Learning around the drum (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Sat November 12, 2005
Learning around the drum

By Judy Gibbs Robinson
The Oklahoman
http://newsok.com/article/1675792/?template=home/main

NORMAN -- Eleven men and one boy sit around a powwow drum, thumping it
with padded sticks to a slow rhythm set by the leader, whose eyes are
closed.

[test inset - American Indian songs.
Indian songs are passed orally from singer to singer, and in recent
years from tape to singer -- not written down. The most popular form of
Plains powwow singing and dancing is the war dance or grass dance. All
war dance songs have a recognized compositional form, accepted by all
Plains tribes.
Many Plains songs are composed entirely of vocables -- sounds with no
linguistic meaning. This allowed songs to be passed from one tribe to
another for hundreds of years, regardless of language.  Source: "A
Brief Introduction to Plains Indian Singing" by Tony Isaacs, 1990, at
www.indianhouse.com]

When a half-minute passes with no voice joining in, the drummers dart
glances at John Kemble, a Ponca elder leading this powwow singing class
at the Jacobson House in Norman.

Kemble's eyes remain closed; his brow furrowed. He covers his lips with
one hand, muttering to himself. Finally, the hand drops, and he sings
-- high and loud and clear. The others join in.

Later, Kemble explains the delay getting started: "I forgot the words,"
he said, smiling sheepishly.

Because powwow singing is an oral tradition, every generation has more
to learn and remember as the body of songs increases. Kemble, who is
70, guesses he knows hundreds of them and has composed a few himself in
more than 50 years of powwow singing.

Now he hopes to pass on some of his knowledge in a four-week class that
includes experienced powwow drummers, music students and true
beginners.

The Jacobson House, a center devoted to both Indian and Scandinavian
cultures, offers the singing classes every year. Last year, the
emphasis was on Northern style singing, which is done in a high
falsetto. This year Kemble is teaching the Southern style as the Poncas
practice it.

"I think he's the right guy for the job," said Jacobson House director
Russ Tall Chief. "There's a lot of good people who can do it, but he
does it in a way that's accessible to students."

Kemble begins one class by discussing drum circle etiquette -- dress
nicely; don't eat or drink except from a shared water bucket; don't
enter or leave the drum circle without permission from the head singer.

"These rules, they're not written. Nobody tells you," Kemble said. "You
learn these things as you go out to the drums."

The songs, likewise, are unwritten.

"There's no book or anything. The songs I learned, I learned around the
drum and through practical experience," Kemble said.

Kim Tiger, a Creek woman who has been singing around the drum since she
was 12, said she, too, learned by years of listening.

"There's so many songs today. And it isn't like a jukebox. It's
something you have to have so you can recollect at a moment's notice,"
Tiger said.

Kemble called on her to describe the role of women in the drum circle.
They participate as backup singers but never sit at the drum.

"It's difficult to explain when to come in. You just know," Tiger told
the class.

Many powwow songs contain no real words, Kemble said. Others have a few
words that convey broad meanings. For example, one song with the Ponca
words for "behold," "flag," and "warriors" can be interpreted broadly
as an incitement to patriotism, he said.

Another song includes Ponca words that translate literally as "a message
came down from the mountain." Kemble said it is about a sentinel sending
word to the tribe that danger was coming.

The Ponca language proved a challenge for Cynthia Baker of Norman, who
is taking the class to further her appreciation of Indian culture.

"I've gone to powwows as a spectator. I thought it would be very
beneficial if I had some idea what it was I was hearing. So I came to
see if I could learn some of the lyrics and how the songs are
structured," she said.

After two Wednesday night lessons, Baker still was having trouble
distinguishing between the Ponca words and the vocables -- sounds such
as "yo-he-yo" that are composed into the songs but have no linguistic
meaning.

"I'm hoping the practice tape will help," she said.

Bill Dengler of Norman started going to powwows after moving to Oklahoma
about eight years ago. His goal is to learn more about the songs and
improve his rapport with the people he meets at powwows.

"I don't see myself really learning all the songs. That would be nice,
but I don't think I really have the language ability to really start,"
Dengler said.

Kemble admits learning powwow singing is a challenge.

Baker said the effort is worthwhile if it helps keep Indian traditions
alive.

"It's a very interesting and beautiful culture, and I want to see it
survive -- not just for the people who are Native Americans but for the
rest of us. And I'd like to help by understanding as much as I can," she
said.