68 BUREAU OF AMERICAI^ ETHNOLOGY [bull, ei 



WORDS 



niya^ tagig'yatj with visible breath ^ 



mawa''ni ye I am walking 



oya'te ^ le this nation (the Buffalo nation) 



ima^wani I walk toward 



na and 



ho^tagigyag my voice is heard 



mawa^ni ye I am walking 



nlya' tagig'yaij with visible breath 



mawa'ni ye I am walking 



walu'ta le this scarlet relic 



ima^wani ye (for it) I am walking 



Anali/sis.^ — This song is minor in tonality and melodic in structure. 

 Thirty-four progressions are found in the melody, 22 (65 per cent) of 

 which are minor thirds. This is an unusually large proportion of any 

 one interval in a song. Ten of the remaining intervals (29 per cent) 

 are major seconds, the others being an ascending fifth and a descend- 

 ing fourth. The tempo of the song is slow, and the short tones at 

 the end of the first and similar measures were given in correct time. 

 As in all the songs, vocables are here italicized. In this song they 

 were sung with marked emphasis. 



The final measure of this song is transcribed as a complete measure, 

 though the song begins on an unaccented tone. This precedent mil 

 be followed throughout the present work, instances in which the 

 repetition of a song begins without a break in the time being indi- 

 cated by the usual mark for repeat. 



The ALo'wAi>jri Ceremony 



This ceremony has been used by the Pawnee, Omaha, Osage, 

 Ponca, Iowa, Oto, and Dakota tribes. The ceremony among the 

 Omaha and Pa's\Tiee has been studied by Miss Alice C. Fletcher, 

 whose research includes the ceremonial songs of these tribes.* As the 

 ceremony has been in disuse among the Dakota for many years it was 

 impossible to study it exhaustive!}^, but sufficient information was 

 available for a general comparison with the customs of the above- 

 mentioned tribes. From this comparison it is evident 'that the 



1 In cold weather the breath of a herd of buffalo, rising in the frosty air, could be plainly seen. 



2 The word oya'te is of frequent occurrence in these songs. When reference is made to the Indians the 

 word is translated "tribe", but it is often used in connection with animals (see p. 1()2, footnote). 



3 The descriptive analyses of these songs should not be regarded as exhaustive. It is their purpose 

 merely to point out peculiarities of melody or rhythm which may aid the reader in a further investigation 

 of the subject. Moreover, the phraseology of these analyses should l^e understood as general in character, 

 Thus, the term "accurate intonation" should not be considered to mean that in every instance the Indian 

 sang the exact interval, but that, so far as concerns the present work, the interval was practically 

 correct. These descriptive analyses are based on tabulated anal5-sesof individual songs, which are not 

 herewith presented, but are incorporated in the tables of analysis found at the close of the groups of 

 songs, and also in the tables on pp. 12-21. 



*Cf, Fletcher, Alice C, The" Wawao", or PipeDance of the Omahsxs, in Peabodij Mus. Rep., in,Nos. 3, i, 

 pp. 308-333, Cambridge, Mass., 1884; also The Hako; a Pawnee Ceremony, by the same author, in Twenty- 

 tteond Rep. Bur. Amer. Ethn., pt. 2, 1904. 



