DENSMOKE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 173 



gled across the sky. It was the hour most dreaded in Indian warfare, 

 the hour when so many terrible attacks were made. Yet in forget- 

 fulness of the past and without fear of the future the Httle village 

 slept. 



The Singers of Red Lake 



The personality of an Indian singer must be taken into considera- 

 tion when analyzing his songs. This is the more important if the 

 singers are of a primitive type. Under such conditions one en- 

 counters strongl}'" marked individualities, each of which may offer 

 its particular sort of song or sing familiar songs in its own par- 

 ticular way. 



The songs secured at Red Lake are placed in their several classes, 

 but a description of the singers is herewith presented, in order that 

 those who wish to judge a song by the personality of the singer may 

 have an opportunity of doing so. 



Six singers were employed, and 48 songs recorded, this material 

 being representative of the culture on this reservation. 



1. GI'WITA'BINES ("SPOTTED BIRD") 



This singer was a man about 50 years old, who combined the old 

 and the new modes of Indian life and thought. He spoke English 

 fluently and sent his children to the government schools, yet his 

 special pride was his singing, which he said was in the "regular old 

 Indian way." 



These facts regarding his personality must be taken into considera- 

 tion in an estimate of his songs. 



He recorded 18 songs, 6 of which were major and 12 minor in 

 tonality. They were divided as follows: 6 moccasin-game songs, 3 

 woman's dances, 2 war songs, 2 old scalp dances, 1 song concerning 

 a vision, 1 song concerning an historical event, and 3 repetitions of 

 songs secured elsewhere. 



All the songs except the first one were accompanied by the drum. 

 In most instances the repetitions of the song filled the entire phono- 

 graph cylinder. 



The value of this series of 18 records lies in its relation to the style 

 of Indian singing as well as to accurate preservation of melodies. 

 Gi'wita'bines varied the songs which he sang five or six consecutive 

 times, frequently repeating certain phrases or the last half of the song, 

 and embellishing the melody. In transcribing these songs that portion 

 of the record has been selected on which the song was evidently sung 

 through once in a direct way, no attempt being made to transcribe 

 variations therefrom which were clearly made for effect. 



It is worthy of note that in these songs the pulse of the measure 

 beginning is always repeated accurately, no matter how much the 



