REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 77 



SPECIAL RESEARCHES 



Research in the music of the American Indians has been carried 

 forward during; the past year by Miss Frances Densmore. a collab- 

 orator of the bureau. In October, 1927, Miss Densmore visited the 

 Winnebago in Wisconsin, recording songs and interviewing many 

 Indians within a radius of about 20 miles around Black River Falls. 

 Eighty-three songs were recorded, with data concerning their origin 

 and use, and the singers and their environment were photographed. 

 The winter feast (also known as the war-bundle feast) and the 

 buffalo dance received special consideration, as these are distinc- 

 tively Winnebago ceremonies. Tw^enty-five winter feast songs Avere 

 recorded, including those of the night spirit, morning star, sun, 

 bear, and thunderbird bundles. The songs were recorded and infor- 

 mation given by men who habitually attend this feast, given annually 

 in Wisconsin and Nebraska. The use of music in the treatment of the 

 sick was found to be similar to that of the Chippewa and, in some 

 respects, to that of other tribes. The principal informant on this 

 subject was John Henry, living at Trempeleau, who recorded the 

 songs used by his grandfather w^hen treating the sick. Additional 

 old healing songs included those formerly used by a Winnebago 

 named Thunder and recorded by his sons. Herb remedies were 

 administered and songs sung to make them effective. 



Among the war songs is a group composed by members of the 

 tribe when serving in France with the United States Armj'^ during 

 the recent war. These express a high patriotism and are interesting 

 examples of songs composed by several persons in collaboration. 

 This is a phase of musical composition which has been observed 

 among the Sioux and Makah, as well as among Indians of British 

 Columbia. Other classes of recorded Winnebago songs are those of 

 the Heroka (bow and arrow spirits), songs to calm the waves, songs 

 received in dreams, and songs of the moccasin game. 



One purpose of the work among the Winnebago was to ascertain 

 whether their songs resembled those of the neighboring Chippewa 

 or the related Sioux. The songs show a distinct resemblance to the 

 Chippewa and to the Menominee. Each tribe has its own songs, 

 and exceedingly old songs of each tribe have been obtained, but 

 there is a general resemblance in the melodic trend. 



The study of material obtained at Neah Bay, Wash., and in 

 British Columbia in 1926, as well as Menominee material obtained in 

 1925, was continued, together with the work on Winnebago songs. 

 Eight manuscripts were submitted with the following titles : " Dance 

 and dream songs of the Makah and Clayoquot Indians"; "Miscel- 

 laneous Makah and Clayoquot songs and Makah customs " ; " Nitinat 

 war and dance songs and Menominee songs connected with stories 



