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Indian Games and Dances with Native Songs By: Alice C. (Alice Cunningham) Fletcher (1838-1923) |
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Arranged from American Indian
Ceremonials and Sports BY
ALICE C. FLETCHER Holder of the Thaw Fellowship, Peabody Museum, Harvard University Author of The Hako, The Omaha Tribe, Indian Stories and Song, etc. 1915 Dedicated to THE YOUTH OF AMERICA
PREFACE
This little book took its rise in the following experience that came to me
many years ago when living with the Indians in their homes and pursuing my
ethnological studies: One day I suddenly realized with a rude shock that, unlike my Indian
friends, I was an alien, a stranger in my native land; its fauna and flora
had no fond, familiar place amid my mental imagery, nor did any thoughts of
human aspiration or love give to its hills and valleys the charm of
personal companionship. I was alone, even in my loneliness. Time went on. The outward aspect of nature remained the same, but
imperceptibly a change had been wrought in me until I no longer felt alone
in a strange, silent country. I had learned to hear the echoes of a time
when every living thing upon this land and even the varied overshadowing
skies had its voice, a voice that was attentively heard and devoutly heeded
by the ancient people of America. Henceforth, to me the plants, the trees,
the clouds and all things had become vocal with human hopes, fears and
supplications. When I realized how much closer because of this change I had been drawn to
our land, how much greater had become my enjoyment of nature, the desire
arose to find some way by which I could help to make audible to others the
voice I had heard, and thereby restore to our hills and valleys their lost
human element. Impelled by this purpose I have arranged these dances and
games with native songs in order that our young people may recognize, enjoy
and share in the spirit of the olden life upon this continent. My obligations are due to Mr. Francis La Flesche of the U. S. Bureau of
American Ethnology and to Mr. Edwin S. Tracy, Musical Director of the
Morris High School of New York City, for assistance in the preparation of
this book. ALICE C. FLETCHER
CONTENTS
Preface
Introduction
Song and Dance Among the Indians
PART I
DANCES AND SONGS The Life of the Corn (a Drama in Five Dances)
Introduction
Dance I. The Corn Speaks
Dance II. Planting the Corn
Dance III. The Corn Springs Up
Dance IV. The Fields are Ready
Dance V. Honor to Mother Corn
Calling the Flowers
Appeal for Clear Sky
The Hé de Wa chi (An Omaha Festival of Joy)
PART II
GAMES Introduction HAZARD GAMES
Introductory Note
Pa tol Stick
Plum Stone GUESSING GAMES
Introductory Note
Pu in
Atá a kut
Hand Game
Hiding the Disks
I ou' tin BALL GAMES
Introduction
Ball and Racket
Ta bé
Double ball
Hoop and Javelin
Follow My Leader
PART III
INDIAN NAMES Introduction
Presenting the Child to the Cosmos
Giving the Child a Name
Bestowing a New Name
Taking and Indian Name in Camp
Indian Names for Boys
Indian Names for Girls
Indian Names for Camps
PART I DANCES
INDIAN GAMES AND DANCES WITH NATIVE SONGS
INTRODUCTION
The adaptations from Indian ceremonies and sports here offered will enable
those who take part in them to follow in happy mood some of the paths of
expression that were opened long ago by thoughtful men and women as they
lived, worked and played on this land in undisturbed intimacy with nature.
Some of the thoughts bred of this intimacy find their expression in these
dances and games, and it may help toward a better understanding of them and
their spirit to tell briefly how the Indian looked upon and regarded his
relation to nature. The natives of America thought of the cosmos as a unit that was throbbing
with the same life force of which they were conscious within themselves; a
force that gave to the rocks and hills their stable, unchanging character;
to every living thing on land or water the power of growth and of movement;
to man the ability to think, to will and to bring to pass. This universal
and permeating life force was always thought of as sacred, powerful, like a
god... Continue reading book >>
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