It's more than drums and chanting.

When it comes to music, I can honestly say that each and every song conveys a message. Every note sung, every key touched on the piano, every beat of the drum, they all serve a purpose. It is up to the listener to take it upon themselves and perceive the message as they will.

Throughout time, many different ethnic groups have evolved their music based off of others. This is not uncommon, but their messages and intentions sometimes get lost in translation.  For example, Native Americans have developed their music over time due to their complex network of musical exchange. When their music was first heard of to the white man, they wrote about it in their journals. But you must be careful reading these entrees, as their extremely biased and the observer was prejudice. So if you wish to try and find these entrees, read with a very critical eye. From the 1500s to the 1700s, they have adapted and borrowed a lot of musical instruments from Europeans. This process is called musical interaction, and was pretty common among different ethnic groups. With this, their music has been shaped into so much more today.

Although now their music is more modern, Native American music continues to serve the same exact functions as it did in the past. Their contemporary music style deals with important social issues, as well as entertains, and honors traditional lifestyles and beliefs. Their music is very diverse and continues to spread the same message as it hundreds of years ago. In a piece that Sherman Alexie wrote, he states his father “was trying to make a social statement” while “all the hippies were trying to be Indians”. While his father was staying to his roots and not trying to be “trendy”, others took it upon themselves to portray the Native Americans inaccurately, yet again. The same situation can be applied to their music. One minute a Native American band can be performing a song that is all about their injustices, others will believe their music is :just a bunch of drums” and “doesn’t make sense”. But then the very next minute, a white person could be rapping about racial injustice, and yet their message is heard before the Native Americans. I am not stating that one cause is more important than the other, I am simply stating that one cause is always overlooked than the other. Next time you go to Spotify or Youtube, listen to the message that these Native Americans are telling us and take it to your own heart to choose how to perceive their message, their struggle, their words.