CULTURE OF PEOPLE OF SOUTHEASTERN PANAMA 115 



by a fiber cord attached to a spike of Cleonta palm wood driven 

 into the back of the effigy. A chance current of air suffices to blow 

 the play bird to and fro to the delight of the little Choco children. 



While the Cuna and Tule employ a feather headdress, the Choco 

 Indian makes an ornamental headdress of basketry material and 

 balsa wood. It is a characteristic feature of the dance costume and 

 is worn principally by the women. One of these basketry head- 

 dresses (Cat. No. 327650, U. S. N. M., pi. 23, No. 11), is typical of 

 Chocoan ornamental design, constituent materials employed, and 

 craftsmanship. It typifies the highest art and best efforts of the 

 Chocoan basket maker. The headdress is composed of a basketry 

 framework 11.5 cm. (4.5 in.) high and is large enough in diameter to 

 fit the crown of the head. The material employed are strips of the 

 split leaf of the tacca palm. Some of the strips are dyed a jet 

 black, others appear in natural color. A combination of twill and 

 diaper weave is emploj^ed to bring into relief the decorative design 

 on both inner and outer surfaces of the frame. The design consists 

 of centrally placed adjoining squares in natural white color sur- 

 rounded by alternate bands of black and white. Each square is 

 filled in with blocks of solid black color with an hourglass design 

 in white at the center. Inside the basketry framework near the up- 

 per margin are several reinforcing bands of basketry splints in 

 herringbone weave. Between the reinforcing basketry bands and the 

 outer framework are inserted 12 upright slats of balsa wood resem- 

 bling a crown; they are held securely in position by two cord lac- 

 ings. The slats are decorated in black and yellow colors in character- 

 istic Chocoan design of parallel black lines in rectangular form 

 enclosing blocks of solid yellow. Each slat is larger in section near 

 the top than at its base, where it is inserted into the basketry frame- 

 work, so that the series has an outward flare toward the top. The 

 evenly serrated upper slat ends are decorated on their outer sur- 

 face each with two parallel concentric black lines. 



MUSIC 



THhal differences in types of musical instruments. — Both vocal 

 and instrumental music are known to the Indian tribes of south- 

 eastern Panama, The songs and incantations are either of a special 

 nature, such as are employed in effecting a headache cure, or in 

 making medicinal herbs effective, and are known only to those, such 

 as the lele or doctor, who have received special musical instruction ; 

 or they are folk songs consisting of chants intoned, as for instance, 

 while fishing for turtle or lobster. Songs are also sung during the 

 planting of crops, at the dance, and on other festive and social oc- 

 casions. Instrumental music is produced on a variety of percus- 

 sion and wind-blown instruments operated usually by specially 



