DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 169 



feathers erect on the top. For fastening this on the head it is nec- 

 essary to braid a small lock of hair on top very tightly, pass it 

 through a little hole in the wooden frame of the headdress, and 

 secure it by slipping a wooden peg through the braid. Some wore a 

 band of fur around the head, and to this part of a horse's mane or 

 tail was often attached. One man wore a headdress composed en- 

 tirely of long feathers dyed in bright colors, fastened to a cloth in 

 such a way that they waved in every breeze and even hung before 

 his face, almost hiding it from view. 



Brown woven underwear was a favorite foundation for a costume, 

 over which was worn the beadwork consisting of the breechcloth and 

 leggins and two large flat pockets with broad bands over the oppo- 

 site shoulder, all of black velvet, on which the white and colored 

 beads showed effectively. Beaded moccasins completed this por- 

 tion of the costume. Sleigh bells were a favorite decoration, a band 

 of them being fastened around each knee and strings of bells to 

 the waist in the back. One large bell was often worn on each ankle. 

 Many dancers wore the skins of raccoons or long ribbon streamers 

 at their elbows; some had the tails of raccoons dragging from their 

 moccasin heels. A few wore sleeveless velvet jackets beautifully 

 beaded and with these broad belts of beadwork with knife pouches 

 on the hip. Small round mirrors were effectively used, being sewed 

 on bands of cloth to form necklaces. One man wore an ''ejdiod" 

 of red cloth thickly strewn with little mirrors; this garment, which 

 was shield-shaped in the back and square in the front, being slipped 

 over the head, is an article of Chippewa apparel which is rarely seen. 

 One dancer wore the entire body of an eagle around his neck and 

 another had that of a huge blackbird on which he had fastened 

 dots of white. Still another had two strings of claws fastened 

 across his forehead and temples. Several wore necklaces of bone 

 with beautifully polished clam shells as ornaments in the front; 

 others wore the broad silver armlets which were given to the Indians 

 in the early days. The faces of all were gaily painted. Altogether 

 it was a brilliant assemblage which sat around the dancing circle. 

 Some were smoking the red stone pipe with stem of willow; others 

 were sitting quiet, wrapped in their bright quilts, but when the 

 familiar lie Tie was heard from the singers at the drum they rose 

 with a rush like a flock of bright birds. Most of the dancers carried 

 some object in the right hand — a turkey- wing fan, a bow with 

 arrows, a stone ax, or one of the old clubs to which scalps were once 

 fastened. One club had a wisp of horsehair dangling unpleasantly 

 from it. These objects were used in the gestures, which form a 

 conspicuous feature of the dancing, as the dancers point to some 

 imaginary enemy in the distance, to a fancied footprint on the 

 ground, or to the peaceful summer sky. When the dancing had 



