I read this script below as the dancers responded with the guided movement...
The Navajos' name for themselves is Diné, meaning "the
people."
*As you walk look at
the many people in this class and wave to your friends
Live in the region of the 4 corners (Utah, Arizona,
Colorado, New Mexico)
*Find a group of 4 and
stand in a circle. Each put your right hand into the middle to show 4 distinct
corners. Now walk in a circle, switch to your left hand and walk in a circle.
When the Navajos first originated they lived in Hogans (dome
shaped building made from wooden poles and tree bark and were covered in clay)
*Find a new group of 4
and have 3 people create a dome shaped hut with 1 person inside
*Now everyone walk
around the room
In the Navajos early years they mostly traveled by footstep
and used their dogs and sleds to carry supplies. When the Europeans brought
horses to America they were very grateful for this more efficient way of travel
*now travel around the
room galloping
Navajo men and women used to have distinctly different jobs
Women often made
woven rugs and clothing
*Boys freeze, Girls
weave around them
Navajo men were usually warriors and hunters
*Girls freeze, Boys
carefully perform sharp fast warrior slices and kicks around them
The Navajo Indians were also skillful farmers
*Find a low shape on
the ground and slowly grow into corn, squash, beans, and peaches (these are
things they grew a lot) and freeze in one of these plant shapes
After performing this warm up we gathered as a group and quickly verbally reviewed the characteristics we had just danced.
Then, I introduced another characteristic of the Navajo's, and many other Native American tribes, was to perform cultural dances which tribes still do today. I then introduced the Yeibichai dance, a popular dance performed by the Navajo Indians. We briefly went over the characteristics and movement qualities this dance had then using those qualities we made our own version of the dance.
It was fun to see the kids creativity and really get into the spirit of respecting and getting excited about another culture and their traditions.
