Songs of the Copper Eskimos 13 



For all these reasons it is only to be expected that a large proportion of the 

 dance-songs are virtually unintelligible. AH the individual words — except, of 

 course, the burden syllables — ^may be capable of translation, yet taken together 

 they will yield no meaning. To the Eskimo this matters little; his main require- 

 ment, whether for singing or dancing, is the tune, and he can often ^e satisfied 

 with burden syllables alone.^ A newly composed song may be hardly more 

 intelligible than one that has travelled a long distance.^ AH that the first 

 audience_ needs are a few catch-words, since the composer is sure to give the 

 explanation in a short speech. Songs of this character, when transmitted to 

 other communities without the explanation, as so often happens, become quite 

 meaningless; an example is No. 53, which was learned by its Puivliq singer from 

 a Prince Albert sound native in the summer of 1915. There are cases probably 

 where the obscurity lies in the translation rather than in the original, owing to 

 my imperfect knowledge of the language and the inadequacy of my interpreters; 

 but in the majority of instances the songs themselves are at fault, from one or 

 more of the causes that have been outlined above. 



Subject-matter 



The dance-songs of most primitive peoples reflect the things that concern 

 them most in their daily lives. Song No. 20 in this collection lists the chief 

 interests of the Copper Eskimo, and indicates the qualities that he should possess 

 if he is to be a useful member of the community. He should be a good seal- 

 hunter, in order to provide food and fuel for his family during the long dark 

 hours of winter; a good archer and kayaker, to supply them with caribou meat 

 and skins during the summer months; a good fisherman, to furnish them with a 

 reserve stock of dried and frozen trout and salmon during the lean period from 

 October to January; and, last of all, a good singer and dancer, to cheer his 

 fellow-countrymen on tedious winter nights and to contribute toward the enter- 

 tainment of visitors. 



Fishing and hunting hold the foremost place in the minds of the Eskimos, 

 and nearly half their dance-songs make references to these topics. Some, like 

 No. 27, describe the hunter's joy at the abundance of game and his success in 

 hunting; others, like No. 21, recount some outstanding episode of the chase — 

 the killing of a fine bull caribou or a large bearded seal; and a few, like No. 

 36, record his disappointment at his failures. 



Ten or twelve songs — No. 1 is the best example — are in the nature of 

 travelogues, describing journeys that their composers have made either for trade 

 or to visit friends in other communities. Nos. 2 and 14 are of special interest 

 because they confirm the information derived from other sources, that in the 

 west the Copper Eskimos came into contact with the Cape Bathurst Eskimos 

 of the Mackenzie river delta, obtaining from them knives and wood and ivory, 

 while to the eastward they were acquainted with the Netchilik and Aivilik tribes 

 around the bases of Melville and Boothia peninsulas, the Qairniq Eskimos of 

 the west coast of Hudson bay, and other tribe^ still more remote. 



Many allusions are made to singing, dancing and the shamanistic stances 

 that usually take place in the dance-house, almost as many, indeed, as to hunting. 

 Nos. 24, 51, 78 and 81 give glimpses of the joy the Eskimos derive from these 

 diversions, and of the zeal with which they try to rival each other in song. 



Two subjects are noticeably lacking, war and love. The Copper Eskimos 

 had not advanced beyond the blood-feud, and organized war was beyond their 

 conception. Neighbouring bands were connected by blood and marriage, and 

 their only enemies, the Indians in the south, were rarely seen and carefully 

 avoided. The passion of love had little place in their lives, owing to the hard 

 struggle for existence, early marriages, and the looseness of the marriage tie. 



1 Ct. No. 65. 



' Cf. No. 26, which was sung by its own composer. 



