Search - Omaha Indian Music :: Omaha Indian Music - Traditional Dance Songs Volume-I (2-CD Set)

Omaha Indians, a prominent tribe amongst Native Americans, have often been referred to as the world?s first real performers, and their dances are the continent?s oldest tradition. Highly symbolic in nature, these dances have maintained tribal morale and expressed its sense of dignity since the beginnings of recorded time. It is a mistake to assume that tribes such as the Omaha Indians are unaware of what is happening to them - they feel the erosion of their values in a fast changing world, and dance is the medium through which they express their frustration, bewilderment, longing for the past and willingness to adapt. Each tribe has its own peculiar dance forms to express its individuality. A variety of influences go into their evolution - from esteemed animals to places of worship, beliefs, history... there is literally an endless font of inspiration for Omaha Indian dances. The fact that the traditional dance styles have suffered under the onslaught of modern influences - especially amongst the younger generations of Omaha Indians - cannot be denied; yet the basic formats have changed little over the centuries. Pow-wows are more than cultural gatherings for Omaha Indians - they present an opportunity for intertribal competition, and it is in dance that this spirit is evinced at its fiercest. Where once tribal differences and individuality were expressed with the tomahawk and scalping knife, it now finds itself manifest in these events. It can safely be said that traditional Omaha Indian dance routines can put the most enduring athletes to shame with their vigor, and give the fanciest Western costume pageants a run for their money. The colorful regalia, the meaningful steps and words accompanying each dance and the range of emotions that are expressed make the traditional Omaha Indian dances a unique and invigorating phenomenon. As you listen to the remarkable dance themes presented on the Omaha Indians Music - Traditional Dance Songs 2-CD Set Vol-I released by A2ZCDS, you will find your heart begin to tick to primeval beats of which it knew nothing before. The 1983 Pow-wow at Macy,! Nebraska, will become a living event for you, breathing the immortal spirit that sustains our country?s first inhabitants to this very day.