In my experience a can is definitely the preferred shaker for Gourd dance. I am also familiar with many other things that have been used over the years from the ubiquitous aluminum shakers and L'eggs to tank floats, christmas ornaments and hand made silver and gold 'resonating chambers'to steal a rather pompous phrase from Dr. Howard's treatise). In point of fact I was even told to use only aluminum salt shakers be cause the "P"epper shakers were reserved for "P"eyote people.
When I started Gourd dancing thirty or so years ago I was told that Indian people frowned on using natural gourds for the dance, but especially small bell gourds such as those used in church. Since then I have come across an occasional gourd being used for the dance, but unlike the small gourds used in meetings they are huge... bigger than a baseball.
My advice would be to avoid the controversy and not use gourds
[This message has been edited by raptor (edited September 23, 2000).]
|