Stomp Dance
Stomp Dance is a significant ceremonial practice among the Creek, Seminole, and other southeastern Indigenous nations, marking the onset of their annual ceremonial cycle. Typically held at the Square Ground, the dance takes place mainly in early spring and continues throughout the warmer months, culminating in the Green Corn Dance, the most crucial observance of the year. The ritual begins with men purifying themselves and then dancing in a clockwise circle around a sacred fire, which serves as a focal point for the event. Accompanied by "shell-shaker girls" who provide rhythm with leg rattles, the dance evolves as experienced male dancers invite others to join, followed by the participation of women. A vital aspect of the Stomp Dance includes the ritual sacrifice of meat, which is offered to the sacred fire, symbolizing the interconnectedness of spirituality and community life. This dance is not only a form of cultural expression but also plays an essential role in fostering community cohesion and spiritual beliefs among participants.
Stomp Dance
- TRIBES AFFECTED: Creek, Seminole, and other southeastern Indigenous nations, as well as Indigenous groups moved to Oklahoma
- SIGNIFICANCE: Marking the beginning of the yearly ceremonial cycle for the Creek and Seminole, the Stomp Dance is an all-night dance first performed in the early spring, then repeated several times between spring and fall
Referring both to the nighttime dances held at the Square Ground (the physical center of religious and political life) and to a specific form, the Stomp Dance is a principal feature of ceremonial life for the Creek and Seminole.
After purifying themselves by washing and drinking Hoyvniji, an emetic, the men begin the Stomp Dance at the Square Ground, where a sacred fire is burning. Like most Creek and all Seminole ceremonial dances, the fire is a focal point for the dancing ritual.
The Stomp Dance consists of a leader who begins dancing in a clockwise circle around the fire, inviting other experienced male dancers to join him. The dancers are accompanied by “shell-shaker girls” wearing leg rattles who provide the rhythmic background for the dance. After all the male dancers are participating, women are permitted to join them. A principal ceremonial feature of the dance is the sacrifice of meat, which is fed to the sacred fire.
Stomp Dances are performed in early spring, in May and June as preliminaries to the Green Corn Dance (the major ceremonial observance of the year), and also in August and September. Stomp Dances are important to Indigenous spirituality and also community cohesion.
Bibliography
Johns, Willie. “Seminole Stomp Dance.” National Museum of the American Indian, americanindian.si.edu/exhibitions/circleofdance/seminole.html. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.
“Stomp Dance.” The Chickasaw Nation, www.chickasaw.net/Our-Nation/Culture/Society/Social-Dances.aspx. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.
“Stomp Dance.” Wind Daughter, 9 Oct. 2022, www.winddaughter.com/post/stomp-dance. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.
Taylor, Dale, and Michael Kendrick. "Muskogee Creek Stomp Dancing." Nene Hutke, www.nenehutke.org/?q=Stompdance. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.