SIXTH REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I9O9 63, 



Folklore. Work in recording the folklore and ceremonials 

 has been retarded this season by activity in other lines. Some 

 notes, however, were taken and a very important manuscript 

 secured through the courtesy of Rev. A. J. Farney of Ohsweken, 

 Ontario. This manuscript is the version of the code of Dagano- 

 wida, the founder of the Five Nations' League as adopted and 

 written by the Six Nations' Council. The story describes the 

 meeting of Daganowida and Hiawatha and gives a history of their 

 subsequent activities. It concludes with a version of the Con- 

 dolence ceremony extracted verbatim from Horatio Hale's Iroquois 

 Book of Rites, a seeming tribute to the accuracy of Hale's work. 

 There is much work in the line of collecting lore of this 

 character. It is becoming more and more difficult to get. The 

 old people who have memorized the various rituals and legends 

 are rapidly passing away and but few of the younger people have 

 taken the pains to burden themselves with a knowledge of the 

 old ways of their fathers. Some knowledge of this vast un- 

 written literature will undoubtedly pass down to the descendants 

 of the New York Iroquois but much will be lost unless provisions 

 are made for its preservation within the immediate future. 



Public interest. Interest in the present and past Indian life 

 of our State seems to be fast increasing. Students are turning 

 with renewed activity to the subject of the ethnology of the 

 New York Indians. Artists and sculptors are seeking accurate 

 information in regard to the costumes and the customs of the 

 Iroquois. Many hundred inquiries along these and similar lines 

 have been directed to this section of the State Museum. 



Wit'h a limited exhibition space, limited quarters, insufficient 

 equipment, and the great bulk of our material in storage, we 

 have been at great disadvantage. Students from many quarters 

 representing well known institutions have made personal visits 

 to our office and collections only to be disappointed in a large meas- 

 ure because of our limitations. 



During the fiscal year just passed special attention has been 

 directed to the Indians of our State through various historical 

 celebrations, and yet with a great store of material, consisting 

 of both facts and relics of Iroquois and Algonquin culture we 

 had neither facilities nor time for bringing these things to public 

 notice, so great was the demand of other things. 



