KuRATH] IROQUOIS MUSIC AND DANCE 5 



(d) To the end of the dance a continuous accumulation of dancers, 

 men, women, and chOdren, lined up with their respective sex, some- 

 times up to 200 dancers on very festive occasions, winding into a triple 

 spiral. 



Remarks. — One of the few consistently costumed dances: men with 

 the Iroquois gastowe or feather headdress, or else with Sioux war 

 bonnets, bright shirts, leggings, breechclouts with beadwork, some- 

 times moccasins and knee jingles of small hoofs (pi. 3); women with 

 smocks, beaded skirts, and leggings of 19th century Iroquoian style. 



Thanksgiving or Drum Dance (gane o'o): 



Function. — The second of the four great rituals. 



Occasions. — Coldspring: Midwinter circuit on fourth day, in long- 

 house on seventh day; Green Corn on third day. Tonawanda: 

 Midwinter on fifth day; Green Corn on first day. 



Songs. — Two singers astride a central bench, the leader with a water 

 drum, the assistant with a horn rattle. 



(a) One introductory chant recorded, out of possible three, each 

 introduced by a yell of a special whooper. Free triple percussion 

 beat, changing to even duple beat and synchronization with the voices 

 just before the first dance song. 



(b) Dance songs, 15 recorded out of a repertoire of over 120. For 

 each song, a steady percussion beat in moderate tempo, starting on 

 quarter notes during the first section. A, and continuing throughout B 

 and the song repetition with sixteenth notes, to three terminal beats 

 during the whoop or sliding call. Consistent statement of each first 

 theme by the leader (S), echo by the assistant (Ch), and continuation 

 by both voices. Occasional harmonies a third apart. Frequent 

 sequential repetition on lower levels. 



(c) A series of up to 13 monotone antiphonal chants, alternating 

 with short prayers, wa'do' gwaiy?', addressed by the preacher in thanks 

 to all spirits from the ground to the celestial scale and finally the 

 Creator. 



{d) Recapitulation of the dance songs, with reversal of percussion 

 roles. 



Dance. — Same cumulative form as Feather Dance, same walkaround 

 between songs ; but somewhat different steps to a slower tempo ; double 

 heel bumps by the men along with knee raising and gesticulating, the 

 fuskanye or women's shuffle dance step by the women. No change 

 in dance forms during monotone chants. 



Remarks. — Costumes as for Feather Dance. At Coldspring a small 

 bow and arrow, carried by the dance leader, handed to the speaker 

 during prayer chants and returned for last section (recapitulation) 

 to dance leader. 



