(C), or dūtū´ga xe (E). The dress of the men was identical with
that of the hō´hō-dancers. The men used no whistles. The women
wore the regular woman's forehead-band. From one to perhaps eight or
ten persons danced at once, and the dance had no stated duration. As
one informant expressed it, they simply danced until they were tired.
_ya´ya ke._--Little could be learned concerning the ya´ya dance, except
that it was danced by both men and women, and that the painting and
attire were the same as for the hō´hō. The feather skirt was
worn, but no whistle was used.
_yō´ ke._--The men decorated themselves for this dance as for the
hō´hō dance, except that there were three stripes around the arm
instead of four, and with the addition of some down scattered over
their heads and faces. Each woman had a narrow, black line running down
the chin and a similar line running out from each corner of the mouth
toward the ear. Otherwise her decorations consisted of a feather tuft
and a yellow-hammer feather forehead-band. A considerable number of men
and women sang, each keeping time with a split-stick rattle.
_matcō´ ke._--In the matcō´ dance the music was provided by one
man, who accompanied his song with a split-stick rattle. The dancers
painted themselves as in the yō´ dance. Each wore a feather skirt.
_lēhū´ye ke._--The lēhū´ye dance was sometimes called the
ka´tcaha. The term lēhū´ye is the correct one for this dance.
In fact, the term ka´tcaha has been applied to it only recently and
was derived from the fact that whenever certain of the Pomo men became
intoxicated they almost always sang the songs of this dance; hence the
name "whiskey dance," or ka´tcaha ke. If paint was employed it usually
consisted of a coat of black on the lower part of the face and three
bands about each arm and each leg. Other designs were used, however.
Upon the head the dancer wore a feather tuft, a yellow-hammer feather
forehead-band, and a very large trembler plume, worn erect at the back
of the head. Each man wore a feather skirt. The women painted the lower
part of the face and wore a feather tuft and a yellow-hammer feather
forehead-band.
_kalī´matōtō ke._--The kalī´matōtō or
kalī´mataūtaū, the thunder dance, was danced each morning
and each evening during four successive days. It could be danced at
other times of the day in addition if desired, and other dances might
meanwhile be performed at any time of the day except morning and
evening. The men painted their naked bodies with vertical stripes.
Upon the face but one stripe appeared, running from ear to ear and
just below the nose. Upon the head each man wore a down head-net, a
feather tuft, and a pair of trembler plumes. No yellow-hammer feather
forehead-band, down, or feather skirt was used. The women dressed very
simply. They wore the same stripe on the face as did the men, and upon
the head a head-net of down and a feather tuft. Both men and women had
bone whistles, and each man had a light staff[25] four or five feet
long, with one or more cocoons attached as a rattle at its upper end.
_īwī´ ke._--In the īwī´ (C) or Coyote dance the men were
nude except for a coat of white paint over the entire body. Upon the
head there was a feather tuft, parted from front to rear to permit
the passage of a large yellow-hammer feather forehead-band from the
root of the nose over the head and down the back. The women were
similarly painted and attired, except that each wore an ordinary skirt
of shredded tule or other material. Each dancer carried a small bunch
of green twigs in the hand, so held as to obscure the face as much as
possible. This perhaps typified the crafty and slinking nature of the
coyote. The music was provided by one singer, who used a cocoon rattle.
_gūnū´la xe._--In the gūnū´la xe (E) or Coyote dance the
women dressed as in the hō´hō dance. The men painted themselves
as did the performers in the ghost dance, and wore the parted feather
tuft with the yellow-hammer feather forehead-band passing through
the part and down the back. They also wore feather skirts, and used
whistles.
_he´lehela ke._--The painting for this dance was the same as for the
hō´hō. Each man wore upon his head a down head-net, a pair of
trembler plumes, and a yellowhammer-feather forehead-band. Each had a
bone whistle and a ke´cīge. Neither whistles nor feather skirts were
used. Each woman wore a feather tuft and a down head-net.
