that our young people may recognize, enjoy
and share in the spirit of the olden life upon this continent.

My obligations are due to Mr. Francis La Flesche of the U. S. Bureau of
American Ethnology and to Mr. Edwin S. Tracy, Musical Director of the
Morris High School of New York City, for assistance in the preparation of
this book.

ALICE C. FLETCHER

CONTENTS

Preface
Introduction
Song and Dance Among the Indians

PART I
DANCES AND SONGS

The Life of the Corn (a Drama in Five Dances)
Introduction
Dance I. The Corn Speaks
Dance II. Planting the Corn
Dance III. The Corn Springs Up
Dance IV. The Fields are Ready
Dance V. Honor to Mother Corn
Calling the Flowers
Appeal for Clear Sky
The He-de Wa-chi (An Omaha Festival of Joy)

PART II
GAMES

Introduction

HAZARD GAMES
Introductory Note
Pa-tol Stick
Plum Stone

GUESSING GAMES
Introductory Note
Pu-in
Ata-a-kut
Hand Game
Hiding the Disks
I-ou'-tin

BALL GAMES
Introduction
Ball and Racket
Ta-be
Double-ball
Hoop and Javelin
Follow My Leader

PART III
INDIAN NAMES

Introduction
Presenting the Child to the Cosmos
Giving the Child a Name
Bestowing a New Name
Taking and Indian Name in Camp
Indian Names for Boys
Indian Names for Girls
Indian Names for Camps

PART I

DANCES

INDIAN GAMES AND DANCES WITH NATIVE SONGS

INTRODUCTION

The adaptations from Indian ceremonies and sports here offered will enable
those who take part in them to follow in happy mood some of the paths of
expression that were opened long ago by thoughtful men and women as they
lived, worked and played on this land in undisturbed intimacy with nature.
Some of the thoughts bred of this intimacy find their expression in these
dances and games, and it may help toward a better understanding of them and
their spirit to tell briefly how the Indian looked upon and regarded his
relation to nature.

The natives of America thought of the cosmos as a unit that was throbbing
with the same life-force of which they were conscious within themselves; a
force that gave to the rocks and hills their stable, unchanging character;
to every living thing on land or water the power of growth and of movement;
to man the ability to think, to will and to bring to pass. This universal
and permeating life-force was always thought of as sacred, powerful, like a
god. To it a name was given that varied in the different languages; in the
O