4 SMITPISONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. // 



VOCAL MUSIC 



The tone production of the Tule is different from that of the 

 North American Indian and both are widely different from that of 

 the white man. The vibrato, which constitutes a musical accomplish- 

 ment among the Indians, is entirely absent in the Tule whose tone is 

 very hard, with a pinched, forced quality not pleasing to our ears 

 and impossible to describe. It is an artificial tone which undoubtedly 

 is difficult to acquire. There are no contrasts in volume, no " loud 

 and soft passages," and strong accents seldom occur. The general 

 character of the songs is pleasing, and the melody flows smoothly 

 along except for prolonged tones (in some songs) during which the 

 flute and rattle are played. These) tones are usually at regular inter- 

 vals, but there is sufficient flexibility so that the melody is not me- 

 chanical in its general form. A doctor uses no accompaniment with 

 any of his songs. There appear to be no Tule songs connected with 

 the history of the tribe nor its former chiefs. As they have never 

 been at war, they have no war songs, and no songs are hereditary 

 in a family, as in certain tribes of North American Indians. 



Aside from the songs for entertainment, the charm songs and the 

 home songs of the women, the occasions for singing were said to be 

 the treatment of the sick, the scene after a burial, the maturity feast 

 of a young girl and her wedding. Examples of all except the home 

 songs and those of the maturity feast were recorded. It was said this 

 festivity included singing, dancing, and gifts. Two men sang to- 

 gether, as at a wedding, and the number of flutes might be from 

 two to seven. The girl's name was inserted in the song, two old 

 men telling about her when she was a very little child, then follow- 

 ing her life year by year down to this event. She wore a pretty dress 

 with many strings of beads and fragrant berries. Her hair was cut, 

 her cheeks were reddened and a fine red line was drawn down her 

 nose. Many relatives came to assist at the feast. 



The first song recorded by Igwa was the love song (No. 9, 

 page 34), the second was that for reHef of headache (No. 2, page 18), 

 and the third was the song of the boat race (No. 6, page 29). About 

 a week later the first and third of these songs were recorded again 

 and it was found that the sets of renditions bore a general resem- 

 blance to each other but were not exact duplicates. Inquiry brought 

 the statement already mentioned that they did not intend to sing 

 the song always alike. On examining the two renditions of the song 

 concerning the boat race it was found that the first was the better 

 of the two. When making the second record Igwa was less at ease 

 than w4ien making the first record and the result was apparent in 



