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Shell Shaker
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In the Stomp Dances of the Southeastern Indian cultures, women have an equally important role in the dance. The Shell Shaker is the woman counterpart of the dance singer. The first man leads the men and the first woman leads the other women. She wears leg rattles made from box tortoise shells on her lower legs. The woman enters the dance behind the lead singer and produces music by rattling sounds made by shuffling her feet. Legend has it that because of the natural designs on the tortoise shell that look like women dancing - Turtle says, "Let Women Dance."
Today, some shell shakers have resorted to using shackles made from milk cans. This was started at Medicine Springs as a form of training and practice for young girls before they moved on to the turtle shells. It is respectful for those who wear shackles made from milk cans to allow shell shakers with turtle shells to always be in front of them at ceremonial grounds, unless they are leading.
Info provided by the Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center. For
information regarding culture and language, please contact:
cultural@cherokee.org
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