64 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1921. 



SPECIAL RESEARCHES. 



Four manuscripts have been submitted during the year, entitled 

 " Papago Songs," " Legend Music of the Papago," " Songs Con- 

 nected With Expeditions to Obtain Salt," and " Viikita and Wakita 

 Ceremonies of the Papago." This material comprises 148 pages of 

 text, 75 transcriptions of songs (with phonographic records and 

 technical analyses), and 27 photographic illustrations. 



Special researches in the field were conducted by Miss Frances 

 Densmore, Mr. W. E. Myer, Prof. J. E. Pearce, Mr. Gerard Fowke, 

 and Mr. J. A. Jeancon. 



In September Miss Densmore resumed her work on Papago music, 

 and in December, 1920, returned to the Papago Reservation in Ari- 

 zona, where she had worked a few months previously. She revisited 

 San Xavier, but her work centered at Sells, formerly called Indian 

 Oasis, but now the location of the Papago agency. Trips were made 

 from there to Santa Rosa village, in the extreme north, and to 

 Vomari village, in the extreme south of the reservation. Photo- 

 graphs, specimens, and records of songs were obtained at these 

 places. 



The principal subject of study at this time was the belief of the 

 Papago in supernatural agencies controlling their . food supply. 

 Information was obtained regarding two ceremonies connected with 

 this belief; i. e., the making and drinking of "cactus wine," and the 

 Viikita. Numerous songs connected with these ceremonies were 

 recorded. 



Other classes of songs not previously recorded among the Papago 

 were those received in dreams, those sung on expeditions to obtain 

 salt, and those connected with stories told to children ; also songs for 

 success in the kicking-ball race and in hunting. Songs of war and 

 of medicine were recorded, as well as others concerning the deeds of 

 Elder Brother and including songs he was said to have sung after 

 creating the spirits, winds, and clouds. Mention may be made of a 

 song that was said to have been sung in order to produce the death 

 of an aged woman. It was said that " her grandsons decided to kill 

 her by means of a song," as her advanced age made her an incum- 

 brance to them. Many songs have been recorded whose purpose 

 was to procure health, but this is the first instance of a song in- 

 tended to cause death. An important phase of the musical work was 

 the hearing of a certain class of very old dance songs, a portion of 

 which was in three parts, i. e., the voices of the men, the voices of the 

 women singing the same melody an octave higher, and the voices of 

 two or three women singing (for a brief period) a still higher part, 

 different from the melody. This song was accompanied by the shak- 

 ing of a gourd rattle and the striking of a basket drum, also by 



