SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 102 MENOMINEE MUSIC BY FRANCES DENSMORE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION y . ^ . BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY * BULLETIN 102 MENOMINEE MUSIC BY FRANCES DENSMORE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1932 For sale by the Superintendent of Documenta, Washington, D. C. Price 80 cents . LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology, Washington, D. C, February 8, 1981. Sir: I have the honor to transmit the accompanying manuscript, entitled "Menominee Music," by Frances Densmore, and to recom- mend its publication as a bulletin of the Bureau of American Ethnology. Very respectfully yours, M. W. Stirling, Chief. Dr. Charles G. Abbot, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution ui FOREWORD The material comprised in this paper was collected among the Menominee Indians of Wisconsin in 1925, 1928, and 1929, the record- ing of songs being done at Keshena, Neopit, and Zoar. The old customs are followed by the Menominee in a marked degree, thus affording a favorable field for research in music and customs, as well as for comparison with previous work.^ The writer visited the Menominee in 1910 in connection with a study of the drum-presentation ceremony of the Chippewa, witness- ing that dance on the Menominee Reservation. Numerous songs used by the Chippewa in that ceremony were recorded. In the recent work, the same ceremony was studied among the Menominee and its songs recorded, according to the usage of that tribe. The Midewiwin (Grand Medicine) of the Chippewa had previously been studied and its songs collected. During the work among the Me- nominee a meeting of the Medicine Society was attended and its songs were found to resemble the Chippewa Grand Medicine songs so closely that the Menominee songs of the Medicine Society were not recorded. One purpose of the present work was to determine the resemblance, or lack of resemblance, between Menominee and Chippewa songs. The result of the work shows that such a resemblance exists in a majority of the songs. A similar resemblance to Sioux songs was not observed. The environment of the Menominee resembles that of the Chip- pewa in its lakes and pine trees; but the forests are more extensive than in the Chippewa country and there are rushing rivers and streams with rapids and waterfalls. Acknowledgment is made of the services of John Valentine Satterlee (pi. 2, a), who acted as interpreter in 1925. His wide acquaintance among the Indians and his experience as an interpreter added to his value in that capacity. Grateful acknowledgment is also made of the courtesy of the PubUc Museum of the City of Milwaukee in furnishing and permitting the use of photographs of interesting speci- mens in their possession, and to the Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation, for supplying a photograph. ' Chippewa Music, Bull. 45; Chippewa Music II, Bull. 53; Teton Sioux Music, Bull. 61; Northern Ute Music, Bull. 75; Mandan and Ilidatsa Music, Bull. 80; Papago Music, Bull. 90, Pawnee Music, Bull. 93, Bur. Amer. Ethn.; and Music of the Tule Indians of Panama, Smithsonian Misc. Colls., vol. 77, no. 11. CONTENTS Page List of songs xi Arranged in order of serial numbers xi Arranged in order of catalogue numbers xiv Names of singers and numbers of songs transcribed xix Names of informants xix Characterization of singers and informants xxi The Menominee tribe 1 Musical instruments and their uses 10 Tabulated analyses: Comparison of Menominee songs with Chippewa, Sioux, Ute, Mandan, Hidatsa, Papago, and Pawnee songs 11 Comparison of Menominee songs with the combined analyses of Chip- pewa, Sioux, Ute, Mandan, Hidatsa, Papago, and Pawnee songs 18 Phonetics 23 Glossary 24 Games played in a ceremonial manner 26 Bowl-and-dice game 27 Double-ball game 34 Lacrosse 35 Adoption dances 40 From the east god 41 From the south god 51 The gift of medicine to the Menominee • 57 Hunting and war bundles 60 Songs connected with war bundles 69 Songs connected with a boy's fast 74 Dream songs 77 The medicine lodge 89 Treatment of the sick 98 By means of magic 100 By means of herbs 111 Plants used by Natawika 121 Legends concerning Manabus 135 Origin myth of the medicine lodge 135 Manabus and the wolf 136 Manabus and the stone 141 Folk stories 144 Manabus and the underwater snake 144 Manabus and the ducks 145 Manabus and the rushes 149 The drum religion and its songs 150 Gift of a pony 183 Tobacco dance 184 Beggars' dance 