Of Bedans and Indians
The Bedan Indian Yell and the Indian Chant (more popularly known as the Lion’s Roar) traces its roots to the North American infatuation with Native American War Whooping. One only has to read literature on Native American studies to comprehend this deep love/hate relationship of the the Americans with the native population.
**The origin of Wahooo/Wohoooo**
The first ever known version of the Native American War Whoop (also known as the wohoooo/wahooo) in collegiate sports was the 1878 Indian Yell of Dartmouth College. This was followed a decade later by University of Virginia’s version of the Wahoooooo. The Wahoooo of Darthmouth was cheered while that of UV was sung.
**Infatuation with Native Culture**
American symbolism and iconography were heavy on Indian content. “Playing Indian” is well entrenched in the American psyche. As some researchers claim, this adaptation is in fact driven by the partial rejection of their European roots and the acclimation of an American one especially during the formation of the new republic.
Why the attraction to North American Indians by early colonists? For the colonists, the Natives represented the “spirit of the new world” which is in conjunction with the freedom the former yearned for. The Native people provided a model of a proud, free, and fiercely independent lifestyle.
The social phenomenon of playing Indians also have deep political roots. The first protest using Indian imagery occurred in 1734 when a group of colonists dressed as Indians forced themselves in a meeting of the British governor and British soldiers to protest a new law. Known as the Mast Tree Riot, the British solders were beaten by the “White Indians”.
**Hippies and Native Americans**
The Hippie movement is an anti-establishment way of life. The Hippies saw in Native American culture the perceived harmony with nature which they tried to emulate (hippies like “The Seekers”) They established hippie communal tribes, used native American clothing, used peace pipes for “social gatherings”, created Native American inspired rituals and the like. The Movement reached its apex during the Woodstock Festival of 1969. From the Woodstock of 1969, the world heard the Hippie version of the “Wahoooo/Wohoooooo” dubbed as the the “Rain Chant” by the producer of the Woodstock Documentary film released in 1970. The term “Rain Chanting” is already a giveaway that the Woodstock Wohoooo is Native American.
**Bedans and Native American chanting**
San Beda’s infatuation with Native American chanting in collegiate sports was officially established with the introduction of the Indian Yell in 1947. The Cuerba brothers composed the Indian Yell in 1947 after the liberation from the Japanese empire. The Indian Yell was initially solely performed on drums accompanied by cheers from the students. However, this made the cheer somewhat lacking in power and needed something to rejuvenate the audience. So they changed the sound of the yell and incorporated a horn section. Accompanied by the tomahawk chop, the Indian Yell became more lively, intimidating, and full of spirit.
The Indian Yell is San Beda’s romanticized version of the Indian war whoop. It mimics the native Indian war chants and vocalization techniques designed to intimidate the opponent. North American Indian war chants are verbalization of tunes that implore the great spirits to help them in battle.
The Little Indians were also introduced , both as junior “cheerleaders” for the yell and for visual impact. A shorter version of the Wohooo is incorporated in the chorus of the Indian Yell. Before the start of the Yell, other forms of Native American chanting is done especially the “Awowowowowowowowowo!
San Beda’s Lion’s Roar (aka Indian Chant) is also organically linked with an old Bedan tradition of “Playing Indian”. The roar is a derivative chant of the Indian yell whose version was adopted from hippiedoms infatuation with Native Culture during Woodstock ’69. As what has been said earlier, the Woodstock Wohooo is Native American inspired.
** Scouting Movement as the Foundation**
What is the foundation of this Bedan infatuation with Native Americans? The Scouting Movement which we acquired from our American colonizers.
American boys and girls became part of this love -affair through various youth movements like the Son’s of Daniel Boone, Seton’s Woodcraft Indians then The Boy Scout Movement, Camp Fire Girls, The Y-Indian guide of the YMCA and the likes. “Playing Indians” and learning Indian wood crafts became a part of life for many kids.
This same infatuation reached San Beda via the Scouting Movement and reinforced by pop culture as seen and heard on television, movies, music, and sports.
“PLAYING INDIAN” in Philippine collegiate sports is primarily and traditionally Bedan.
Awowowowowowowowowo!
Woooohooooooooooo! Go San Beda Fight!
Umpa Umpa Umpa! Hey Yu Kim Kum Kawa!
Wohooo! Wohooo! Wohooo! (Indian Yell chorus)
Polly Wolly Wanna! Polly Wolly Wooooo!
References:
http://www.dartmo.com/indian_yell/
http://virginiasports.cstv.com/trads/va-trads.html
http://www.newhampshire.com/nh-towns/fremont.aspx
http://www.americanrevolution.com/BostonTeaParty.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Wars
http://oldhippie.jimgreenlee.com/beingahippie.htm
http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/deloria.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Beda_Red_Lions
¡Ánimo San Beda! 
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