A fairly high pole similar to the one employed in the initiation rite
of the Gū´ksū ceremony was erected in the area directly in front
of the dance-house. The participants gathered about its base and each
man attempted to climb it, while the women danced in a circle about its
base. The wife of the climber, and sometimes other women, threw balls
of "pinole" (grass-seed meal) at him as he ascended.
_da´ma ke._--Concerning the da´ma dance, little could be learned save
that it was connected with some sort of esoteric organization and was
very rarely danced. There was but one woman who was said to know all
the details of this dance, but the opportunity did not present itself
to interview her. She is now deceased.
_dja´ne ke._--The dja´ne dance was always danced by two men and four
women, the men forming the middle of the line, two of the women being
at each end. They wore similar costumes, which were very simple. All
that could be learned concerning the details, however, was that the
mouth was painted black with a short line running out from each corner,
and that each dancer wore a feather skirt upon his back and used a
whistle.
_kara´iya ke._--The kara´iya dance was danced by two men and two
women, and only once during any given ceremony. Men and women dressed
alike, except that the women wore the ordinary woman's skirt. No paint
was used. Upon the head was a feather tuft, a yellowhammer-feather
forehead-band, two trembler plumes and some down. Each dancer carried a
bone whistle.
_sawe´t ke._--No details were learned concerning this dance.
DANCES IN WHICH ONLY MEN PERFORMED
There are known among the Pomo at least five dances in which the
performers were always men. They are the hī´we, the ī´dam, and
the xō or fire dance and the ghost and the Gū´ksū dances
mentioned above.
_hī´we ke._--While this was danced by men only, women were
privileged to witness it. The dancers first painted the entire body
black and then added many white spots irregularly placed all over the
body. Each dancer carried a staff six or seven feet long and similarly
painted. The face of the dancer was painted black, and each wore a
large feather tuft on his head. This was, however, not so large as that
worn by the Gū´ksū-dancer. The music for this dance was quite
unusual in that the drum was not used. The head singer also acted as
master of ceremonies. The dancers formed a straight line and danced
in place without any forward or lateral motion, and all joined in the
singing.
_ī´dam ke._--Little could be learned of the ī´dam dance, except
that it was danced by men, with women participating in the singing.
One unique feature was that while it was in progress no one in the
village might keep water in his house. Also if any one ate meat during
a ceremony in which this dance was used he would become insane and
could be cured only through the ministrations of the chief dancer of
the ī´dam. While no further evidence was obtained in substantiation,
these facts point to the existence of an esoteric society connected
with this dance. One informant maintained that the last man who knew
the details of this dance died some years ago.
_xo ke._--The xo ke, or fire dance, was held at any desired time during
a ceremony. It usually followed the feast of welcome, as it may be
called, which was tendered the guests immediately after their arrival.
It required no special paraphernalia. In fact, it amounted to little
more than a regular sweat-bath, such as was taken in the sudatory,[26]
except that it was on a larger and more elaborate scale.
_xahlū´īgak ke._--See under Ghost Ceremony, above.
_gū´ksū ke._--See under Gū´ksū Ceremony, above.
DANCES IN WHICH ONLY WOMEN PERFORMED
Two dances are still remembered which come under this heading. They are
the ma´_t_a and the lo´le.
_ma´ta ke._--One man acted as master of ceremonies and another sang to
the accompaniment of a cocoon rattle. The dancers painted the cheeks
and lower part of the face black and then scratched vertical lines
in the paint. The only headdress worn was the yellowhammer-feather
forehead-band. In each hand was held a small green branch. The arms
hung down, but with a flexure at the elbow which brought these green
sprigs directly in front of the dancer. The dancers formed a line
and danced back and forth sidewise over a short, straight course.
This is one of the very few dances which may yet be seen, though in a
modernized form, at Fourth of July celebrations.
