NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC

MUSIC WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF NATIVE AMERICA LIFE. GOOD SINGERS AND GOOD SONGS WERE IMPORTANT. THE CALIFORNIAN INDIANS MADE RATTLES OUT OF TURTLE SHELLS, GOURDS, POTTERY OR BUNDLES OF DEER HOOFS. A COMMON RATTLE WAS MADE BY FILLING DRIED INSECT COCOONS WITH PEBBLES, SEEDS, OR SMALL SHELLS AND ATTACHED THEM TO HANDLES OF BIRD QUILLS, WOOD, OR BONE. CLAPPERS WERE MADE OF ELDERBERRY STICKS SPLIT IN THE MIDDLE SO THAT THE TWO HALVES RATTLED TOGETHER.

WHISLES WERE MADE OUT OF HOLLOW BONES OF LARGE BIRDS, OR FROM ELK OR DEER, OR HOLLOWED PIECES OF WOOD. LARGE FOOT DRUMS WERE IMPORTANT PIECES OF HOLLOWED OUT LOGS AND WERE IMPORTANT IN CEREMONIAL DANCES. A BULL ROARER WAS MADE OUT OF A LARGE FLAT PIECE OF WOOD. WHEN SWUNG RAPIDLY THE WOOD GAVE OFF A FIERCE HUMMING NOISE LIKE A BULL ROARER. THEY CARVED ELDERBERRY FLUTES TO BE USED DURING COURTSHIP. MANY SONGS WERE SUNG BY FOLKS TO INCREASE THEIR HARVEST OR TO INCREASE RAIN IN CERTAIN REGIONS.

MAIDU HARVEST SONG

THE ACORNS COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN
I PLANT THE SHORT ACORNS IN THE VALLEY
I PLANT THE LONG ACORNS IN THE VALLEY
I SPROUT, I, THE BLACK ACORNS SPROUT, I SPROUT.













C. L. KEYWORTH