COOL STUFF!

I am going to begin my first COOL STUFF blog post with the first diverse group we studied, the Native Americans. I found this subject very interesting as I have some personal ties with the Native American Culture. You wouldn't guess by looking at me but I am 1/32 Native American, more specifically Tuscarora Indian. I know this may not be much at all, but is something I have always found interesting. This led me to do a little research after class one day, which is how I found this video.

This is a traditional dance, a smoke dance, that is being preformed at an annual games in New York. In the video you can hear a lot of similarities to the music we heard in class. I really enjoyed watching the performance and being able to compare this to what we learned this week.

Another personal connection I made with one of the lessons relates back to an encounter when I was a young child. One of my fathers friends was a local art enthusiast/ collector and sponsored a group of men from Sudan to come to the US. This was such an eye opening experience, as they made such beautiful music and art out of things we would see as trash. My dads friends, Trish, provided the men with a place to preform and stay while they spent time in town. We still have some hand crafted clay animals that the men made for my mother and I in the window boxes outside our home. I cannot find a video of the performance, but there are many "Lost Boys" and this is one I was able to find.

My last COOL thing I found today, is the Saweto Gospel Choir. With it being Sunday as I am writing this post, I found it fitting to include some gospel music. I found this group very cool as it is a more modern style gospel, but includes some of the traditional Sub-Saharan elements.