THE CODE OF HANDSOME LAKE 95 



each section the speaker starts a chant which is taken up by the 

 singers who sit on the benches. A drummer keeps time by beating 

 a water drum and the dancers gracefully circle around the benches. 

 The direction of this dance, as all Iroquois dances, is counterclock- 

 wise. When the chant and dance have continued a period deemed 

 sufficient by the opposite speaker, he halts the singing and dancing 

 by the exclamation " Gwi v ya' ! " and then commences his in- 

 tonation. 



The writer had recorded the entire Gane'o n wo n ritual, speeches 

 and songs, on a set of phonograph records, especially for preserva- 

 tion by the New York State Education Department. Unfortunately 

 these perished in the Capitol fire of March 29, 191 1. About 100 

 other ceremonial records on wax cylinders were also destroyed at 

 that time. 



[preliminary] translation of the ganeowo ritual OF THE 



SENECA 



I Gwi"ya'! 



Now the whole assemblage is offering thanks ! 



This day [there] is occurring what the Creator has made 



pleasing for his own self. 

 We are thankful that what he has made for himself is 



accomplished. 

 [Singing and dancing]. 



II Gwi"ya' ! [Singing and dancing stop]. 



Now the whole assemblage is offering thanks ! 



The Creator thought that there should be men-beings, 



And he thought that there should be chiefs to regulate the 



actions of these men-beings. 

 So now we thank him that what he thought has come to 



pass! 

 [Singing and dancing are resumed]. 



Ill Gwi"ya' ! [Singing and dancing stop]. 



Now the whole assemblage is offering thanks ! 



Now he thought that there should be two sexes, 



That one should be the female 



That children might grow from her. 



We thank the women that they are doing their duty in 



fulfilling the design of their creation. 

 [Singing and dancing resumed]. 



