Nonetheless, he developed a love of Native American culture, especially creating the clothing of the Sioux to wear as he dances competitively at powwows. Some cough and clear their throats. All chug bottled water to relieve voices strained from sliding up and down the octaves. He unwraps a lozenge, pops it in his mouth. Poising his drum beater over the drum, he opens his mouth and issues a high-pitched vibrato call for his singers, who quickly match their voices to his.
Every song contains words.
It's about the Lord, the Creator, or it's about battle feats and deeds. Each of the vocables carries a special meaning understood by the Indians, said David Woodall, Nathan's father. When you hear 'Four dead in Ohio,' you know the whole story. Everybody who hears that phrase, everybody knows what that means. It's not meaningless chanting and tom-toms.