The Pima Indians/Linguistics/Songs
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LINGUISTICS
Songs
CLASSIFICATION
During a stay of seven months among the Pimas not a single native song was ever heard from a man, woman, or child. This is in striking contrast with the writer's experience among most other tribes that have not been longer in contact with the whites. Not half a dozen individuals can be found in the upper villages who know any considerable number of the old songs. And yet the number of these songs is very great and most of them are by no means unpleasing even to a Caucasian ear. The songs are in series that are known to different individuals. Thus, the songs sung at the puberty dances are in series that are started by the first singer to arrive upon the scene in the evening. If another singer arrives first during the next evening the series of songs for the night is changed; though all belong to the general class of "menstrual songs." Sometimes a festival is inaugurated because of the accidental presence of some one who knows a group, as the "Bluebird songs" or the "Swallow songs." Examples of all the principal groups of songs are here recorded. They include:
Archaic songs; included in the cosmogonical myth; they are known as "Emergence songs," and contain a few words of a meaning unknown, owing either to age or to borrowing.
Festal songs; including "Circling," "Basket beating," "Middle run," "Name," etc.
Game songs; these are short, not numerous, and often borrowed.
Hunting songs; there are a few songs that appear to have once been used in the ceremonial preparations for hunting, but which are now employed in the magical treatment of disease.
Medicine songs; this is the largest class; every conceivable ailment has its appointed song, ascribed to some animal or natural phenomenon or even supernatural agency. Many of these are from the Papagos.
Puberty songs; some are especially for this ceremony, though any festal songs may be sung at this time.
Rain songs; these contain interesting references to deities not elsewhere mentioned. So far as known, their source has not yet been ascertained.
War songs; these were numerous and of great importance in the ceremonies.