187 Dances in imitation of animals and birds 188 VII VIII CONTENTS Page Social dances 194 War songs 194 Moccasin game songs 203 Flute music and love songs 208 Lullabies 212 Melodic and rhythmic analysis of songs by serial numbers 214 Melodic analysis 214 Rhythmic analysis : 218 Authorities cited 221 Index 223 ILLUSTRATIONS PLATES Page 1. Louis Pigeon xxii 2. a, John Valentine Satterlee; 6, Mitchell Wakau; c, Mitchell Beaupre. xxii 3. a, Menominee in canoe; 6, Lake on Menominee Reservation; c, Rapids of Wolf River 4 4. a, Islands above The Dalles of Wolf River; h. Pine forest, Menominee Reservation 4 5. a, Pine trees, Keshena, Wis.; h, Log house of Louis Wickobe; c, Log house in woods 4 6. a. Spirit Rock; h, Reginald Oshkosh beating Mitawin drum; c, Menom- inee girl 4 7. a, Menominee flute; b. Flute in war bundle 10 8. a, Katherine Laughrey; 6, Agnes Sullivan 10 9. a, Menominee woman playing bowl-and-dice game; 6, Dice used in game_ 34 10. a, "Double-ball" used in game; h, Menominee women playing double- ball game; c. Lacrosse racket 34 11. a, David Amab; 6, John Cawunipinas; c, Wecawanakwut 64 12. a, Turban and packet of medicine used as hunting charm; h, War bundle, closed 64 13. War bundle, wrapping and contents 90 14. a. Medicine bag carried in medicine lodge (a); h, Medicine bag carried in medicine lodge (b) 90 15. a. Exterior of medicine lodge; h, Women in medicine lodge; c. Scene in medicine lodge 90 16. a, b, Framework of medicine lodge 90 17. Drum, drumstick, and rattle used in medicine lodge 90 18. Turban and other objects used in puppet trick 90 19. a, Natawika; b, Harriet Longley 120 20. o. Woods in which Natawika gathered herbs; b, Natawika's house, showing table on which she prepared herbs; c, Framework of juggler's tipi 120 21. a, Horn used by Natawika in treatment of the sick; b, Specimen of Natawika's herbs, prepared as medicine 120 22. a. Bag in which Natawika stored herbs; b, Storage bag 120 23. a, Burial ground; b, Lodge in which drum ceremony was held; c, Drum ceremony 152 24. a, Drum given to the Menominee by the Chippewa; b, Women singers around the drum ; c, White Feather dancing around the drum 152 25. a, Chippewa aide beside pile of gifts; b, Kimewun offering ceremonial pipe; c, Menominee drum owner and old men dancing 162 26. a, Chippewa teaching drum songs to Menominee; b, Women dancing as songs are taught to Menominee; c, Men dancing as songs are taught to Menominee 162 27. a, Ceremony of restoring the mourners; b, Inclosure in which drum cere- mony was held; c. Drum used in social dances 162 TEXT FIGURES 1. Map of Wisconsin showing Menominee Reservation 3 2. Inside construction of bag used in puppet trick 95 3. Diagram of drum ceremony 156 IX LIST OF SONGS 1. Arranged in Order of Serial Numbers Songs op Games Played in a Ceremonial Manner Serial No. Catalogue No. Page 1. Song of Mvidjikikwawis 1517 29 2. Song of Osawapunoke 1518 29 3. Song of Kesigokiu 1519 30 4. Song of Wapunomitamo 1520 30 5. Song received from the spirit women 1635 32 6. A spirit woman gives a name 1584 35 7. Song with lacrosse game 1539 40 8. " I paint my face red " 1585 44 9. " The east god gave us this dance " 1622 45 10. Song to the east god 1610 46 11. Song in honor of the drum 1524 47 12. Song for the person to be adopted 1516 47 13. Dancing song from the east god (a) 1611 48 14. Dancing song from the east god (b) 1612 49 15. Dancing song from the east god (c) 1637 49 16. Dancing song from the east god (d) 1638 50 17. "In four days" 1628 51 18. Dancing song from the south god (a) 1573 53 19. Dancing song from the south god (b) 1623 53 20. Dancing song from the south god (c) 1574 54 21. Dancing song from the south god (d) 1521 54 22. Dancing song from the south god (e) 1613 55 23. Dancing song from the south god (f) 1614 55 24. "My gay dress" 1538 56 25. Closing song of dance 1572 56 Songs Connected with the Gift of Medicine to THE Indians 26. Song of love medicine 1829 58 27. Song of hunting medicine 1840 59 Songs Connected with War and Hunting Bundles 28. "I offer my song" 1506 62 29. "I will find game" 1507 63 30. "I will get a buck" 1508 64 31. "I will shoot him through the heart" 1509 64 32. "My tapping stick" 1605 65 33. "You are struggling" 1606 66 34. " The slender-legged animals " 1607 66 35. "To-morrow I will get them" 1608 67 36. "I will see a bear" 1609 67 37. Song after the feast 1575 68 XII LIST OF SONGS Serial No. Catalogue No. Page 38. War bundle song 1510 70 39. Song when opening war bundle 1513 71 40. War bundle dance song (a) 1514 72 41.