_lo´le ke._--As before, a man acted as master of ceremonies and another
man sang, accompanying himself with the cocoon rattle. The informant
was not certain just what kind of costume was worn, but knew that no
paint was employed.
ADDITIONAL DANCES
The names of several other dances are remembered, but nothing in regard
to detail. These are mo´mīmomī, _toto_, ta´ūgū, badjū´ca, and sīta´iya.
The last of these was said by one informant to make up, along with the
gī´lak and hō´hō and dūtū´ka dances, a special ceremony, about which
nothing further is known.
FOOTNOTES:
[24] Any dance formula such as this was called _bakū´mhwakil_ (E).
[25] The general term xe´ dakōik (E), signifying anything held in
the hand while dancing, is applied to this staff.
[26] See the article on "Pomo Buildings," in the _Holmes Anniversary
Volume_, mentioned above.
THE MESSIAH CULT
During the latter years of the nineteenth century a "Messiah" cult has
been introduced among the Pomo by the Wintun of the Sacramento Valley.
In comparatively recent times the "prophets" of this cult acquired
great importance and, while the cult flourished, to a certain extent
superseded the leaders of the old ceremonies. This cult first appeared
among the Pomo at Upper Lake, then at Sulphur Bank, then at Long
Valley, and finally in the Ukiah Valley. The function of the prophet,
or dreamer, as he is commonly styled by the Indians, was to have dreams
or waking visions concerning dances and other matters in which the
people were interested. The prophets were supposed to receive through
these visions direct revelations from presiding spirits, and the people
formerly gave much credit to their teachings. They virtually formed a
priesthood which replaced the old "captains" in the direction of all
ceremonial matters.
One of the characteristic features of this cult was the painted
designs upon the interior of the dance-house. The last truly primitive
dance-house of this type in the Pomo region was photographed by the
author in 1901, 1902, and is described and illustrated elsewhere.[27]
Another important feature was the erection before the dance-house of
a pole bearing banners and streamers decorated with the particular
designs which the priest had seen in his vision.
CONCLUSION
Pomo ceremonies were in general quite simple and the ceremonial life
was characterized by an absence (1) of any fixed ceremonial season
or sequence of ceremonies, and (2) of any extensive priesthood or
secret order controlling ceremonial matters. Some of the ceremonial
performances possessed certain esoteric features, such as initiation
rites and special restrictions on the part of the uninitiated.
We note the presence of a few fairly elaborate ceremonies and a
considerable number of dances, some of which were employed as integral
parts of certain ceremonies, others as merely incidental to them. These
dances usually followed one another without any definite order or
relation, though in certain cases definite dances were prescribed as
parts of given ceremonies.
One ceremony has a definite mythological background, but this has
been lost elsewhere. No myths are told today to account for the other
performances.
In most of the dances an indefinite number of both men and women might
participate. In two dances the number of performers of each sex was
definitely prescribed. In five, only men might participate, and two
were strictly women's dances. In other words, there is patent in Pomo
ceremonies a rather thorough going democracy regarding the positions of
the sexes.
_Transmitted September 21, 1916._
Vol. 7. 1. The Emeryville Shellmound, by Max Uhle. Pp. 1-106,
plates 1-12, with 38 text figures. June, 1907 1.25
2. Recent Investigations bearing upon the Question of
the Occurrence of Neocene Man in the Auriferous
Gravels of California, by William J. Sinclair.
Pp. 107-130, plates 13-14. February, 1908 .35
3. Pomo Indian Basketry, by S.A. Barrett. Pp. 133-306,
plates 15-30, 231 text figures. December, 1908 1.75
4. Shellmounds of the San Francisco Bay Region, by N.C.
Nelson. Pp. 309-356, plates 32-34. December, 1909 .50
5. The Ellis Landing Shellmound, by N.C. Nelson.
Pp. 357-426, plates 36-50. April, 1910 .75
Index, pp. 427-443.
Vol. 8. 1. A Mission Record of the California Indians, from a
Manuscript in the Bancroft Library, by A.L. Kroeber.
