The Significance of the Turkey Dance

The Turkey Dance is a celebration of the survival of the Caddo Nation.

There are various stories about the origin of the Turkey Dance. The most

commonly told is that a hunter was in the woods when he heard beautiful songs.

Following the sounds he discovered a group of turkey hens dancing around a

gobbler. He watched long enough to fix the dance in his memory and returned

home to tell all about it. After that, the dance he described was used with songs

composed to record the people's history.

Spanish missionaries in the 1700s described Hasinai women performing a

dance to celebrate the return of warriors. Today, women and girls select a male

partner to welcome into the circle for the final stage of Turkey Dance. The entire

cycle of songs is seldom sung. Some songs have been discarded over the years.

Others have been and may still be added. The songs relate Caddo history—

telling about enemy encounters, victories won, and major events such as the

overnight formation of Caddo Lake. The songs are so old that no one knows

when they were first danced. Even a shortened version lasts an hour or more,

and it must be finished before sundown. Remember, that's when turkeys go to

roost for the night. Texas Beyond History