Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-08-11
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there is tremendous wealth of Indian music to
be studied and chronicled in permanent FORM
each individual tribe having had from time i'm
memorial its distinctive songs and chants.
man who is attempting to compile complete pic
torial record of the Indians has already spent
twenty years in the work and it is likely that
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 scientists, have
from time to time In the past made effort in
small way to perpetuate American Indian music
and willie they deserve credit for what they
have accomplished it is an undertaking which
through it's sheer magnitude, If for other rea-
son. needs the resources of the national govern
ment. That it is pre-eminently 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
Indans,-channels which enable federal officials
to get into the confidence of the intellectual
of all the various tribes in degree that
would scarcely be possible except in the of
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
lpices 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 do with the activities of Miss Frances
'Densmore. Miss Densmore, who is accom-
iplished student of music has spent much time
among the Chppewas and other tribes whose
music is at once notable and representative and
has recorded as many two hundred songs be-
longing to single tribe.
Oddly enough the photograph has been the
chief means of capturing the songs Of the for
est. There is system of written music among
most of the tribes and the photograph hit
upon as the only possible means of providing
the of studying the music carefully and
leisurely. AS may be surmised it was anything
but an easy task to induce of the
perstitious of the red to sing into the strange
machine to induce them to permit the
recording apparatus to be set up within earshot
OF their camp fires when there 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 elsewhere, the music hunters
have succeeded in making credtable beginning
in securing the priceless photograph records of
Indian music. In the case Of one two tribes
the song collection of canned music" is prac
tically complete. After records of Indian songs
music secured they are transcribed in pi-
ano and studied scientifically. Meanwhile
the collection of records will be kept file for
the benefit of the musical students of future
generations who will find 1t priceless boon to
hear the Indian music as originally rendered
The researches which have been mad e show that
Indian music is complex is the tribal life
of the original Americans. An accompaniment of
song is provided for every public ceremony as
well for every important act in the of an
Individual The music of each ceremony has its
peculiar rhythm, have also the classes of songs
which pertain to individual acts such as fasting
and prayer, hunting, courtship the playing of
games and the facing defying of death. An
Indian person thoroughly versed in Indian