acted as physicians, religious leaders, & lead dancers
combatted the environment by reading weather signs
diagnosed illness predicted the future
Magical powers were accessed by use of music, alcohol, hallucinatory substances, and DANCE
Types of dance performed
healing dances: drove away bad spirits, ghosts, demons, and devils to keep tribes healthy
mask dances: link between living and dead by using a mask as disguise to enter another spirit
totem dances: spirits of natural elements were taken on to form a power of connection
trance dances: altered state of mind entered by dancing to the point of exhaustion, gained access to the spirit of God, cosmic element, or plant
Each of these dance forms demonstrated how leaders used dancing to obtain resolutions for certain tensions they were facing. Through communication with spirits, they were able to access their powers for the good of their tribes.
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