Pp. 1-27. May, 1908 .25
2. The Ethnography of the Cahuilla Indians, by A.L.
Kroeber. Pp. 29-68, plates 1-15. July, 1908 .75
3. The Religion of the Luiseño and Diegueño Indians of
Southern California, by Constance Goddard Dubois.
Pp. 69-186, plates 16-19. June, 1908 1.25
4. The Culture of the Luiseño Indians, by Philip Stedman
Sparkman. Pp. 187-234, plate 20. August, 1908 .50
5. Notes on Shoshonean Dialects of Southern California,
by. A.L. Kroeber. Pp. 235-269. September, 1909 .35
6. The Religious Practices of the Diegueño Indians, by
T.T. Waterman. Pp. 271-358, plates 21-28. March, 1910 .80
Index, pp. 359-369.
Vol. 9. 1. Yana Texts, by Edward Sapir, together with Yana Myths
collected by Roland B. Dixon. Pp. 1-235. February,
1910 2.50
2. The Chumash and Costanoan Languages, by A.L. Kroeber.
Pp. 237-271. November, 1910 .35
3. The Languages of the Coast of California North of San
Francisco, by A.L. Kroeber. Pp. 273-435, and map.
April, 1911 1.50
Index, pp. 437-439.
Vol. 10. 1. Phonetic Constituents of the Native Languages of
California, by A.L. Kroeber. Pp. 1-12. May, 1911 .10
2. The Phonetic Elements of the Northern Paiute
Language, by T.T. Waterman. Pp. 13-44, plates 1-5.
November, 1911 .45
3. Phonetic Elements of the Mohave Language, by A.L.
Kroeber. Pp. 45-96, plates 6-20. November, 1911 .65
4. The Ethnology of the Salinan Indians, by J. Alden
Mason. Pp. 97-240, plates 21-37. December, 1912 1.75
5. Papago Verb Stems, by Juan Dolores. Pp. 241-263.
August, 1913 .25
6. Notes on the Chilula Indians of Northwestern
California, by Pliny Earl Goddard. Pp. 265-288,
plates 38-41. April, 1914 .30
7. Chilula Texts, by Pliny Earle Goddard. Pp. 289-379.
November, 1914 1.00
Index, pp. 381-385.
Vol. 11. 1. Elements of the Kato Language, by Pliny Earle
Goddard. Pp. 1-176, plates 1-45. October, 1912 2.00
2. Phonetic Elements of the Diegueño Language, by A.L.
Kroeber and J.P. Harrington. Pp. 177-188. April,
1914 .10
3. Sarsi Texts, by Pliny Earle Goddard. Pp. 189-277.
February, 1915 1.00
4. Serian, Tequistlatecan, and Hokan, by A.L. Kroeber.
Pp. 279-290. February, 1915 .10
5. Dichotomous Social Organization in South Central
California, by Edward Winslow Gifford. Pp. 291-296.
February, 1916 .05
6. The Delineation of the Day-Signs in the Aztec
Manuscripts, by T.T. Waterman. Pp. 297-398. March,
1916 1.00
7. The Mutsun Dialect of Costanoan Based on the
Vocabulary of De la Cuesta, by J. Alden Mason.
Pp. 399-472. March, 1916 .70
Index, pp. 473-479.
Vol. 12. 1. Composition of California Shellmounds, by Edward
Winslow Gifford. Pp. 1-29. February, 1916 .30
2. California Place Names of Indian Origin, by A.L.
Kroeber. Pp. 31-69. June, 1916 .40
3. Arapaho Dialects, by A.L. Kroeber. Pp. 71-138. June,
1916 .70
4. Miwok Moieties, by Edward Winslow Gifford.
Pp. 139-194. June, 1916 .55
5. On Plotting the Inflections of the Voice, by Cornelius
B. Bradley. Pp. 195-218, plates 1-5. October, 1916 .25