DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 171 



At about 8 o'clock in the evening the sound of the drum was heard. 

 A crowd from the camp was moving toward an ohl store, Nae'tawab' 

 leading and the drum in the midst. Before this building they stopped 

 and began to dance around the drum, all singing the high droning 

 melody of the "begging dance." Soon a shifting of the crowd showed 

 that they were going toward the Chippewa trading store. Nae'tawab' 

 was the leader, dancing and waving a little flag. Standing before 

 the store he faced the Indians, dancing with all his might and urging 

 them to sing louder and louder. Soon the trader brought out a box 

 of oranges which he distributed; then the melody changed slightly to 

 the ' ' thanks-for-a-gift " song, and the crowd passed on to another store. 



The scene presented a picture never to be forgotten. A bright 

 light from the store windows flooded the grotesque crowd, while 

 beyond were the gathering shadows of the night. Nae'tawab', 

 growing more and more excited, was on the i)latform before the store 

 waving his flag and dancing. His suit of beaded velvet glistened in 

 the light and his dancing was wonderfully graceful. 



Later they took their way up the hill toward the camp. Singing 

 their strange, high melody, they vanished in the night and only the 

 song remained. 



On Sunday the camp was quiet. Monday morning saw the fes- 

 tivities resumed. Dancing began about 10 o'clock and lasted until 

 late at night. The feast was one of the chief events of this day and 

 consisted of boiled beef and soup. The beef is cut in pieces the size 

 of a man's hand and boiled until there is very little taste in it. 

 When served, it is dry and can be taken in the fingers. The broth 

 is served separatel}^ as a drink, some of it being taken home by the 

 people, who bring little pails for the purpose. 



At this dance a huge kettle containing the meat was brought into 

 the dancing circle. One of the men in charge of the feast then 

 selected five or six of the older men and led them one at a time to the 

 kettle, where they seated themselves and began to eat. The first 

 men thus selected were not in dancing costume, and the writer was 

 told that they were thus honored because of their bravery in the old 

 days. When one of them had finished eating he selected someone 

 from the circle to take his place at the kettle, leading him forward 

 with some little pleasantry. The Chippewa are a people whose 

 smiles come very readily when they are at ease and with their friends. 

 Portions of the meat were also passed to those who sat in the dancing 

 circle, and the kettle was removed when the feast was finished and 

 the dance resumed. 



On Monday a pony was given away. It was done very simply. 

 A "woman's dance"** was in progress, and a woman walked across the 



a See p. 192. 



