November 5, 2003

Ancient rhythms

Medicine Lodge Singers present Native American program at NMC

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer

With ancient rhythms reverberating through West Hall, members of the Medicine Lodge Singers of Peshawbestown shared a slice of Native American culture, history and tradition.
More than 40 people gathered to hear the first presentation in the speaker series celebrating Native American Awareness month at Northwestern Michigan College. Led by Shocko Hall, head lead singer for the group, the four drummers and singers presented some social songs they perform at powwows around the country. Hall also discussed the drum and drum sticks, how they are made, the history of the group and demonstrated how they learn a song.

Record-Eagle/John L. Russell
Herald photo by Carol South
The Medicine Lodge Singers of Peshawbestown gave an overview of the history and style of their group and Native American social drumming Monday at Northwestern Michigan College. The event kicked off November's Native American Awareness Month celebration, which features a different presentation every Monday. Tom Shomin of Peshawbestown sings and plays the drum during the demonstration.

"We are trying to build awareness in the community, to let you know that we are still here, our culture is still here," said Hall, who helped found the Medicine Lodge Singers in 2001.
The college's Diversity Services Department is sponsoring the series to promote awareness of the Native American culture to both the college community and the public.
"We have over 100 Native American students attending each semester and this gives them a sense of pride and belonging," said Lisa Blackford, diversity services coordinator at the college.
Upcoming presentations in the series are listed below; all will be held on Mondays from noon until 1 p.m. in Theater Room 217 of Scholar's Hall.
- November 10 - Cultural Experience, Shocko Hall, Sr.
- November 17 - Native American History in Michigan, John Bailey
- November 24 - Language and Spirituality, Brian Corbiere
Hall related that drumming began in the Native American culture as a gift from village women, who legend has it tired of men's bickering among tribes. A spiritual dream prompted them to build a drum and present it to men to promote harmony.
Men continue to be drummers as Native American tradition dictates it would be bad manners for women to take back a gift they have given. Sometimes, however, women singers will stand behind men and contribute their voices.
"The drum is the heart of Mother Earth and it represents unification, the men around the drum," Hall said. "A lot of the songs we sing now are from our ancestors, some of them we learn ourselves and others are given to us on the powwow trial by others."
The Medicine Lodge Singers started with 15 singers but is down to a core of four or five who regularly practice and perform. One member helps them land and manage bookings on the regional and national powwow circuit. The whole group travels and performs as one big family, with wives and children coming along.
The group was named by a spiritual leader in the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians who noticed their example of sobriety and strong fatherhood. Members of the Medicine Lodge Singers are setting a standard for a new generation of Native Americans, Hall noted. They are turning to their culture's traditions to battle alcoholism and uninvolved fathers.
"We are the Medicine Lodge Singers because we offer healing and camaraderie in sobriety," Hall said. "If we think about drinking, we sing instead."
Hall and another member built the group's drums, which are treated with great reverence. Made of cowhide, the group feels a great loss when a drumhead breaks due to wear and tear.
"We don't swear or cuss around the drum, we treat it in a respectful manner," said Hall, who began singing and drumming when he was eight. "We take care of the drum like it is a part of us."
Tom Shomin of Peshawbestown discussed the six types of Native American dances, three for men and three for women. He described each dance's history, dress and style as well as how the moves evolved and what they represent.
A dancer for more than 30 years, Shomin travels specializes in the Men's Fancy. This more modern style developed when many tribes were thrown together in Oklahoma after being forced from their lands. Plains, mountain, woodland and desert Indians coped in part with the upheaval to their lives and cultures by dancing in contests to the beat of the big drums.
"I love it, it makes me feel good and I like to give that message that we are a contemporary people," said Shomin, who is a facilities manger for the Grand Traverse Band. "This is something I can pass on to my children, they dance."