OCR Text |
Show 192 THE MIDE'WIWIN OF THE OJIBWA. From among the various songs given by my preceptor are selected and presented herewith those recognized by him as being part of the ritual. The greater number of songs are mere repetitions of short phrases, and frequently but single words, to which are added meaningless sounds or syllables to aid in prolonging the musical tones, and repeated ad libitum in direct proportion to the degree of inspiration in which the singer imagines himself to have attained. These frequent outbursts of singing are not based upon connected mnemonic songs preserved upon birch bark, but they consist of Fio 15. - Shooting the ml'gis. fragments or selections of songs which have been memorized, the selections relating to the subject upon which the preceptor has been discoursing, and which undoubtedly prompts a rythmic vocal equivalent. These songs are reproduced on PI. ix, A, B, C. The initial mnemonic characters pertaining to each word or phrase of the original text are repeated below in regular order with translations in English, together with supplemental notes explanatory of the characters employed. The musical notation is not presented, as the singing consists of a monotonous repetition of four or five notes in a minor key ; furthermore, a sufficiently clear idea of this may be formed by comparing some of the Mide' songs presented in connection with the ritual of initiation and preparation of medicines. The first of the songs given herewith ( PI. ix, A) pertains to a request to Ki'tshi Man'ido that clear weather may be had for the |