A story told of long ago Before they knew They were powerful. Materials ruled the world They sang sad songs Of how they suffered. With narrow eyes And twice sold lies, A victims view From inside a cube My Love
Then all at once But one by one They heard the call A simple song saying “When would you like To leave it all behind? You can quit all your sorrow Lose track of time And jump in- surrender Wash it all away Jump in and remember This is our game My Love”
And now the tables have turned And the scales have evened And the Illusions Are breaking at the seams And the patterns And problems And prisons of the past Will be pushed under the table Never meant to Last And we grow in numbers Day by day A familiar smile Upon your face My Love.
Then all at once But one by one They Heard the call A simple song, Saying, “When would you like to leave it all behind? You can quit all your sorrow Lose track of time And jump In- surrender Jump in- surrender Wash it all away Jump in and remember This is our game My Love”
I arrived home from work to a warm house. I took my shower right after I ate the dinner I brought home, fully expecting it to be necessary. I was pleasantly surprised!
As I was showering a song came to mind, and I sang it the whole time I bathed, luxury!!!!
Joy to the World!!!!
When I got out of the shower and was toweling off another little diddy came to mind …
I am the river of life I am the keeper of this dream Walk with me I’ll tell you a thousand stories Long ago given to the earth
These mountains tall They are my only walls In this temple where I bow
Haseya
Rise up, my sisters, rise up We are the water, the sacred cup It’s in our hands that all life grows It’s in your dance, it’s in your hands It’s in your love we rise above
It’s in your song I hear my soul So rise up, my sisters, rise up Let us lift each other up Sing it from your heart and from your soul
Haseya
Sun and moon they shine together She moves the waters and dances with the heavens
In your eyes I see Haseya rise In your eyes I see the giver of this life
In the old Grass Dance Society of the Dakota, two men held the office of Whistle Owners. These officers kept the Singers under their control. The whistle was their badge of office. The whistles were flute-like instruments, about thirty inches long, with the outer end carved to represent a crane with an open beak. The use of the word “reed” in the term for whistle shows an ancient origin for the instrument, as the earliest museum pieces are made out of wood. Since reeds grew in water, they were associated with the Water Spirit.
The species of wood used in the later construction of these whistles was cedar. This wood was chosen because lightning from the Thunders was said to never strike this tree; therefore, if a whistle was not constructed of cedar, the Whistle Owner would be in grave danger.
The whistles were originally blown as part of an ancient rain ceremony. When the Whistle Owners sounded their whistles in the Grass Dance, they were attracting the Thunders—the patron of the society, to their ceremonial dance.
The adversaries of the Thunders are the Water Spirits, whose voice is a whistling sound, as loud as a train whistle. By blowing the wooden whistles, they were fooling the Thunders into producing the desired rain and attacking the Water Spirit in a storm. The whistles were never used during the winter as it would bring on a hail or snow storm.
Control of the Singers
Each member of the Grass Dance Society had a designated seating location defined by their rank, or the duty they were to perform. The Whistle Owners sat on each side of the drum, which was located in the northeast section of the dancing area. They were given supervisory control of the Singers; their function was to keep the Singers performing to the best of their abilities. As was the requirement of old, all of the officers in the society were required to donate to the poor at a designated time in the dance.
If the Singers sang a pleasing song, the Whistle Owners blew their whistles over the drum just as the Singers were ending their song; this action signaled the Head Singer to start another verse. The tune of the whistle was a long, drawn-out sound which required full lung power until the breath expired. This was a request to the Singers to repeat their pleasing song.
They could only blow four times to make the Singers sing that number of verses. Furthermore, they could only blow their whistles for eight different songs, four for each Whistle Owner, so as not to tire the Singers during a dance. If there was more than one drum present, the Whistle Owners only blew over their own drum. They could blow once or twice or more, as they chose.
If the Whistle Owners blew their whistles late, that is, after the song leader had started the lead line, then the Whistle Owners would be fined by the Singers. If in their enthusiasm the Whistle Owner lost count and blew his whistle five times, the Singers immediately would stop singing and call the Announcer to the drum; he in turn would call the Whip Owners to bring the offending Whistle Owner before the Leaders to be heavily fined (usually the giving up of a horse).
On the other hand, if the Singers placed a “tail” on the song after the fourth whistle blow, this was considered a mistake and the Singers were fined. If the Singers continued to sing after the fifth blow, or sang another verse without the whistle being blown, then the Singers were fined.
If the Singers were sluggish in their performance, or made a mistake in their drumming or singing, the Whistle Owners made them sing until they corrected their mistake. The Singers would then be fined. Thus, there was a balance of power between the Singers and the Whistle Owners.
