and the Comanche Dance (though this dance varied a little from tribe to tribe).
Comanche Dance
An Eagle Dancer
Indigenous Instruments of the Pueblo Tribe
In Pueblo music, as well as other Native American music in North America, the large majority of the instruments were either flute or percussion.
The flutes used may have had the recorder plug but were sometimes found without it.
They were also mainly used to play love songs in the pueblo tribe.
Flutes were only played by men in ceremonies.
The main percussion instruments of the Pueblos were drums and rattles.
Drum are beaten with sticks or with the hand.
Both drums and rattles are used only to accompany songs and are never used to play melody.
Most drums have a single drumhead, some were large enough to be played by many drummers at once.
Some ceremonies such as the peyote ceremony required special drums.
An Overview Of Pueblo Music Styles
There is typically a high tension in the singing.
Many pieces used a two-part form.
The traditional songs used a slowly descending contour which typically leveled off at a low, long note.
Many pieces also begin with a similar long,low note.
IB Rubric of The Eagle Dance
A:
The entire song has a very similar texture.
The Eagle Dance is performed by a chorus of men.
The instruments played are Hand Drums and Rattles.
C:
:00-:02
Hand drums enter, keeping a steady beat.
:03-:25
Chime enters + vocals begin
Polyphonic texture, three separate textures.
Vocals continually decrescendo.
Drums and chimes keep beat until :25
Vocals trail off at :22
All music breaks off at :25
:26-:41
Repeats pattern of section A
:42-1:08
The vocals slow significantly
They also have a more curved contour as opposed to the step-wise contour of section A.
The tempo of the drums and chimes slows as well.
The vocals provide the melody or core of the song.
There are regular chord changes in the vocals.
1:08-1:15
The vocal line jumps up and then slides down until it jumps back up again the next measure.
All parts are at the slowest in this section.
Section is a transition.
1:16-1:34
Almost the same as the transition.
It is slightly sped up from the transition.
Also, it is mezzo forte as opposed to the piano of the transition.
1:35-1:49
Rhythm section picks up tempo.
Vocal section has accents on the every 3rd or 4th beat.
1:50-1:52
The vocals rapidly decrescendo.
Rhythm and vocals both trail off at 1:51
D:
Performed by men to draw spiritual energy to the tribe.
One of the oldest dances performed by the Pueblo tribe.
A sacred dance performed by the tribe in religious, spiritual ceremonies.
The Mythology of Pueblo Songs
The most complex music/dance of the pueblo tribes involved Kachinas, a Kachina was the spirit of an ancestor of the tribe.
They are supposed to act as intermediaries between man and the gods.
In many, many songs, men would dress as Kachinas to act as the physical manifestations of these messengers.
Each Kachina would be dressed and represented differently and would represent a different part of the song and dance.
This sketch is of a man dressed in the traditional garb of the Kachina, he would have played an important part in the song, usually as the center of the song or dance.
The Eagle Dance
The Eagle Dance was traditionally performed with the purpose to draw good health and prosperity to their tribe.
The dancers believed that the beat would allow them to enter a hypnotic trance while dancing.
This allows them in their minds to call upon spiritual energies, to manifest the desires and prosperity of the tribe.
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The Hoop Dance
The Hoop Dance tells the story of the Circle of Life through the eyes of an Eagle.
The dancers do configurations using hoops such as; butterfly, flower, horse, scorpion, the world and the Eagle as seen though their eyes during life.
Works Cited
__Pueblo Indians__. Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Eds. Thomas Carson and Mary Bonk. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2000. 837. 2 vols. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Thomson Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 7 Dec. 2006
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