MUNM 3213- NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC FINAL
REVIEW
Describe the landscape, climate, languages, natural resources, and lifestyle found in the
Northwest Coast region. - Answers - o The Northwest region of Native Americans has a
very diverse landscape, climate, languages, natural resources, and lifestyles. The
landscape of the Northwest region consists of extensive mountain ranges, prospering
vegetation, and numerous waterways. This exotic landscape makes it easy for the
people there to lead very successful lives. The environment there is very diverse, and
the rugged coastline can make the living conditions for the people extreme. The climate
of the Northwest is moderate, allowing the people of the Northwest to fish year round.
The large bodies of water that are present in the Northwest make it easy for the people
that live near the water to access large amounts of salmon. Because of the easy access
to food, these people spend much more time on expressing their culture. These people
have totem poles that are carved with the images and crests that represent their society.
The excessive amounts of food also allow the people in this region to have a more
stable living situation including large rectangular wooden houses that housed multiple
families. The large forests provide many resources including the cedar trees. The cedar
trees were useful in constructing planks, canoes, and sometimes clothing. The people in
this region speak up to forty different languages such as Athapaskan, Azteco-
Tanoan,Salishan, Wakashan and Penutian.
Describe what the Hamat'sa Society is, its region, and describe its initiation. - Answers -
- The Hamat'sa is known as the most prestigious society of them all, but it is also an
actual dance.
- It is in the NW Coast Region
- The Hamat'sa is ranked among the highest in the winter. Some people in this region
also call this dance the Cannibal Dance, which comes from the spirit
Baxbakwalanuksiwe'. Baxbakwalanuksiwe' means means "The man eater from the
North end of the world." It is said, by the people living in this society, that this
supernatural creature lived in the mountains, far away, along sided his family. It is said
that Baxbakwalanuksiwe' flew down to the villages to capture villagers to take to his
family for food. Baxbakwalanuksiwe' killed such a large number of people and was so
dangerous that barely anyone saw it and lived to tell the tale. Eventually
Baxbakwalanuksiwe' died, and now his spirit reemerges around winter time and haunts
the villagers. Families will now send their initiates into the forest, many bringing spiritual
gifts for Baxbakwalanuksiwe'. The gifts were able to protected some of the ancestors,
and they were lucky to get out with their lives. The initiation into the Hamat'sa initiation
involves a man taken out into the forest, and learns the mysteries of the society. He is
then brought back in during the winter festival and the society members must now tame
the new cannibal initiate. The cannibal spirit is weakened by the fire, and the left over
wild is tamed by the cedar bark. When the young Hamat'sa looks inside himself he sees
good and bad power. They believe that together they can defeat the evil, and he is not
alone in his family, tribe, or people.
, Define Potlatch & give it's region: - Answers - - A feast that provides a banking system to
distribute foods within a society and built links with neighbors.
- Region: NW Coast
Define Totem Pole & give it's region: - Answers - - Sculptures that are carved from large
trees and covered in symbols, crests, and sometimes color. They are used for
memorials, welcoming, mortuary, house pillars, heraldic, and sometimes even shame
poles.
- Region: NW Coast
Define Plank House & give it's region: - Answers - - Long houses that are built out of
thick cedar planks and used from shelters and more stable homes
- Region: NW Coast
What Instrument Category is a Rattle? - Answers - Idiophone
What Instrument Category is a Log Drum? - Answers - Membranophone
What Instrument Category is a Whistle? - Answers - Aerophone
What Instrument Category is a Hand Drum? - Answers - Membranophone
What Instrument Category is a Box Drum? - Answers - Membranophone
In the Lawisala, what are the:
- Instruments:
- How they are played:
- Roles:
- Song structure:
- Vocal Description: - Answers - - Instruments: Log Drums, rattles
- How they are played: Drum roll
- Roles: All men singing
- Song structure: Tremolo (drum roll)
- Vocal Description: Powerful singing
Describe the Dzoonokwa or Dzunuka Origin Story - Answers - When children were
misbehaving, the adults would tell them that the wild woman of the woods was coming
to get them. The dance represented the wild woman coming down with a basket to
place the kids in, and take them up the mountain on her back to eat them.
Describe the Bakwis Origin Story: - Answers - - Bakwi means the food is scarce and it is
the wild man of the woods. In the dance the wild man looks back and forth over and
over looking for food. It is believed that when a loved one is lost to the woods or the
sea, they come back in the form of a Bakwis.
