Brief Overview of Indigenous Songs
*In Indigenous music, there are many different types of songs.
*There are ceremonial songs, social gathering songs, drumming circle songs, songs for men, women and children.
*It's important to understand the type of song you are singing, and the setting of which you are singing it.
*If you are singing a ceremony song, it is because you are singing it for ceremonial purposes only. When you sing ceremonial songs, the spirits will come into the circle and it's pertinent that you sing a travelling song to send them home.
*Ceremonial songs are sung during ceremony, these are songs educators should not sing in their classroom.
*One more thing to note often times, you may receive a song if it is gifted to you, in the Indigenous culture one may earn songs.
*Lastly, traditionally if there is an Indigenous song you listen to online or during a powwow, you would like to learn it and sing it with your class, you must offer a gift, and only, if the gift is accepted, will the Indigenous person teach you the song and allow you to teach it to others.
* To learn more about which songs are appropriate to sing in your classroom with your students, it is important to engage in conversation with people from the Indigenous community like Elders, song keepers, drum keepers and ask questions.
*There are ceremonial songs, social gathering songs, drumming circle songs, songs for men, women and children.
*It's important to understand the type of song you are singing, and the setting of which you are singing it.
*If you are singing a ceremony song, it is because you are singing it for ceremonial purposes only. When you sing ceremonial songs, the spirits will come into the circle and it's pertinent that you sing a travelling song to send them home.
*Ceremonial songs are sung during ceremony, these are songs educators should not sing in their classroom.
*One more thing to note often times, you may receive a song if it is gifted to you, in the Indigenous culture one may earn songs.
*Lastly, traditionally if there is an Indigenous song you listen to online or during a powwow, you would like to learn it and sing it with your class, you must offer a gift, and only, if the gift is accepted, will the Indigenous person teach you the song and allow you to teach it to others.
* To learn more about which songs are appropriate to sing in your classroom with your students, it is important to engage in conversation with people from the Indigenous community like Elders, song keepers, drum keepers and ask questions.
Women's Songs
*It would be appropriate for these to be sung by people from the Indigenous community, such as an Elder, Drumkeeper, Songkeer or Helper.
The Welcome Song
This song is sung to open up a ceremony or circle. It welcomes in all the good energy as well as our ancestors. |
The Travelling Song
This is sung at the end of our circle so that we have a safe journey and also to say "Thank You" to the spirits who joined us and send them on their way back to where they came from. |
The Water Song
Please note that many nations have there own "Water Song".
*Please click title below to learn more:
Please note that many nations have there own "Water Song".
*Please click title below to learn more:
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Strong Woman Song
*Please click titles below to learn more:
*Please click titles below to learn more:
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Round Dance Songs
Social gathering songs are normally chanting songs, sometimes with the inclusion of English words.
Round dance songs are songs that encourage people to come together and dance together.
Round dances allows both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to celebrate together in song and dance.
During the Round Dance, all participants join hands and circle the dance area, facing the centre of the circle.
*Please click titles below to learn more about round dances:
Round dance songs are songs that encourage people to come together and dance together.
Round dances allows both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to celebrate together in song and dance.
During the Round Dance, all participants join hands and circle the dance area, facing the centre of the circle.
*Please click titles below to learn more about round dances:
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Children's Songs or Lullabies
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
This song may be used in a educational setting for children's drum circles. This song could be used for making conscious. Pedagogical focus could be the double drum beat. |
Scooby Doo Song
This song may be used in a educational setting for children's drum circles. This song could be used as an energizer. Pedagogical focus could be keeping a steady drum beat. |
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Action Songs
The Humble Song
Please note that many nations sing the "Humble Song" in their language.
Provided below is "The Humble Song" sung in English by the Odemin Kwe Singers.
The pedagogical focus for this song would be memory, repetition, understanding the importance of the lyrics and the message of the song.
Please check out the link below for more information about this song:
Please note that many nations sing the "Humble Song" in their language.
Provided below is "The Humble Song" sung in English by the Odemin Kwe Singers.
The pedagogical focus for this song would be memory, repetition, understanding the importance of the lyrics and the message of the song.
Please check out the link below for more information about this song:
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Sponge Bob Square Pants
This song may be used in a educational setting for children's drum circles.
This song could be used for practice.
The pedagogical focus would be call-and-response.
This song may be used in a educational setting for children's drum circles.
This song could be used for practice.
The pedagogical focus would be call-and-response.
An activity to work on with the students could be learning the basic traditional powwow steps when listening to these songs.
Another option, have students make their own shakers, or pass out shakers if you have them and have students keep the beat while learning and practicing these songs.
Here is a tutorial video about powwow dancing:
Another option, have students make their own shakers, or pass out shakers if you have them and have students keep the beat while learning and practicing these songs.
Here is a tutorial video about powwow dancing:
Other Classroom Songs
Black Lodge
This group sings many children's songs.
Please check them out.
This group sings many children's songs.
Please check them out.
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Land of the Silver Birch
By: Pauline Johnson
By: Pauline Johnson
Listening Activity
You Got to Run (Spirit of the Wind)
By: Buffy Sainte-Marie
By: Buffy Sainte-Marie
Read the article below for more information:
1. Attentive-Listening Experiences:
Att-L Listen Points: Challenge students to hear the following over four listenings:
2. Engaged-Listening Experiences:
N-Gage Tips: Listen repeatedly, in order to engage in the following:
3. Enactive-Listening Experiences:
N-Act Tips:Listen continuously, in order to engage in the following activities:
4. Extension Ideas:
1. Attentive-Listening Experiences:
Att-L Listen Points: Challenge students to hear the following over four listenings:
- entrance of different percussion instruments
- entrance of Tanya Tagaq, throat singing
- number of vocalists
- the form
- entrance of backup vocals
- describe the mystery voice
2. Engaged-Listening Experiences:
N-Gage Tips: Listen repeatedly, in order to engage in the following:
- hear the melody that is sung and played along
- feel the groove and dance along, stepping forward, back, side to side and around, swaying at the same time, doing a two step (traditional powwow step)
- pat the steady beat on your lap
- snap fingers along with the song
- clap the rhythm while walking the beat
- clap along with the tambourine while walking the beat
3. Enactive-Listening Experiences:
N-Act Tips:Listen continuously, in order to engage in the following activities:
- sing the pitches on 'looo' (Buffy Sainte-Marie's part)
- sing the background vocals (Tanya Tagaq's part) on rhythm syllables
- add an ostinato accompaniment on shakers, rattles, tambourine, or other percussive instruments, or using voice
4. Extension Ideas:
- have students create a movement piece or dance that encompasses the main idea or message of the song, have the students choose a verse and a chorus to dramatize
Indigenous Songs in Popular Culture
Wah Jhi Le Yihm
By: Ulali Project
By: Ulali Project
No More
By: Fawn Wood
By: Fawn Wood
Hina Na Ho
By: Susan Aglukark
By: Susan Aglukark
Come and Get Your Love
By: Redbone
By: Redbone
Powerless
by: Classified
by: Classified
Arnaapik
By: Elisapie Isaac
By: Elisapie Isaac
Stadium Pow Wow
By: A Tribe Called Red ft Black Bear
By: A Tribe Called Red ft Black Bear
Uja
By: Tanya Tagaq
By: Tanya Tagaq