Functions of Music with Dance in the Indian Culture
In all of the Native American cultures, the roles of music and dance are connected with ceremonial rituals. "Music is viewed as having god-given magical properties" (Hamm, 1983:13). The purposes of music and dance are "to invoke this magic in operation for the benefits of the person or persons making the music or other participants and onlookers" (Hamm, 1983:13). In other words, the primary function of music is to accompany ceremony or rituals such as, "dances, religious rites, tribal ceremonies and celebrations, healing rituals, games, or personal and private rites" (Hamm, 1983:12). The performance of music under these conditions or special occasions, were accompanied with costumes or ceremonial regalia. Other songs performed within rituals were exclusively for specific individuals. In ceremonial rituals of this type, the songs performed by medicine men.
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