REVIEW
Describe the landscape, climate, languages, natural resources, and lifestyle found in the
Northwest Coast region. - Answers - o The Northwest region of Native Americans has a
very diverse landscape, climate, languages, natural resources, and lifestyles. The
landscape of the Northwest region consists of extensive mountain ranges, prospering
vegetation, and numerous waterways. This exotic landscape makes it easy for the
people there to lead very successful lives. The environment there is very diverse, and
the rugged coastline can make the living conditions for the people extreme. The climate
of the Northwest is moderate, allowing the people of the Northwest to fish year round.
The large bodies of water that are present in the Northwest make it easy for the people
that live near the water to access large amounts of salmon. Because of the easy access
to food, these people spend much more time on expressing their culture. These people
have totem poles that are carved with the images and crests that represent their society.
The excessive amounts of food also allow the people in this region to have a more
stable living situation including large rectangular wooden houses that housed multiple
families. The large forests provide many resources including the cedar trees. The cedar
trees were useful in constructing planks, canoes, and sometimes clothing. The people in
this region speak up to forty different languages such as Athapaskan, Azteco-
Tanoan,Salishan, Wakashan and Penutian.
Describe what the Hamat'sa Society is, its region, and describe its initiation. - Answers -
- The Hamat'sa is known as the most prestigious society of them all, but it is also an
actual dance.
- It is in the NW Coast Region
- The Hamat'sa is ranked among the highest in the winter. Some people in this region
also call this dance the Cannibal Dance, which comes from the spirit
Baxbakwalanuksiwe'. Baxbakwalanuksiwe' means means "The man eater from the
North end of the world." It is said, by the people living in this society, that this
supernatural creature lived in the mountains, far away, along sided his family. It is said
that Baxbakwalanuksiwe' flew down to the villages to capture villagers to take to his
family for food. Baxbakwalanuksiwe' killed such a large number of people and was so
dangerous that barely anyone saw it and lived to tell the tale. Eventually
Baxbakwalanuksiwe' died, and now his spirit reemerges around winter time and haunts
the villagers. Families will now send their initiates into the forest, many bringing spiritual
gifts for Baxbakwalanuksiwe'. The gifts were able to protected some of the ancestors,
and they were lucky to get out with their lives. The initiation into the Hamat'sa initiation
involves a man taken out into the forest, and learns the mysteries of the society. He is
then brought back in during the winter festival and the society members must now tame
the new cannibal initiate. The cannibal spirit is weakened by the fire, and the left over
wild is tamed by the cedar bark. When the young Hamat'sa looks inside himself he sees
good and bad power. They believe that together they can defeat the evil, and he is not
alone in his family, tribe, or people.
, Define Potlatch & give it's region: - Answers - - A feast that provides a banking system to
distribute foods within a society and built links with neighbors.
- Region: NW Coast
Define Totem Pole & give it's region: - Answers - - Sculptures that are carved from large
trees and covered in symbols, crests, and sometimes color. They are used for
memorials, welcoming, mortuary, house pillars, heraldic, and sometimes even shame
poles.
- Region: NW Coast
Define Plank House & give it's region: - Answers - - Long houses that are built out of
thick cedar planks and used from shelters and more stable homes
- Region: NW Coast
What Instrument Category is a Rattle? - Answers - Idiophone
What Instrument Category is a Log Drum? - Answers - Membranophone
What Instrument Category is a Whistle? - Answers - Aerophone
What Instrument Category is a Hand Drum? - Answers - Membranophone
What Instrument Category is a Box Drum? - Answers - Membranophone
In the Lawisala, what are the:
- Instruments:
- How they are played:
- Roles:
- Song structure:
- Vocal Description: - Answers - - Instruments: Log Drums, rattles
- How they are played: Drum roll
- Roles: All men singing
- Song structure: Tremolo (drum roll)
- Vocal Description: Powerful singing
Describe the Dzoonokwa or Dzunuka Origin Story - Answers - When children were
misbehaving, the adults would tell them that the wild woman of the woods was coming
to get them. The dance represented the wild woman coming down with a basket to
place the kids in, and take them up the mountain on her back to eat them.
Describe the Bakwis Origin Story: - Answers - - Bakwi means the food is scarce and it is
the wild man of the woods. In the dance the wild man looks back and forth over and
over looking for food. It is believed that when a loved one is lost to the woods or the
sea, they come back in the form of a Bakwis.
