boas] music of the ESKIMO. g49 



Some Eskimo are very good narrators and understand how to ex- 

 press the feelings of the different persons by modulations of the voice. 

 In addition, as a number of tales are i-eally onomatopoetic, an artistic 

 effect is produced. The way of reciting is always similar to the one 

 above described by notes (p. 648). 



Besides these tales, which may be called poetic prose, there are 

 real poems of a very marked rhythm, which are not sung but recited. 

 The following are examples: 



MERRYMAKING AMONG THE TORNIT. 

 Pi-kapikagningminge-pignirmingqije-pignirmingsuka-dla. aq! aq! 



The Eskimo reciting this song jump up and down and to the right 

 and left with their legs bent and their hands hanging down, the palms 

 touching each other. In crjdng aq! aq! they jump as high as pos- 

 sible. 



THE LEMMING'S SONG. 



pijungma - djaugi - la - tit qi - a - lung - nua - ra- lung - nau 



Besides these old songs and tales there are a great number of new 

 ones, and, indeed, almost every man has his own tune and his own 

 song. A few of these become great favorites among the Eskimo and 

 are sung like our popular songs. The summer song (No. I) and "The 

 returning hunter" (No. II) may be most frequently heard. As to 

 the contents of the songs, they treat of almost everything imagin- 

 able: of the beauty of summer; of thoughts and feelings of the com- 

 poser on any occasion, for instance, when watching a seal, when 

 angry with somebody, &c. ; or they tell of an important event, as of 

 a long journey. Satiric songs are great favorites. 



