SIDE ONE:
1. Stomp dance led by Jimmie Skeeter
2. Stomp dance led by Oscar Pigeon
3. Stomp dance led by Vernon D. Atkins
SIDE TWO:
1. Stomp dance led by William M. Beaver
2. Stomp dance led by John McNac
3. Stomp dance led by Harry Bell
"Stomp dance is part of a social ceremony which takes place mainly in the summer months from May to October. Although each square ground has their own calendar and customs, there are usually five main dances at eah ground during the year. The first dance is held just after the first full moon in the Spring, the second dance comes about halfway before the Green Corn Dance which is held in July, and then there are two more dances after the Green Corn, the second of which is the Ball Game in September or October, which ends the ceremonial cycle for the year.
Each time a stomp dance is to be held, the stomp dance ground is specially prepared beforehand with prayer and medicine by the medicine man of that particular ground. The main participants have all undergone purification, since it is the main purpose of the ceremonial, and especially the Green Corn, to clean the participants' bodies and hearts, to re-new and strengthen them, and in the same way to bring good benefits to everyone in the community. Visitors usually come from man other grounds and areas to help with the dance and the general purpose for the ceremony. It is important that all the people have a good feeling and frame of mind, as this will strengthen the ceremony.
At many stomp grounds, it is a traditional formality that the first four stomp dances are performed by members of the home ground only. After this, other visiting leaders may be asked to lead. At each stomp dance there are one or two men whose job it is to select the leaders. After a leader is selected, it is then announced, and everyone is invited to participate. As the groups from different tribal towns arrive, it is customary to ask the chief to lead first, in respect to his position. If he does not wish to lead, he will still accept, but will ask someone else in his group to lead.
Each stomp dance begins with an introductory series of phrases chosen by the leader, and repeated by the men following him. After this, the leader starts a song which is answered by the men with the correct phrase for that particular song. The leader then puts in his own lyrics, or verses, and the followers continue to answer. When the leader is going to end a song, he will hold up his hand or give some other signal to the group that he is going to end that song. Usually, a leader will sing three or more songs in one dance.
The lyrics in the songs usually tell about nature, love, prophesy, politics, or humor. Sometimes the lyrics are older phrases and sometimes they are composed by the leader from his personal life. Each leader develops his own personal style of singing, so that sometimes the same song might sound entirely different when sung by another leader. It might take many years for a leader to develop his own style, and over time he might also gain a following of people who like his singing.
In the same way, shell shakers develop their own style of shaking shells, for which they become well known. Many leaders prefer a particular shell shaker to compliment their style of singing, and similarly, different shell shakers have favorite leaders they like to follow. Shaking shells is an important part of the stomp dance as it not only sets the rhythm, but also creates the mood of the dance and inspiration for the leaders and followers.
For this recording, an effort was made to select leaders from different grounds, and with different styles of singing in order to present a few of the many styles of stomp dance singing. To gather a group of exceptional leaders and shell shakers for a recording such as this takes a lot of knowledge and a lot of work. (small credit removed for lack of space in description.)
We are very proud to present these fine leaders, shell shakers, and songs of today's stomp dance tradition, and we are grateful to everyone who helped to make this recording possible.
--Tony Isaacs"
SINGERS
VERNON D. ATKINS, Oto from Red Rock.
WILLIAM M. BEAVER, Muskogee from Eufaulagee.
HARRY BELL, Muskogee/Seminole from Fish Pond.
WADE BUCKTROT JR., Yuchi from Iron Post.
RED HICKS, Muskogee from Arbeka.
TONY E. HILL, Muskogee from Green Leaf.
JOHN McNAC, Muskogee from Nuyaka.
OSCAR PIGEON, Muskogee from Broken Arrow.
JIMMIE SKEETER, Yuchi from Duck Creek.
JOE MANAWA SULPHUR, Muskogee from Thlop-thlokko.
TEMA TIGER, Seminole from Fish Pond.
DAVID WIND, Muskogee from Fish Pond.
SHELL SHAKERS
LINDA ALEXANDER, Seminole/Muskogee from Tallahasee.
FRANCES COSAR, Muskogee from Tulsa.
EDNA DEERE, Alabama/Muskogee from Alabama.
CAROLINE HARRY, Yuchi from Duck Creek.
ELIZA WIND, Muskogee from Tulsa.
Recorded at Okemah Oklahoma
May 5, 1978
Discogs: www.discogs.com/release/82110...