Use of Native American Rattles for Indian Ceremonies and Rituals
If you love Native American rattles, you will definitely benefit from adding them to your drumming circles and powwows. Rattles are great Native American icons representing indigenous tribes and their unique culture. They are also among the most popular musical instruments to play in ceremonial rituals in various Indian tribes. Rattles, for many years and for most American Indians, have always had an important role in the spiritual connection with the creator, as well as for use in public gatherings.
As you read about the intriguing history of the American Indians and their use of Native American rattles, you will find that they are symbolic among Indian tribes and essential to the tribal ceremony in which they are used. They are said to symbolize the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms. The animal kingdom is exemplified in the form of the decorative container or feather of the rattlesnake. The mineral kingdom is represented by the rocks that create the sound or also by the paint used for the artwork represented in the rattle. And, the plant kingdom is symbolized by the mango.
By studying Native American uses of rattles and how they are played, you will learn that virtually all Indian tribes and cultures, including the Navajo culture, play rattles in their ceremonies. Among the many types of Indian rattles, along with the popular gourd rattles and tortoise shell rattles, the simple rawhide rattle is the most widely used in Native American tribes. Images, such as the Navajo bear or Navajo eagle, used in the artwork attached to the rattles, differ by tribe. You will find it interesting that the different tribes, including the Cherokee, Navajo, Apache, Pueblo, Zuni, and Hopi, can be identified by the variations of beautiful artistry in their crafts. One thing these tribes have in common is that they all play rattles at many ceremonial events and as part of music, dance, medicine, and spirituality.
Native rattles are really very attractive and are made with various natural materials such as tortoise shell, leather, rawhide, beads, and Native American feathers. Fur, fringe, seeds, rocks, antlers, horns, bones, and shells are used to create that unique Indian style. Clay beads, blue corn, manzanita seeds or small smooth stones such as those found in the mouth of an anthill are also sometimes placed in the rattles to give it the desired sound.
Native people have always used music, songs, stories, and legends to express their cultural beliefs and customs to each other and to the outside world. It is in harmony with these forms of learning that rattles have become an important part of the ceremonies and rituals of indigenous peoples.
That is the reason why there is nothing more exciting than owning authentic Indian musical instruments and handicrafts. You can easily buy Indian rattles online and also in stores that sell rustic decor. If you are fascinated by authentic Indian musical instruments, or looking for the right instrument to use for your percussion ceremonies, you will definitely be drawn to the unique sound of Native American rattles.