AKWESASNE MOHAWK SOCIAL DANCES

Reprinted with approval from the North American Travelling College

Continued from last week

OHSTAWA'KO:WA

TURTLE RATTLE

There are two types of turtle rattles and both are used for the Great Feather Dance, the larger by the Hato: wi Society. (Hato:wi are carved wooden masks used to doctor people). The smaller turtle rattles are preferred by the singers of the Great Feather Dance because they are lighter in weight and can be handled better without the singers' arms becoming tired. It is said that the Great Feather Dance is the Creator's song. It is one reason for which the turtle rattle is used to sing the Creator's song, known as the Great Feather Dance. When the singers hit the turtle rattle on the wooden bench it represents the action and active life of the world. All of the world's life becomes alive and moving. When the singers and people yell three times between verses of the song it represents the creation of the human beings when the Creator blew three breaths of life into their mouths. It is for this reason the Great Feather Dance is used to acknowledge gratefully how our life began and to reaffirm life then and today. It is also understood that when the Great Feather Dance is sung, our mother the Earth will grow and become more energized. The birds will hear the song and they too will become renewed and energized. The same holds true of all life forms on our Mother Earth. Our elders have told us on many occasions that when the people don't participate or sing the Great Feather Dance that Mother Earth will not produce as much as before. If the day ever comes that our people do not sing or participate in the Great Feather Dance, the world we know will stop; the gardens will not grow food; there will be no more sunshine; no more rain; no more strawberries; no more water to quench our thirst; no more Grandmother moon and no more babies will be born. The World will cease, as we humans know it. There are many more facts connected to the Great Feather Dance, but one last thing I will tell you is to make sure to have a good mind when you participate in it.