Music of Acoma, Isleta, Cochiti, and Zuñi Pueblos - Flutopedia.com

82 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Boll. 166
The next day they go out and make a great circle around the game.
It is said the animals seem powerless and sometimes run toward the
hunters.
Each man keeps the rabbits that he kills
drying the meat or using it in any way he desires.
COCHITI SONGS
and discards the hide,
The songs of Cochiti Pueblo were recorded by Evergreen Tree
(pi. 6, 6), a man from that pueblo (cf. Characterization of singers,
p. xii). The records were made in 1930 at Wisconsin Dells, Wis.,
and he gave additional information and translations in 1931 and 1939.
The place of recording the songs was picturesque. Evergreen Tree
consented to sing on condition that the songs be recorded under a
little arbor he had made near the house of a friend. The arbor was
surrounded by vines, and above were the overhanging branches of
trees. Against one tree he had placed a short ladder, which remotely
suggested the pueblo. In this arbor he spent much of his leisure time.
The place was safe from intrusion but not adapted to sound recording
and the records were difficult to transcribe. The recording instrument
was a dictaphone with storage battery. It would have been
impossible to use a phonograph under these conditions.
BUFFALO DANCE SONGS
The buffalo hunt of the Cochiti was held in summer and took the
Indians to the plains of eastern New Mexico (cf. Benedict, 1931,
pp. 197-200). This was not like an ordinary hunting expedition,
for the people held the buffalo in high esteem, saying "the buffalo
never turns to right or left but always moves forward." The hunt
was preceded by a dance that lasted only 1 day, and its purpose was
to honor the buffalo "who gave his flesh for the good of the people."
On the evening before the Buffalo dance there was an announcement
of the event by the dancers from both kivas. This|was called
by a term literally translated "taking out the rooster." Members of
each kiva group met in their respective community houses. According
to this informant, the Cochiti clans are Sun, Water, Cottonwood,
Oak, Corn, Fire, Turquoise, Calabash, Bear, Coyote, and
Mountain lion. He belonged to the Calabash clan which had its
community house on the west side of the plaza. The Turquoise was
one of the clans on the east side of the plaza. In announcing the
Buffalo dance, one group, with many drunmiers, went around the
plaza singing and dancing, then returned to their community house.
Then the other group did the same, but did not give the same dance.
Remembering the scene. Evergreen Tree said, "it was dusk when
the singers went through the streets and they could see the women
At about 9 o'clock
in the houses getting the food ready for the feast.