MUSIC OF THE WINNEBAGO, CHIPPEWA, AND 



PUEBLO INDIANS 



By FRANCES DENSMORE, 

 Collaborator, Bureau of American Ethnology 



In continuance of the writer's study of Indian music for the Bureau 

 of American Ethnology, three field trips were made during the past 

 year. The work has comprised further study of Winnebago and Chip- 

 pewa music and the recording of songs by Pueblo Indians who were 

 connected with a pageant at Kilbourn, Wisconsin. 



The first field trip was made in June, 1930, to the Winnebago 

 living near Tomah and Pittsville, Wisconsin, songs being recorded 

 in both localities. John Smoke (fig. 190) was the Indian selected near 

 Tomah, and he had as his guest Paul Decora, a Winnebago of Ne- 

 braska who also recorded songs. Smoke, whose Winnebago name 

 means " Standing in the day," is the possessor of a water-spirit bundle, 

 inherited from many previous generations. He permitted the writer to 

 see this bundle, removing the outer wrapping of deer hide and reveal- 

 ing a bag, or packet, of soft matting filled with medicines, several 

 small packets of herbs, and a short flute. In the spring he gives a 

 feast at which this is the only bundle opened, and sometimes he 

 takes it to the Winter Feast of Bundles, when the contents of many 

 bundles are exposed to view. He believes that by the proper use of 

 this bundle he is free from calamity and his wants are gratified. The 

 songs belonging to the bundle and sung to make it effective are 18 in 

 number, six being sung while a feast is cooking and 12 during the dance 

 which follows the feast. He recorded songs of both classes. The 

 other songs recorded at his house were those of the green corn dance, 

 friendship, war, " fortynine " and squaw dances, the moccasin game 

 and hand game, love songs, and a lullaby which was recorded by 

 Mrs. John Smoke. Two flute melodies were recorded by Frisk Cloud 

 who said that " love songs are words put to flute melodies." Frisk 

 Cloud is a maker of flutes and described his system of measurements 

 in terms of fingerwidths ; he also transferred to the writer the flute 

 on which he had been playing. It is made of iron pipe, is 23^ inches 

 long and has six finger holes. 



George Monegar, living near Pittsville, also recorded a flute melody, 

 using a flute made of brass pipe. The legendary origin of the Winne- 

 bago flute was described by this informant who said that a young man 



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