The drum could never be left alone. When not in use, it was taken from its stand, turned on its side and covered up. The Drum Keeper/Leader must attend to this. If the Whistle Owners discovered that the drum was not on its side, or that the Drum Keeper was not watching it, the Whistle Owners would blow over the drum and capture it as though it were an enemy warrior.
The Singers then had to pay a heavy fine to ransom their drum. ln extreme cases the drum was kept until the next dance and then returned if a sufficient number of gifts were donated.
Another punishment used by the Whistle Owners was to have the Announcer inform the members that they were going to “Charge the Drum.” By this announcement the Whistle Owners would try to place a whistle on the drumhead, thus defeating the Singers.
The Singers could stop the charge by immediately changing the song as soon as the charge was detected, thereby saving themselves from being fined. As soon as the announcement was made, the Singers chose one of their number to watch the Whistle Owners as they danced about.
This selected Singer had to keep another song in his mind, and be ready to start, as the “charge” could occur at anytime before the conclusion of the dance. If the chosen Singer became distracted, or “lost” the song, one of the Whistle Owners charged over to the drum and touched the drumhead with his whistle. The Singers then had to pay a fine. If a selected Singer was on guard, and detected the “charge,” he could start a different tune, and thus save the drum from a fine or confiscation. These “games” were intended to cause the members to practice the watchfulness and cunning required of warriors.
The common imposition of fines in the Grass Dance Society was with a view toward promoting generosity. If the Singers had no way of paying a fine, the Whistle Man put his whistle on the drumhead. The Singers could not sing while the whistle was on the drum. This rule was enacted on occasion during the Great Depression of the 1930s when funds were in short supply. In better times the Singers’ relatives paid the fine and the singing was allowed to continue.
My informants said that the office of Whistle Owner fell out of use nearly a century ago. They could not remember anyone who had held the office. Kenny Merrick, Sr. told me that he was given the society whistle by Frank Bullhead, who was the Whistle Man on the Standing Rock Reservation. This whistle has now been passed to Kenny’s son, who lives in a distant state. Sanders Bearstail, Jr. was the Whistle Owner for the Antelope (Grass Dance) Society on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation for many years until he passed away; I do not know who has taken his place. No prominent officer in the Grass Dance can be self appointed. Presently, one must be sanctioned officially to be viewed as an officer by his tribe, or as the elders told me, these people would be considered as “playing Indian.”
Today, the Whistle Man, as he is called today, usually pays for his office by dropping money on a drumhead as he is finishing his fourth and final charge. This payment also demonstrates his appreciation for the Singers’ performance. Singers are no longer “punished.”
Ooo she may be weary Young girls they do get weary Wearin’ that same old funky dress But ooo while she gets weary, weary Won’t you try some ten-tenderness?
You know she’s there waitin’ And anticipatin’ For the things she’ll never, never have Oh no, no Ooo while she gets weary Won’t you try, oh try some tenderness? Mmm hmm hmm
And I know it, ha Sentimental don’t know why She had love, she had her grief and care But when ah, ha girl Soft words were spoken Make it easier, easy girl, ah ha, easier to bear
You know you won’t regret it, no ah Young girls they don’t forget it Lovin’ the same old, same old happiness yeah, ha yeah Ooo, while she get weary, weary Won’t you try, oh try some tenderness? I feel good lovin’ in the mornin’
You got to hold her, Squeeze her Never leave her You got to You got to You got to try some tenderness I feel good love, yeah I feel good love, ow yeah
You got to hold her Squeeze her Never leave her Got to Got to Yeah, you got to Try it now, try it, try it, try it, try some tenderness In the mornin’ you’ll feel good love
So I say You got to hold her Squeeze her Never leave her Sock it to me, sock it to me one more time
You got to try, hey yeah I feel good love In the mornin’ love Great God, you must You got to hold her Squeeze her Never leave her
Source: Musixmatch Songwriters: James Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Harry M Woods
Free your voice. Unleash your song. Feel the words you’ve heard so many times, feel their depth and power. The World needs your music, your vibration. Yes – YOURS! Open yourself to your pre-memory hidden in the ground, in plants, under water, in fire; memory of how the spirit heals, how love heals. Open your heart, feelings, understanding. Put your rationality aside and sing… let the sun hidden within you shine. This is the time…
For you, our Friend who still doubts the music of your heart, and for you, our Friend who is already dancing to it. A gift for this New Year – ‘Abrete Corazon’ (author: Rosa Giove) in our arrangement. This special, shamanic, healing song is the icaro of the breath, to open the heart, energy and heart language. This is the time… to sing it for ourselves. Have a beautiful New Year!