160 
dancing* for inere pleasure, to celebrate success in hunting or in war, 
to welcome relatives and friends, or simply to while away a few^ leisure 
hours. The typical instruments were drums and rattles, the latter 
confined almost exclusively to religious ceremonies;^ but their func- 
tion was emotional only, the movements of the dancers rarely syn- 
chronizing with the drum beats or with the stress syllables of the 
songs. Men and women danced apart, usually singly, but often simul- 
taneously, the men more violently than the women, whose movements 
seldom exceeded slight hops or a shuffling of the feet with gentle 
waving of the arms and swaying of knees and shoulders. On special 
occasions the usual gymnastic dances gave place to mimetic perform- 
ances carried out with considerable skill Forty Algonkins of lake 
Nipissing thus celef)rated the attendance of some surrounding tribes 
at a “ feast of the dead “ The dance consisted of three parts. The 
first rejiresented various encounters of enemies in single combat — one 
pursuing his foe, hatchet in hand to give liim the deathblow, while 
at the same time he seems to receive it himself, by losing his advan- 
tage; he regains it, and after a great many feints, all performed in 
time witli the music, lie finally overcomes his antagonist, and returns 
victorious. . . Every region had its own types of dances, 
gymnastic and mimetic. Morgan lists no less than thirty-two for 
the Onondaga tribe alone. For in sorrow and gladness alike the 
Indian naturally turned to this diversion that he might express his 
emotions in song and rhythmic movements and enjoy the sympathy 
of his fellowmen. 
Social amenities naturally reached their highest peak when a 
whole tribe assembled at some fishing or hunting ground, or the 
inhabitants of a village, scattered during parts of the year, had 
gathered at their homes. Every tent and every house then kept 
an open door that invited visitors to enter at any hour. AVomeii 
gossiped at the cooking-places, men gathered in little groups to dis- 
cuss the day’s events. Most tribes held religious festivals at these 
seasons. The Ojibwa usually celebrated their Midewhvin or 
“ medicine lodge ” in the summer at the ripening of fruits and 
berries, and friends and relatives gathered from all the surrounding 
1 The Pacific Coast tribes liofi whistles with two or three notes, the Iroquoians and some eastern 
Algonkians a Ihite or flageolet; hnt tliey did not use tliese instruments for dance music. 
“‘‘Jesuit Retut ions,” vol, xxiii, p. 213 (1642-43). Cf. “ Men/des' Journal of X'uucouver’s \'oyage” ; 
edited by C. l'\ Newcoinbe, ArclH\es of British Columbia, Mem. No. v, pp. 118-9 (Victoria, 1923). 
