This is the Smoke Dance women’s competition from the Oneida Powwow in 2013, which is located in the Green Bay area. It features a steady drum beat, which is played by multiple players on the same drum, as well as male vocals characterized by their belting, throaty quality. Originally, this music was used as a way to worship nature and to bring good fortune to the tribe, as many Native American tribes didn’t have gods. Instead, they worshipped nature and the life that is in everyone. Today, this dance is a tribute to the roots of the Oneida tribe and is used as a way to bring the community together to celebrate their culture through competing. My favorite part of this music is that it isn’t written down, and there is no “right” way to perform it. The dancers feel the beat and improvise individually, and the singers are call and response, both of which are primary characteristics of nomadic tribe music. Something I compared it to was a ballroom dance competition, where each pair is separate and yet they all perform the same genre, even if their stylistic choices may vary.