Green Corn Dance

[LadyHawkღ]

The Green Corn Festival (also called Green Corn Dance or Ceremony) is a Native American celebration and religious ceremony. The dance is held by the Creek, Cherokee, Seminole, Yuchi, and Iroquois Indians as well as other Native American tribes. The festival typically lasts for three days for all tribes and includes numerous different activities that vary from tribe to tribe. For example, the Yuchi tribe celebration begins in late April and early May and last until about the third week of July. The opening day of the ceremony varies across tribes depending when the corn is ripe. This can be any time from May to October and is determined by the "Keepers of the Faith." Corn is not to be eaten until the Great Spirit has been given his proper thanks.

During the festival, members of the tribe give thanks for the corn, rain, sun, and a good harvest. The thanksgiving is sacred to the Indians. Folk tales are popular telling what happens when thanks is not given. Some tribes even believe that they were made from corn by the Great Spirits. Dragonfly's Tale by Kristina Rodanas and People of Corn, A Mayan Story retold by Mary-Joan Gerson tell of such stories.

The Green Corn Festival is also a religious renewal . Members of the tribe join at a religious gathering and stand with heads bent to show reverence. (Indians never kneel.) After a minute a prayer is said. In between the thanksgivings is the Great Feather Dance. Depending on the tribe women, may or may not be included in this dance.

Although it is not part of the ceremonial purpose of the Green Corn Dance, council meetings are also seen during the dance and festival. With the exceptions of murder and infractions of marriage rules, the old year's minor problems are forgiven at the council meetings. Youth who have come of age and babies are given their names. This is a distinct part of Indian life.

The ball game is included in the festival. It is played at different times and the rules vary depending on the tribe. The Yuchi tribe plays a tournament in the early spring. The Iroquois tribes throw a ball at a pole to see who can throw it the highest. The Yuchi tribes have teams (boys against girls) that try to get the ball into baskets at opposite ends of a field. The Yuchi tribe has four tournament games beginning in April and lasting for four weekends. In the Yuchi tribe the boys throw and catch the ball but may not run with the ball. The girls may run with the ball as well as catch and throw the ball in order to get it into the basket.

Another part of the religious ceremony is the busk. The word busk comes from the word boskita and means to fast. The Creek New Year is marked with this part of the ceremony. At this time, members of the tribe clean out homes, throw out ashes, and buy or make new clothes. All the "filth" and broken items from the tribe are put into one common heap and burned. It is an outward sign of the inward renewal to their religion.

The "Black Drink" is also a way the Indians cleanse themselves and is another sign of renewal. The drink causes vomiting. It purifies participants from minor sins and leaves them in a state of perfect innocence. It also give them courage to be daring during war and strength to keep friendships.

At the end of every day, the people feast. Everyone can participate and enjoy the food and good harvest. Slabs of beef, corn soup, beans, squash are eaten. The tribes celebrate a good harvest and eat many different meals made from corn: tortillas, corn meal, corn bread, corn soup, and others as well.

The Green Corn Festival varies across tribes. Although the Native Americans traditions varied they still had respect and gratitude for what they had been blessed with in their lives.

Month                           Event

April- May....................3 ball games at 2 week intervals

May.............................4th ball game; first stomp dance

May- June....................2 stomp dances at 2 week intervals

1st weekend of July......4th stomp dance: Arbor day

2nd weekend of July.....Green Corn Ceremonial

3rd weekend of July......Soup Dance