Comparison Between Old and Comparatively Modern Sioux 



Songs * 



The songs comprisod in the first group, almost without exceptior, 

 wore recorded l:)y men 65 to 80 years of age. These men said they 

 learned the songs or received them in dreams when they were young. 

 A number of the songs comprised in the second group were also 

 recorded by old men, but were said to b(^ comparatively modern 

 songs. The remaining songs were recorded by yt)ung men who now 

 "sing at the drum" when the Sioux assemble. These songs rep- 

 resent a distinct phase of Sioux music, which shoidd not be omitted 

 from a general consideration of the subject. 



Music may perhaps be said to be the last element of native culture 

 remaining in favor among the Sioux. It is interesting to note that 

 songs are being composed by them at the present time. Many of 

 these are love songs, others are "praise songs" or songs of a general 

 character. It is unnecessary to state that all are social songs, the 

 use of songs for ceremony, war, societies, and the hunt having 

 passed away. Many of the younger Indians among both Chippewa 

 and Sioux find much pleasure in recording their songs on phonographs 

 which they themselves possess. The writer was informed that among 

 the Standing Rock Sioux "an Indian who owns a phonograph usu- 

 ally has at least a hundred records of Indian songs. He and his 

 friends make them and enjoy them much more than the commercial 

 records. Some even make these records for sale among their people." 

 The songs are usually recorded by several singers, while others at the 

 same time give sharp yeUs or short exclamatory sentences. While 

 such records are not adapted for the study of individual songs, they 

 are an evidence of the Indian's continued pleasure in his music and 

 of his readiness to adapt the means of ciAnlization to an end which is 

 purely native. Thus Red Fox caused a song to bo composed in 

 honor of Two Wliite Buffalo, and, in order that the song might be 

 accurately preserved, he requested that two phonogi'aphic records 

 be made by the Indians who composed the song, these duplicate 

 records to be kept in widely separated localities, so that, if accident 

 befell one of them, the song would stiU be preserved in its original 

 form. At a later date this song was recorded by the wTiter and 

 appears as No. 222 of this volume. 



Group I. — This group contains 147 songs believed to be from 50 

 to 150 years old, and comprises the following songs: (1) Ceremonial 



1 See p. 11. 



22 



