ABSTRACT
Music and dance are probably the forms of expression that have come, more than any other, to emblemize Plains Indian cultural identity. Traditional songs, dances, and outfits are the main means by which Indians of the area actively represent their cultures to one another, to outside tribes, and to non-Indians. Mention Indian music to the uninitiated, however, and the same old stereotypes emerge: a drumbeat (one strong beat, three weak ones) that is heard in every second-rate Western movie and nowhere on the Plains, and a remark that the Indians are either dancing for rain or going on the warpath. There are in fact many kinds of music and dance, and they deserve the most serious attention ultimately because Indian concepts of history and core values of kinship, honor, and humor are perpetuated in musical performance.
