Native American Rattles - Popular Musical Instruments For Use In Indian Ceremonies

Do you love Native American rattles and other Indian musical instruments? Rattles are wonderful Native American symbols and representations of Indian tribes and their unique customs. They are also among the most popular musical instruments for use in Indian ceremonies throughout the majority of Indian tribes. 

Rattles, for hundreds of years and for most American Indians, have always played a large part in the spiritual world as well as for use in social gatherings. As you read about the interesting history of American Indians and their use of Native American rattles, you will see that they play an important role among the Indigenous tribes and are very important to the Indian rituals in which they are used. 

It is said that they symbolize the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. The animal kingdom is exemplified in the form of the container or decorative feather of the rattle. The mineral kingdom is represented by the rocks that create the sound or also by the paint used for the artwork pictured on the rattle. And, the plant kingdom is symbolized by the handle. 

When researching the uses of Native American rattles and how they are played, you will learn that nearly every tribal culture including the Navajo culture, play rattles in their ceremonial rituals. Among the variety of Indian rattles, including the highly sought-after gourd rattles and turtle shell rattles, the simple rawhide rattle is the one most used in Native American culture. 

The symbols, such as the Navajo bear or Navajo eagle, used in the artwork depicted on the rattles, differ with each tribe. You will find it interesting that the various tribes including the Cherokee, Navajo, Apache, Pueblo, Zuni and Hopi, can all be identified by the differences of the beautiful art on their hand crafts. Something these people do have in common is that they all play rattles in various ceremonial rituals and as part of music, dance, medicine and spirituality. 

The Indian rattles are really very beautiful and are designed with a variety of natural materials such as turtle shell, leather, rawhide, bead work and Native American feathers. Fur, fringe, seeds, rocks, antlers, horns, bones and shells are used to give it that unique Indian style. Clay beads, blue corn, manzanita seeds or small smooth stones such as those found near the mouth of an ant hill, are also sometimes placed in the rattles to get the desired sound. 

Native people have always used music, songs, stories and legends to express their cultural beliefs and traditions to each other and to the outside world. It is in connection with these ways of learning that rattles have come to be an important asset to the ritualistic ceremonies of the Indian people. For this reason, there is nothing more fascinating than owning genuine Indian musical instruments and hand crafts. 

You can easily buy Native rattles online and sometimes in stores that sell rustic decor. If you are intrigued by authentic Indian musical instruments, or are searching for the best instrument to play in your drumming circles, you will no doubt be drawn to the pleasing sound of Native American rattles. 

See our entire collection of Native American Rattles.