Margaret Hindes Collection of Native American Music of the Western Mono Indians of California and the Sioux of South Dakota
Collection
Identifier: MU-18
Scope and Content
This collection of recorded music was donated to the University of New Mexico Fine Arts Library in 1966 by Mrs. Margaret G. Hindes, who obtained the material from several Native American friends. Part of the music in this collection was recorded by Chief and Mrs. John Marvin, of the Western Mono Indian tribe of California. The social songs were sung by Maggie Marvin, Sam Sample, May Sample, Emma Chepo, Elizabeth Polkenhorn, and Susan Johnson during a gathering at Mrs. Marvin's house in California in 1961. Susan Johnson performed an unedited story and song of the Mono tribe (1966), which was recorded. A transcription of her story is included with this finding aid.
Dates
- 1961-1967
Creator
- Hindes, Margaret G., (Archaeologist) (Person)
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of CSWR material is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy, and libel laws. Permission is required for publications or distribution.
Extent
2 CDs (ca. 2 hrs.)
Abstract
This is a collection of Native American songs and a story from the Western Mono of California. Also included are songs from the Sioux tribe of South Dakota.
A Translation of Susan Johnson's Story and Singing,
by Julia Hutchins and Annie Anderson, made after the death of Mrs. Johnson in 1966.
A Chukchansi woman was out drying Kasina seeds while her husband was sleeping under a tree. A big bird came where he was sleeping and rubbed the man, the bird dropped a feather. The man cried, but the bird told him that they were going up into the mountains to drink water.
He said to the man, "Come with me and don’t cry." When they got to the top of the mountain, the man could see the people on the other side of the mountain, down below.
They said, "Don’t drink the water, don’t go to sleep. Slide down from the bird’s back and tell the bird to drink first." (The Chukchansi woman could understand the people although they were Mono Indians.)
The bird said, "We are here now, drink the water." But the lake was full of blood as the bird had been killing people there. Sharp-bladed grass grows at this lake and the people said, "Hit the bird’s neck with the sharp grass when he starts drinking." (Cut his throat.)
So the man believed the people and when the bird began to drink he went to get the blade of grass. He hit the bird and it fell dead in the water.
Then the Indians came and had a big ceremony and danced around the man because the bird was dead. They had not been able to sleep as long as the bird was alive because he would carry them off if they were asleep.
They gave the man a good drink because they were so happy. They wanted to send the man home safely so they braided a long rope to let him down the mountain. They told him to sit in one place and they tied him to the rope and told him to shake the rope when he got down the mountain and they would know he was there and pull the rope up again. He said, "Yes I will," and they let him down.
He went back to his home and his wife was crying as she knew what had happened when she found the feather the bird had dropped. She said she knew the bird had carried him off and she was crying in her house with her back to the sun.
He went in and stood and looked at her. She said, "Where have you been?" He told her the bird had taken him away. They were happy ever after, and that’s all.
A Chukchansi woman was out drying Kasina seeds while her husband was sleeping under a tree. A big bird came where he was sleeping and rubbed the man, the bird dropped a feather. The man cried, but the bird told him that they were going up into the mountains to drink water.
He said to the man, "Come with me and don’t cry." When they got to the top of the mountain, the man could see the people on the other side of the mountain, down below.
They said, "Don’t drink the water, don’t go to sleep. Slide down from the bird’s back and tell the bird to drink first." (The Chukchansi woman could understand the people although they were Mono Indians.)
The bird said, "We are here now, drink the water." But the lake was full of blood as the bird had been killing people there. Sharp-bladed grass grows at this lake and the people said, "Hit the bird’s neck with the sharp grass when he starts drinking." (Cut his throat.)
So the man believed the people and when the bird began to drink he went to get the blade of grass. He hit the bird and it fell dead in the water.
Then the Indians came and had a big ceremony and danced around the man because the bird was dead. They had not been able to sleep as long as the bird was alive because he would carry them off if they were asleep.
They gave the man a good drink because they were so happy. They wanted to send the man home safely so they braided a long rope to let him down the mountain. They told him to sit in one place and they tied him to the rope and told him to shake the rope when he got down the mountain and they would know he was there and pull the rope up again. He said, "Yes I will," and they let him down.
He went back to his home and his wife was crying as she knew what had happened when she found the feather the bird had dropped. She said she knew the bird had carried him off and she was crying in her house with her back to the sun.
He went in and stood and looked at her. She said, "Where have you been?" He told her the bird had taken him away. They were happy ever after, and that’s all.
Processing Information
Cassettes were reformatted to CD in June 2011.
NOTE: The order of items on the CDs matches the order of items in the list below. However, due to the reformatting process, CD tracks do not necessarily start or stop at the same events as the list below.
NOTE: The order of items on the CDs matches the order of items in the list below. However, due to the reformatting process, CD tracks do not necessarily start or stop at the same events as the list below.
Creator
- Hindes, Margaret G., (Archaeologist) (Person)
- Title
- Finding Aid of the Margaret Hindes Collection of Native American Music of the Western Mono Indians of California and the Sioux of South Dakota, 1961-1967
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Nancy Brown-Martinez
- Date
- ©2008
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Revision Statements
- Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu