MUSIC OF THE WINNEBAGO AND MENOMINEE 

 INDIANS OF WISCONSIN 



By FRANCES DENSMORE, 

 CoUaboralor, Bureau of American Ethnology 



For many years the writer has recorded and studied the music of 

 the American Indians, and during August and September, 1928, this 

 study was continued among the Winnebago and Menominee of Wis- 

 consin. One visit to each of these tribes had been made in previous 

 years, and the purpose of this trip was to witness certain dances, to 

 add details to the descriptions ah'eady obtained, and to record more 

 songs of certain classes. In the course of the work, about 1,900 miles 

 were covered by automobile. 



The first tribe visited was the Winnebago, who were holding a 

 large dance near Black River Falls. Former acquaintance with this 

 conservative group of Winnebago was of assistance, and the writer 

 remained in the camp daily from morning until late evening. The 

 camp circle consisted of about 50 tents, the Indians having come from 

 a wide radius of country. In the middle of the circle was a structure 

 similar to that used by the Menominee and shown in figure 168. The 

 drum was like the Dream Dance drum of the Menominee; 15 men 

 beat upon it, seated closely on the square bench around it. The 

 men in costume numbered 25, and about 35 women and children joined 

 in the dances, many wearing elaborate Indian costumes gay with beads 

 and silk applique. The dancing, which continued three days, included 

 a portion of the green corn dance as well as war and social dances. 

 Both men and women took part in many of these dances, the women 

 forming a circle next the drum and the men dancing in a larger circle 

 around them. 



Many interesting incidents were observed in the camp when the 

 dancing was not in progress. For example, the men in charge of the 

 drum were seen warming it beside a cooking fire in the daytime and a 

 camp fire at night, and on sunny days they carefully tilted the drum 

 against a bush so that the warmth of the sun would tighten the head 

 to the desired tension. In a tent, one morning, a group of men and 

 women were playing the " plate game," disks (or dice) being tossed 



189 



