| If you love Native American Rattles, you will | | | | Navajo, Apache, Pueblo, Zuni and Hopi, can all be |
| definitely benefit from adding them to your drumming | | | | recognized by the differences of the beautiful art on |
| circles and powwows. Rattles are intriguing Native | | | | their hand crafts. Something these people do have in |
| American icons representing Indigenous people and | | | | common is that they all play rattles in various |
| their unique customs. They are also among the most | | | | ceremonial rituals and as part of music, dance, |
| used musical instruments for playing in Indian | | | | medicine and spirituality. The Native rattles are really |
| ceremonies throughout most Indian tribes. Rattles, | | | | very exquisite and are made using a variety of |
| for hundreds of years and for the majority of | | | | natural materials such as turtle shell, leather, rawhide, |
| American Indians, have always had a great part in | | | | bead work and Native American feathers. Fur, fringe, |
| the spiritual world as well as for use in social | | | | seeds, rocks, antlers, horns, bones and shells are |
| gatherings. As you study the fascinating history of | | | | used to create that unique Indian style. Clay beads, |
| American Indians and their use of Native American | | | | blue corn, manzanita seeds or small smooth stones |
| rattles, you will learn that they are symbolic among | | | | such as those found near the opening of an ant hill, |
| the Indigenous people and are essential to the tribal | | | | are also sometimes placed in the rattles to create |
| rituals in which they are played. It is said that they | | | | the unique sound. Indian culture has always used |
| represent the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. | | | | music, songs, stories and legends to express their |
| The animal kingdom is exemplified in the form of the | | | | cultural beliefs and traditions to each other and to the |
| container or decorative feather of the rattle. The | | | | outside world. It is in harmony with these forms of |
| mineral kingdom is represented by the stones that | | | | learning that rattles have come to be a significant |
| create the sound or also by the paint used for the | | | | aspect in the ritualistic ceremonies of the Indigenous |
| artwork depicted on the rattle. And, the plant | | | | people. That is why there is nothing more fascinating |
| kingdom is symbolized by the handle. When | | | | than owning authentic Indian musical instruments and |
| researching the uses of Native American rattles and | | | | hand crafts. You can easily buy Native rattles online |
| how they are played, you will find that nearly every | | | | and sometimes in stores that sell southwest decor. If |
| Indigenous culture including the Navajo culture, play | | | | you are intrigued by authentic Indian musical |
| rattles in their ceremonial rituals. Among the many | | | | instruments, or are trying to find the best instrument |
| variations of Indian rattles, including the highly | | | | to play in your drumming ceremonies, you will |
| sought-after gourd rattles and turtle shell rattles, the | | | | definitely enjoy the wonderful sound of Native |
| simple rawhide rattle is the most used in Native | | | | American rattles. |
| American tribes. The figures, such as the Navajo bear | | | | Craig Chambers is the director of Mission Del Rey and |
| or Navajo eagle, used in the artwork pictured on the | | | | author offering free information online about how to |
| rattles, vary with each tribe. You will find it intriguing | | | | choose Native American Rattles for Indian |
| that the various tribes including the Cherokee, | | | | ceremonies and other playing purposes. |