Drums virtually control the process of the powwow, such as the beginning and the end. Not only does the drum have a practical use, it also has religious significance to the Native Americans. "The drum brings the heart beat of our Earth Mother to the powwow for all to feel and hear whether dancing, singing or just listening, people around the drum can connect with Spirit" (Gowder p.1). Without the pulse of the drum and the singers surrounding it Native Americans would not have powwows.
Grand entries, dance categories, and honoring ceremonies allow songs to be used in each powwow "while they differ in tempo, words and emotions, all powwow songs follow a similar structure" (AIC p.2). The lead is the first part of a song. It is sung by the lead singer to introduce the song. The second is a repeat of the lead which is sung directly after the lead by the rest of the drum. The chorus, which is sung by all members of the drum, is the part of the song that carries the main theme. The honor beats are three accented beats that occur in between the choruses. The arrangement of lead, second, chorus, and honor beats make up one verse or "push". An average song consists of about four or five pushes and occasionally, during a Grand Entry, a song can last up to ten or twelve pushes. The first push is always sung at a medium dynamic level and gets louder with preceding pushes. At the end of a light push, the Head Singer will pick up the tempo and volume to begin his lead. The rest of the drum sings at the same louder section until the honor beats, when the song is brought down. The most common way for a song to end is by having the Head Singer (at the end of last chorus) accent the beat leading into the final three to seven beats. Although authentic songs and chants are in the native language of the singer, members of several tribes can join in while the singer uses "vocables" to replace the words of the original song.
