The War Dancer

War Dance? The words send chills racing up and down the spine. They recall dramatic scenes of fierce Indian warriors with hard, determined faces masked with frightening war paint. Listen! An eerie animal call echoes in the night . . . many dark eyes glare while a billowing fire casts its shadow upon an expectant, silent people. The silence breaks as a drumbeat pulsates into the darkness. Majestic warriors begin to move in time to its rhythm, their strong, bare legs reflecting the firelight. A high-pitched, nasal yell grates on the ears and crawls across the scalp. . the frenzy of the war dance has begun! With each step, one devout prayer for strength is beat into Mother Earth: “Oh Great Spirit, help us in our struggle to survive!”

This was a time when even the word, “Indians” was enough to bring fear to the frontiersmen, leaving dryness in the white man's throat and a knot in his belly. Combined with “war dance”, it meant a night of terror. Even during the day, wagon trains crossing Apache territory were alert for sudden, unrelenting attacks by the fearless Apaches. Nights were spent in tense watchfulness as sounds were magnified and cautious men wondered if the noise was made by an animal . . . or an Apache. Would dawn bring a merciful end to the night, or, if the drums beat, an attack? “Oh Lord, help us in us in our struggle to survive!”

Today's war dances are pleasant, social functions demonstrating the skill of the dancers and giving the audience a chance to appreciate another traditional skill, the costuming of each war dancer. Eagle feathers represent the spirit of the eagle, who carries prayers to the spirit forces. The bells around the dancer's knees are later version of rattles that once were made of nutshell or tortoise shells. In one hand, the dancer carries the traditional prayer feathers and in the other a bone whistles. The colorful feathers attached to his back are reminiscent of the authority that once belonged to tribal chiefs and royalty. The beaded work is purely decorative today, just as it was long ago.

(Note: The Eagle Feathers, A gift from another Kiowa Indian friend are the models for this painting and were the ones donated to Philip Cassadore for his daughters, “Puberty Rite Ceremony” . . . And Clair's invitation into his first “Sunrise Dance Ceremony.”