Originally, rain dances were performed by Native Americans as a ceremonial dance to praise and worship their gods. The intention behind it was to summon rain in order to receive a fruitful harvest. Therefore, the god’s benevolence showed through the amount of rain. Also, it symbolized forgiveness. With the good harvest, the survival of the tribe was secured. Since these nature dances used to be performed in times of big needs like drought, they were often quite complex and portrayed a story of hunting that involved fire, certain plants, and similar means.
Famous tribes that were practicing these dances were the Hopi and Navajo tribes. The process of performing the dance is often referred to as “rainmaking”.
Furthermore, the performers of the rain dance were both male and female. But depending on the kind of nature dance, it was also possible that it was only performed by male tribe members.

How is the Rain Dance even performed?

Step 1)
Look for a big outdoor area without any obstacles that could restrict your freedom of movement. It helps if the location is somewhere where you feel inspired and like the atmosphere, for example, a forest glade, a meadow, or maybe even a mountain peak. It should be a place where you do not get disturbed and also do not disturb someone.

Step 2)
Native Americans included in their dance some form of rhythmic talking, like a chant. Here, there is no one right way to do the chant. Just do whatever feels right to you. This will also connect you on a deeper level with nature.

Step 3)
Now the dance begins with a spinning movement in a clockwise direction. At the same time, you lift your hands way up to the sky and accompany your movements with your chant. You can keep your voice more silent in the beginning.

Step 4)
The next step is to increase the speed of your spins steadily and raise your voice simultaneously. At one point, you can chant at the top of your lungs.

Step 5)
Last but not least, when you reach the maximum speed of your spins, you can let yourself fall on your knees and, with that, end the ceremonial dance.

The history of the rain dance shows us how important it is to appreciate other cultures and traditions just as much as our own. During the 19th century, a large part of the population of the United States had a critical attitude toward the traditions and ceremonial dances of the Native Americans. The Native American tribes hid the fact that they were still practicing the rain dance in front of the authorities by disguising it as another dance. They had to do this because the government forbade some Native American dances that were so meaningful for the tribes. Depending on the area that got persecuted at the moment, the rain dance covered up other illegal dances, for instance, the sun dance. With this sort of game, it was possible for the tribes to create confusion among the authorities. However, for them, this seemingly confusing net was a good structure on which they had a total overview.

Furthermore, the traditional costumes Native Americans wore when performing this dance consisted of items that were closely connected to the natural elements. The use of feathers was symbolic of the power of wind, and the turquoise color of their costumes symbolized rain.

Also today, the rain dance gets practiced. It is a great possibility for Native American tribes to preserve their valuable cultural heritage and history. The dance changed over time, but the main thought remains today.

Another interesting fact is that scientists acknowledged the first Native Americans to be the first metereoligists of America. This is because they were so experienced in reading the patterns of the weather based on past meterologic events.

Sources:
https://www.lovetoknow.com/life/lifestyle/native-american-rain-dances
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/instructions-on-how-to-do-a-rain-dance-20101206-18muh.html
https://study.com/learn/lesson/native-american-rain-dance-history-ritual.html