The Central Eskimo Part 28

_d_, _f_, _g_ Drawn by Maleki, a native of Imigen.

ESKIMO DRAWINGS.]

Some Eskimo are very good narrators and understand how to express the feelings of the different persons by modulations of the voice. In addition, as a number of tales are really onomatopoetic, an artistic effect is produced. The way of reciting is always similar to the one above described by notes (p. 648).

Besides these tales, which may be called poetic prose, there are real poems of a very marked rhythm, which are not sung but recited. The following are examples:

MERRYMAKING AMONG THE TORNIT.

[Music [central649a]: Pika pikagning mingepignirming qijepignirming sukadla. aq! aq!]

The Eskimo reciting this song jump up and down and to the right and left with their legs bent and their hands hanging down, the palms touching each other. In crying aq! aq! they jump as high as possible.

THE LEMMING'S SONG.

[Music [central649b]: _Allegretto._ Ikergnapigen, ikergnapigen sirdnaturenain a?eeroqturenain nakusungming aukturenain pijungmadjangilat.i.t qialungnuaralungnan]

Besides these old songs and tales there are a great number of new ones, and, indeed, almost every man has his own tune and his own song. A few of these become great favorites among the Eskimo and are sung like our popular songs. The summer song (No. I) and "The returning hunter"

(No. II) may be most frequently heard. As to the contents of the songs, they treat of almost everything imaginable: of the beauty of summer; of thoughts and feelings of the composer on any occasion, for instance, when watching a seal, when angry with somebody, &c.; or they tell of an important event, as of a long journey. Satiric songs are great favorites.

The form of both old and new songs is very strict, they being divided into verses of different length, alternating regularly. I give here some examples:

ARLUM p.i.s.sINGA (the killer's song).

[Music [central650]: _Moderato._ Qiangalo taito?alunga qolaralo taito?alunga Qiangalogalo qolaralogalo aisinaiisi senilearaluqdjuara maliksiaqtuaqtugo uva.n.a.leunen audlatsiapiata kinG.o.dnidlaqdjuagung qangatirgakulung uaijuvara.]

I. The killer's song:

(1) Qiangalo taito?alunga, Qolaralo taito?alunga Qiangalogalo Qolarologalo Aisinaisi.[15]

(2) Senilearaluqdjuara Maliksiaqtuaqtugo.

Uva.n.a.leunen Audlatsiapiata KinG.o.dnidlaqdjuagung (3) Qangatirgakulung uaijuvara.

[Footnote 15: The stanza is scanned thus: _' . _' . .' . . _'

_' . . _' . .' . . _'

_' . _' . _'

.' . . _' . _'

_' . . _' . _' ]

II. Summer song:

Aja.

(1) Ajaja adlenaipa.

Adlenaitariva silekdjua una aujaratarame Ajaja, Ajaja!

Aja!

(2) Ajaja adlenaipa Adlenaitariva silekdjua una tektorotikelektlune.

Ajaja, Ajaja.

Aja!

(3) Ajaja nipituovokpan!

Nipituovokpan kouvodlalimokoa nunatine aujadle Ajaja, Ajaja Aja!

&c.

III. Ut.i.tiaq's song:

Aja!

(1) Adlenaipunganema adlenait.

Adlenaipunganema Adlenaipunganema adlenait, Aja!

(2) Sikuqdjualimena adlenait.

Atoqpoqtaromena Tanerangitu adlenait.

Aja!

&c.

IV. Kadlu's song:

(1) Odlaqe', odlaqe', odlaqe'.

Odlaqe' saranga tutaranga atujang una ajajaja.

Odlaqe' atedlirlungai a?igirn qodlusuaning a?iatungitunga ajaja.

Nettiulunga i?atijetingirn pina.s.sousirdlunirn pinasuatautlirpadlirunirn.

(2) Odlaqe', odlaqe', odlaqe'.

Odlaqe' saranga tutaranga atujang una ajajaja.

Odlaqe' atedlirlungai a?igirn qodlusuaning a?iatungitunga ajaja.

Ugjurutlarunirn i?atijitingirn pina.s.sousirdlunirn pinasuatautlirpadlirnunirn.

(3) ... . &c.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. VI

Drawn by Aise'ang, a native of Nuvujen.

ESKIMO DRAWINGS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. VII

Drawn by Aise'ang, a native of Nuvujen.

ESKIMO DRAWING.]

Some of these verses contain only a single word, the rhythm being brought about by the chorus aja, amna aja, &c. I add two examples of this kind:

V. Song in the language of the Angakut:

Ajarpaija taitlaniqdjuaq ajarpe aitarpik ajijaija.

Ajarpaija ataqdjuaq ajarpe aitarpik ajijaija.

Ajarpaija mingeriaqdjuaq ajarpe aitarpik ajijaija.

VI. O?aitoq's song: