Songs of the Copper Eskimos 381 



SONGS FROM POINT HOPE, ALASKA 



The Point Hope songs are from two sources and at the present time are 



^11 known as dance songs although at least one had a very different origin. The 



first two, numbers 133 and 134, were sung by Mackenzie River women who 



stated that they were from Point Hope. The other three are from a Northern 



Alaska native who learned them from the composer. 



All are very short and have none of the characteristics of the Copper Eskimo 

 dance songs, except those few which have already been compared to the Mac- 

 kenzie River collection. The mouth of the Mackenzie is much nearer the Point 

 Hope region than the Coppermine river country, and judging from the way in 

 which one of these songs travelled it is not too much to assume that songs are 

 probably often carried from the one territory to the other. There are many 

 particulars in which the music of the two places is alike. Mackenzie river 

 songs are largely major, beautiful melodically, move, on the whole, rapidly, and 

 in some cases are distinguished by small rhythmic values. They are short, 

 without the set form of verses, refrains and connectives but with a fine balance 

 in the five or six phrases which they do contain. 



The five Point Hope songs are all major, exceedingly rich melodically, 

 one in its short length ranging through three major keys. They haye none 

 of the features of the Copper Eskimo pisiks. Like most of the songs from 

 this collection, they are largely two-four in metre. Two start on the first beat, 

 one on the last quarter-beat, one on the last half of the first beat and the other 

 is inaudible at the start. Three begin on the fifth of the major scale, two on 

 the third. In three cases the general level is not established because there is 

 so much movement, and in the other two it is doubtfully the tonic. Four end 

 on the second degree in a very final fashion, although one of these is the example 

 in which there are three key settings. The end is on the second degree of the 

 last setting established. The fifth ends on the minor seventh of a major scale. 



There are only a few particulars in which the songs from the Mackenzie 

 and Point Hope regions seem to differ and these might be dispelled on wider 

 acquaintance. One is the apparent Point Hope preference for ending on the 

 second degree, and the lack of a general level; another is the greater number of 

 small rhythmic values and small syncopations and dotted notes of insignificant 

 time value, while a third is the slower tempo which is in part, of course, offset 

 by the subdivision of the beats into notes of very short duration. 



The other noteworthy points and a special discussion of the song which 

 travelled and the origin of which is known, will be found in their place after the 

 analyses which accompany each song. 



