Do you love Native American Rattles and other Indian musical instruments? Rattles are excellent Native American symbols and representations of Indian people and their unique culture. They are also among the most used musical instruments for use in ceremonies and rituals throughout most Indian tribes. Rattles, for many years and for the majority of American Indians, have always played a large part in the spiritual connection with the creator as well as for use in social events.



As you study the intriguing history of American Indians and their use of Native American rattles, you will learn that they are symbolic among the Indigenous people and are essential to the tribal ceremony in which they are played. It is said that they symbolize the animal, plant, and mineral kingdoms. The animal kingdom is exemplified in the form of the container or decorative feather of the rattle. The mineral kingdom is represented by the rocks that make the sound or also by the paint used for the artwork pictured on the rattle. And, the plant kingdom is symbolized by the handle.

When researching the uses of Native American rattles and how they are played, you will learn that almost every tribe and Indian culture including the Navajo culture, play rattles in their ceremonial rituals. Among the many variations of Indian rattles, along with the popular gourd rattles and turtle shell rattles, the simple rawhide rattle is the most used in Native American tribes.

The images, such as the Navajo bear or Navajo eagle, used in the artwork depicted on the rattles, differ with each tribe. You will find it intriguing that the different tribes including the Cherokee, Navajo, Apache, Pueblo, Zuni and Hopi, can all be recognized by the variations of the beautiful art work on their hand crafts. One thing these people do have in common is that they all play rattles in various ceremonial rituals and as part of music, dance, medicine and spirituality.

The Indian rattles are really very beautiful and are made with a number of natural materials such as turtle shell, leather, rawhide, bead work and Native American feathers. Fur, fringe, seeds, rocks, antlers, horns, bones and shells are used to create that unique Indian style. Clay beads, blue corn, manzanita seeds or small smooth stones such as those found at the mouth of an ant hill, are also sometimes inserted in the rattles to give it the desired sound.

Indian people have always used music, songs, stories and legends to express their cultural beliefs and traditions to each other and to those around them. It is in harmony with these forms of learning that rattles have come to be an important part in the ritualistic ceremonies of the Indian people.

That is the reason there is nothing more fascinating than owning genuine Indian musical instruments and hand crafts. You can easily buy Native rattles online and sometimes in stores that sell southwest home decorating items. If you are intrigued by authentic Indian musical instruments, or are looking for the perfect instrument to play in your drumming circles, you will no doubt enjoy the beautiful sound of Native American rattles.