Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-08-18
Il ZE2lcA NylLAV NZL4GE

there is a tremendous wealth of Indian music to
be studied and chronicled in permanent FORM
each individual tribe having had from time i'm
memorial it's distinctive songs and chants. A
man who is attempting to compile a complete pic
torial record of the Indians has already spent
twenty years in the work and it is likely that
as much time will be required if there is to be
mirrored for the benefit of future generations the
distinctive music of all the various tribes.
Private individuals, musicians or scientists, have
from time to time in the past made effort in a
small way to perpetuate American Indian music
and while they deserve credit for what they
have accomplished 1t Is an undertaking which
through it's sheer magnitude, If for no other rea-
son, needs the resources of the national govern
ment. That 1t is ~pre-eminently a government func-
ton is likewise attested by the fact that 1t has
promise of success only when prosecuted through
the organized channels Of intercourse with the
Indians,-channels which enable federal officials
to get into the confidence Of the more Intellectual
men of all the various tribes in a degree that
would scarcely be possible except in the case Of
an individual who lived for many years among
the Indians whose secrets he sought.
The governmental study and perpetuatiOn Of
Indian music is being conducted under the aus
pieces Of the Smithsonian Institution and National
Museum at Washington. The bureau of Ethnol-
ogy is the particular branch of this great seat
of research which has the Indian music investi-
cation in charge. Probably the most interesting
phase of the whole undertaking is that which
has to dc with the activities of Miss Frances
DensmOre. Miss DensmOre. who is an accom-
pIShed student or music, mas spent mucn UIuS
among the Chippewas and other tribes whose
music is at once notable and representative and
has recorded as many as two hundred songs be-
longing to a single tribe.
Oddly enough the photograph has been the
chief means of capturing the songs OF the for
est There is no system Of written music among
most of the tribes and the monograph was hit
upon as the only possible means of providing
the means Of studying the music carefully and
leisurely. AS may be surmised 1t was anything
but an easy task to induce some of the more SUI
perstitious of the red men to sing into the strange
machine or to induce them to even permit the
of their camp fires when there was in progress
those ceremonial rites and dances which call up
the musical lore Of the savages.
Finally. after much perseverance, however, at
Indian agencies and lsewhere, the music hunters
have succeeded in making a creditable beginning
In securing the priceless photograph records Of
Indian music. In the case OF one or two tribes
the song collection of canned music" is prac-
tically complete. After records of Indian songs
or music are secured they are transcribed In \pi-
ano score and studied scientifically. Meanwhile
the collection of records will be Kept ON ME Tor
the benefit of the musical students Of future
generations who will find it a priceless D0On 10
hear the Indian music as originally renoereo.
The researches which have been mad e show that
Indian music is as complex as is the tloal NE
of the original Americans. An accompaniment OA
song is provided for every public ceremony as
well as for every important act in the career III
individual. The music of each ceremony nos 10
peculiar rhythm, as have also the classes u SonsS
which pertain to individual acts SUCH as .as1lns
and prayer, hunting, courtship, the playLAs
games and the facing or defying OF death al
Indian or a person thoroughly yersed IN AH00A