Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-02-25
Think Latest Dances
Are Of Indian Origin

whatever ones view concerning
the propriety of the fox trot,' the
lame duck and the grizzly bear
fact about them may be of interest
animal dances are not new" says a
bulletin issued today by the National
Geographic Society from its Wash
ington headquarters.
These dances recall the steps long
practiced by the American Indians
and also by some primitive peoples Of
the present day.
THE red men engaged in the buf-
falo, deer. bear and eagle anceS with
true poetry of motion and religious
fervor. Modern ballroom artistry fire.
quently is crude, as compared with
the dances which long existed among
these earlier Americans.
"Ethnologists say hat the so-called
animal dances originated in the sto-
ries which tribal braves told around
their camp fires to illustrate their ad-
ventures and the actions Of their prey
during the hunt.
"Travelers in the South Seas found
the primitive peoples of the Society
Islands engaging in pastimes which
they believe had g similar origin.
Among North American Indians
many of these pageants were religious
and ceremonial IN character as a re-
ult of tho red mans reverence for
ia ~ al a - no A1tAA SAAAA "AS
practiced today. Some indian tribes
believed that all knowledge was given
to animals, and that their Supreme
Being did not speak to man. but
manifested himself through dumb
creatures. and through the sun, moon
and the stars. Often an Indian who
desired to know how he should live
would go into solitude and wait until
some animal brought him a vision.
consequently when he interpreted
the movements of an animal he
would adhere closely to the truth.
AS a result of this quality in his dane
ing and his sense of beauty he has
evolved %pageants worthy Of preserva-
ton.
THE buffalo dance is ono of the f1n-
est exhibitions of Indian art. When
the buffalo, in his eastward progress
across the plains, came upon the
semi-civilized Inhabitants of the Mis-
sissippi Valley, the Indians were In
dire need of animal food. The buffalo
afforded food as well as clothing
moccasins material for tents, toois
and even fuel. Thus he won an es-
pecially revered place in their lives
and the pageant symbolical Of the
buffalo chase is one of the most pic
turesque and highly developed of
their art. 1t was sometimes resorted
to by the Sioux as an exhortation
when food was scarce. 1t still holds a
high place in the life of this tribe.
''The Sioux dancers do not hide
graceless movements among a whirl-
ing mob. They dare to silhouette
themselves in thousands of pastures
against the cealrly defining brilliance
Of the setting sun.
THE cast for the buffalo dance Is
| usually composed of a group Of five
dancers, two of whom represent the
buffalo, one the hunter and two wom-
on the mother animal.
1.-The Interpreters wear garments
in imitation of the colors of the ami
NAL. This sobriety in one Is accent
uated on the lower portions of their
bodies by a few white marks, an oc-
casional bit of red at the waist, and
the soft green of pine branches in
their hands.
THE dancers representing the buff
falo wear long masks In imitation OF
buffalo heads the outlines of which
blend with the shades of their W
black stained bodies. They initiate
as nearly as possible the actions of
the animals. catch their sOlemnity and
endeavor to portray their power.
Perhaps the most spectacular of
the animal dances still in existence is
the Snake Dance of the Hopi Indians
founded on a fascinating legend with
regard to their origin. In this weird
and picturesque ceremony they dance
! with live snakes furnishing all the
thrills of the circus make charmer.
1.-THE Indians eagle dance holds
the highest place among those found
ed upon their reverence for the bird
kingdom. The butterfly dance of In
dian youths and maidens has a mod
ern counterpart in one of the famed
successes of the Russian Ballet