quite a few years ago it was explained to me this way...a dancer, when he hears a song that touches his soul, his spirit that he likes, he will blow his whistle to honour the grandathers, the singers..the singers must sing whenever a whistle is blown, if htey do not reply to the whistle or if no one is around their drum when the whistle is blown their drum is taken away and they have no choice but to let their drum go...thats why there has to be at least one person watching the drum at all times...the dancer that blows the whistle will dance, before it was six times with the whistle blown but now they reduced it to four whistles...the dancer is honouring the grandfathers as this particular song has touched his soul and the spirits of his grandfathers...or ancestors...he will dance to hounour the singers for it is their song that has made his spirit want to dance to this song...he will dance to honour the drum for the drum makes him dance his tradition his way his style to honour the ancestors....tobacco is given to the drummers/singers for singing this particular song...thats the way it was explained to me long time ago...once the whistle is blown the singers/drummers cannot stop until the last wthistle is blown...if a whistle is blown by ten different people, they must sing or bad things will happen..especially if its a eagle whistle...some people use different types of whistles...not true eagle whistles...
I love listening while I bead brings back memories..of my dancing. Also brought tears to my eyes and as I Dr yes to the good creator for forgiveness, and for help..
ballerfella,I agree with you on everything,perhaps you're right,matter of fact I know that you are right,I know that many a people have been blessed by not only my dancing,but many other great dancers that are out there,we dancers,dance for the people,or at least that's what i believe any way,or have been taught. May you and your family be blessed at all of the pow-wows and ceremonies that you attend in your lives. A-HO
i agree with you scorpius1970,I am a traditional dancer and that was what i was told,that when a drum was spiked by an eagle feather,fan,staff or whistle,that all recordings of all kind were supposed to be turned off,I had a person almost film me when i went in on a drum,when they saw my eagle feather,they stopped tapping a s a p,I feel the same way,is that info for people only at pow wows that i attend
People at the place I work say I have the voice of a Pow wow Announcer. But hearing the guy on the mic in this Creator I can only wish to be as cool sounding and level as he is. To be in the booth as the drum is struck, a whistle blowing, that would be something to check off the bucket list lemme tell ya. Hoka Northern Cree hoka!
I'd be just as proud as you are!! Passing on tradition like this is amazing to see, because a lot of the respect for it isn't being passed down these days. Lovin' it! =)
Instead of flooding this video with criticism why can't we just enjoy the fact that ALL of these traditions are alive for ALL of our tribes? As a Lakota wiyan, I am glad that this drum was honored in this way, and In this day and age of technology, I am glad that there is a historical record of this honoring for these young men! No disrespect,but geeez, don't go on RU-vid to lecture, go up to the people you want to shame in person. Dont put them on blast for the world to see.
true those around the drum did,but some of the people standing around filming the drummers didn't remove their covers(hats) and didn't stop filming either after they were told that there was a whistle on the drum,(NOTICE) the one taping the drummers didn't even shut off their camera
Ok please forgive me as I don't know much about these traditions and such. What does it mean when they are whistled? I tried to look it up myself and couldn't really find anything speaking to it just some notes here and there. I married into a family that has native roots and just recently have been opened up to this wonderful music and these great traditions. If someone could explain to me I would greatly appreciate it.
Chase Heiserman Growing up, my mooshum (grandpa, if you will) told me that nobody's wrong for the way they were taught. And the way I was taught is that when the drummers are whistled, it's more than a honour, as the whistler is shortening his life-span each time he blows the whistle. Which is why you see the drummers taking their hats off and people making a way for the whistler. Also, this shouldn't be recorded, more yet, put on RU-vid. But oh well, I guess.
Out of respect to the whistle , and whistle blower , the cams are supposed to go off , but todays society people need to learn the respect of the whistle when blown..
OK I will take back what I said about the cameras being on and hats on as well,that comment seems to have made other people upset and I wish to say that I am sorry. I was in the wrong,like I have been in the past,other people have left comments and I have read them and now I feel ashamed for my words,please enjoy this video and other ones like it,I am in agreement,if someone could not be there to witness this pow-wow or other pow-wows,this is a great way for them to be part of it
you see the guys in the video, the ones who are videoing? You want to ask them if it's okay to video? You want to ask them if they know "the rules?" You can have ceremony where you don't have videos, you just have to say it up front. Pray for each other, pray for a better life. Don't think you know what creator wants. Why are you the one pointing the finger? Who nominated you?
They should really turn off the phones and everything bc that's not right. That's a really big honor what northern Cree got right when they blow that whistle should really turn everything off Not to be mean of anything tho but that's a really big honor for what they got😊🙁❤
Brenna Johnson it is. But what about the crippled people and the poor back home on the Rez that don’t have the income to attend these amazing gatherings? I received a message from several elders...one in particular, who said “thank you for recording this. My heart is soaring. My grandson showed me the video. I am happy.” Many who attended this day took their hats off, they shut their cameras off, but later that night, they went and partied. I kept my camera rolling, but I went home with my family, we watched it several more times and prayed for natives everywhere, who were in the struggle. We forget about those back home so easily. And when we are home, we still forget them. This video has encouraged many of them who are truly sacred...the grieving, the poor and homeless in Indian country. I do appreciate the feedback. Aho
Jj Stewart that's vary good u know that last night I herd one was long time ago back in 2009 or 2010 I can't remember but it's been awhile but I'm sorry Ji Stewart.👍 Aho
Love the song, Like the video, don't like how some people didnt remove their caps/hats whatever.. because of the whistle being blowin'.. LOVE the pow wow and everyone in it though (: btw the singers should have removed their caps before singing, in respect to the drum (: just saying ( :
well at any pow-wow that i have ever danced at,any cameras that were not shut off when a whistle or fan went to the drum,the dancer that was filmed had the decision whether or not the camera was taken from the person or kept
mcgilvery80,to answer you,yes all recorders of any kind are suppose to be turned off,plus ALL hats with NO EAGLE FEATHERS in them are suppose to be on,to record at that time is VERY DISHONORING to the whistle carrier,I am a men s traditional dancer and i am an EAGLE WHISTLE carrier,SO as I said,YES ALL RECORDERS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE TURNED OFF AND HATS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE ALL OFF WHEN A WHISTLE CARRIER WHISTLES A DRUM
