Introduction
"We are the Ancient People; . . . The red men, of the plain; For we are the Ancient People, Born with the wind and rain" (Proctor as stated in Music in the New World,1983: 3). The American Indians were the first people to immigrate to the United States. "There is no important scholarly disagreement with the theory that these people first came to North America from Asia, across a land bridge then connecting Siberia with Alaska, and over a period of time migrated throughout the two Americas" (Hamm, 1983: 3). Although most of the northern region was covered with ice, the Indians survived as well as built villages, cities, and develop methods for using the natural resources to aid their existence. Each tribe was both unique and different in their ways of life. Each group created unique and distinguishable cultures, languages, musical styles, art forms, clothing styles, social and political systems. Music and dance were essential to each tribe. For the reasons mentioned above, the seminar I am participating in is entitled, "Native America: Understanding the Past through Things". My curriculum unit will be entitled, "Native American Music and Dance".
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