Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-02
SONGS OF THE IROQU0IS.
The Significance of the Words . Puz-
x1e to Students of Indian Lore.

The Significance of the Words o Pux-
x1e to Students of Indian Lore.
From the Syracuse Journal.
Prof. Frederic A. Lyman addressed the
Onodaga Historical Association last even
ing. Prof. Lyman has made a special study
of the Indian melodies, and the result of his
investigations has been the collection of q
large number of different songs, which have
been carefullw compared and their sig
nifcance traced.
The first song which was given was one
of the oldest known. It is the song which
was aEciently used In cone ction with the
eating of human flesh by the savases. 1t Is
almost forgotten now. The words are I'M
certain in meaning. being, as one Of the
Onondasas interpreted them. simply . repe-
dtion Of the phrase. Il am walking, really
Walking" The next songs given were those
Used in the rite of coincidence. This rite h
practieed when one Of the officers Of the
league dies Runners are sent out to the
several tribes. and the chiefs Eather at the
place of the deceased, and there takes place
the ceremonial. First comes the march of
the visiting chiefs to the tribal council
house with the solemn chant Of sorrow.
Then comes the conference u the council
house, and the songs And speeches, which
include the song narrating the origin and
laws or the COnfederacy. ROrti0Do Oh these
were rendered by Prof. Lyman.
The Indian musical system, Prof. Lyman
said, was not based. as far IS he could see,
on a scale, as Is the case with our own, but
rather on a system of harmonics. Their
songs seldom overstep single octave
There are many peculiar features OF the FRO
quois music which are different from the
music OF the western Indians. One notice
able feature Is the ending of q song with q
sudden sherp exclamation on q rising key.
The. musical inStruma nj of "a Indiara afa
principally the ratties, made In different
forms and In different keys. These are used
in keeping time TO the music as well as IN
furnishing the accompaniment to the songs
Prof. Lyman had several of the rattles last
evening" and one song was given with the
accompaniment.
The festivals and thanksgiving days Of
the Indians came in for a close description.
Among these particularly are the maple
festival the gresn-coFn dance and the burn
ing of the white dog. Each one Of these
festivals has its special signifcatton and its
special ceremonies of dance and song. One
familiar with the general character OF the
Indian melodies can tell from the cadence
and form of the song what they are being
used for without knowing a single word
Sometimes in the thanksgiving ceremonies,
the Indians use q series of songs with short
speeches of thanks between each melody
In these they thank the earth for its
abundance, the sun and moon for their
light, the Great Spirit for its kindness. the
oh'scis Va ING ui1e for tHcfr Weli-cdrrled
authority, and so on. Sometimes one can
find q soRS where the main part is carried
on by one person In sole style with a re-
frain from the crowd at the end of each
part. Sometimes several members of the
tribe get together a day or two before a
festival and compose songs which are sung
together before their people at the eere-
n oria1
Just as the thanksgiving Songs and others
have each their special cadence and style
so have also the war songs. They are. as
one might expect, hvelier and more viva
cious The war dance OF the Iroquofs is
said to be imported by them from the Sioux
ration but the songs are probably their
own. 1t Is very difficult TO attach any
meaning to the words of the Irouuois war
songs. 1t seems as though they were in
some forgotten tongue whose words have
be en- kept by the Indians, while the meaning
has been lost. The songs themselves are
fast being forgotten by the Indians.