DE.N.s.MuKK] CHIPPEWA MUSIC II 17 



raven, plover, eagle, " thuuderbird, " and "water-birds." Reference 

 to water occurs principally in st)ngs of the Mide'wiwin, the emblem 

 of that organization being a shell, and all its traditions bemg asso- 

 ciated with water and with aquatic animals. 



A spontaneous outburst of melody, giving expression to either 

 joy or sorrow, does not characterize Chippewa songs; indeed, the 

 nature of the songs is more frequently objective than subjective, 

 more often connected with accomplishment than with self-expression. 



A comparison between the content and the tonality of the songs 

 may now be undertaken. As we are accustomed to connect a minor 

 key with the idea of sadness, it is interesting to inquhe whether 

 the same mode of expressing sadness obtains in Chippewa songs. 

 Fii-st, it is observed that, apart from the love songs, there are few 

 songs of sorrow. The series of 340 songs contains 142 in minor 

 tonality, of which onl}^ 20 (14 per cent) are songs of sadness, comprising 

 practically all the songs of this character. Among the 85 Mide' 

 songs there are only two songs of sadness (Nos. 174, 175); these are 

 burial songs. Many Mide' songs mention sickness, but always with 

 an affirmation that it will be cured by supernatural means. Six of 

 the 88 war songs contain the idea of distress (Bulletin 45, Nos. 120, 

 150; present collection, Nos. 10, 17, 34, 36). It will be noted that two 

 of these refer to the grief of the enemy (Nos. 10, 34), and m one a 

 condition of distress is relieved by the use of medicine; the three 

 which may be considered songs of unlightened sadness are the songs of 

 the departure of warriors (No. 150, Bulletin 45; No. 17 of the present 

 work) and the song of the warrior left to die on the battlefield 

 (Bulletin 45, No. 120). In a similar instance (No. 33) the song of 

 the wounded man left to die is distinctly major m tonality. 



Among the 30 love songs 11, or more than 33 per cent, are songs of 

 sadness and minor in tonalit3^ Of the unclassified songs only one 

 contains the idea of distress, with a minor tonality — this is the song 

 of the Uttle boy who was afraid of the owl (Bulletin 45, No. 121). 

 Two-thirds of the moccasin game songs are minor in tonality ; in this 

 coimection it may be noted that the result of the moccasin game was 

 always a matter of uncertamty. 



Most of the Chippewa songs are major m tonality, and most of the 

 old songs were "dream songs" used in the Mide', the practice of 

 medicme, and the pursuit of war, the essential nature of a ''dream" 

 being associated with the idea of reliance on supernatural help. In 

 contrast with the large proportion of major songs, and of dream songs 

 of various classes, it is found that a minor tonality is used, practically 

 without exception, ui songs directly expressing sadness, distress, or 

 uncertainty. These observations may have a bearing on the further 

 study of the psychology of Indian song. 

 G799C°— Bull. 53-13 2 



