DENSMOUE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC II 147 



Drums of similar design have been seen by the writer on the 

 Wliite Earth, Leech Lake, and Red Lake Reservations in Mmnesota. 

 These, which were said to have been received from tlie Sioux, were 

 used in the social dances. At Waba'cing settlement, on the Red 

 Lake Reservation, the drum was suspended from crotched sticks 

 (see p. 252) ; in all other instances it rested on the ground. No 

 decorated drumsticks were used, there was no pipe belongmg to 

 the drum, and its significance as a peace symbol seemed to have been 

 lost. It is reported, however, that occasional ceremonies of drum- 

 presentation are still held in remote parts of the JVIinnesota reserva- 

 tions. The Chippewa of Minnesota are in frequent contact with the 

 Sioux, the two tribes advancing side by side in civilization. In 

 Wisconsin the contact is less recent and more of a glamor is thrown 

 around the past, the old men telling how in former days the war 

 canoes of the Sioux came up the Chippewa River from the JVIississippi. 



A drum party origmally consisted of 29 persons and it was not 

 customary for a person to "belong" to more than one drum. At the 

 present time, however, it is necessary for each of the good smgers to 

 belong to more than one and even for the same person to hold more 

 than one office in a drum party. The complete persomiel of such 

 party is as follows: The chief of the settlement; the owner of the 

 drum; the speaker; the aid (oc'kabe'wis) ; the manager of the 

 dancing hall or circle; five men who take care of the drum; the man 

 who takes care of the drum pipe (used by the drummers) ; the man who 

 takes care of the warrior's pipe (used by the dancers) ; the chief drum- 

 mer and singer; four leading drummers and singers (one being seated 

 at each "leg" of the drum) ; four leadmg women singers (seated behind 

 the leading drummers) ; four assistant women singers (seated between 

 the leading women singers) ; four leading dancers (said to be "one for 

 each 'leg ' of the drum ") . There are also other singers and drummers. 



During a ceremony the chief drummer is usually seated at the 

 western side of the drum and at his right hand are placed the drum 

 pipe, the turtle shell filled with aj)ak'osigun (tobacco mixed with red 

 willow bark), and the other articles belonging to the drum, lie 

 it is who starts the songs and leads the singing. The leading drum- 

 mers are seated by the four stakes, or "legs" supporting the drum, 

 and between them are the singers and drummers of less importance, 

 who have no permanent seats. The women form a large outer 

 circle, sitting with bowed heads, their mouths covered by their hands 

 or shawls. The singing of the women, which is entirely through 

 the nose, gives the melody with clear mtonation, an octave above 

 the voices of the men. The octave appears to be a natural interval 

 between the voices of men and women when singing together. It 

 , is possible that the perception of the octave as a pleasing musical 



