November is Native American Heritage Month, and I can’t think of a better way to honor it than by listening. For centuries, Native American communities have used music to pass down their stories, their history, and their deep connection to the land, often without ever writing a single note down. The songs were the record.
In this episode, we’re exploring how that musical storytelling works: what the songs are about, how they’re passed from one generation to the next, and why rhythm, voice, and the natural world are so tightly woven together. (Here’s a fun one to listen for: drum and voice are so intertwined in Native music that drummers are often called singers.)
I hope this episode helps your family hear these songs as living stories, carried by many different nations and voices, and still being sung today. If your kids want to keep listening, these two episodes from the archives are a great next step:
Episode 6: Instruments in Native American Music
Musical Samples You’ll Hear in this Episode:
Hopi Spirit Chant – The Native American Indian
Tony Redhouse Traditonal Navajo Chant
SweetGrass Ojibway-Intertrible Drum Song
Powerful Native American Chant
Music Listening Schedule for Episode 109
A playlist of the music heard in today’s episode can be found here. Listen to it over the next 2 weeks, until our next brand new episode of Busy Kids Love Music airs!
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