Storytelling Music and Dance
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Photo By: Kristen Kemmerling
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An Aleut hunter displays his traditional costume
Music and Dance
Song and dance serves many important functions in traditional Native culture. A shaman might sing to cure a sick person; dances are used to bring rain during a dry spell, to declare war on an enemy tribe, or as a memorial for a deceased family member. Celebrations of any kind usually involve music and dancing, often done in elaborate costumes and masks that help to tell a story.
Storytelling
Storytelling has always been a powerful part of Native cultural heritage. Gifted storytellers pass myths and legends, fables, social customs and traditions, and family and tribal histories down from generation to generation. They teach the young about their own culture. Stories are also a form of entertainment that began thousands of years ago and still practiced today.
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