SONGS 319

(a) Recorded as song VII D 11b, National Museum of Canada; singer, Jim
Pollard. This was incorrectly announced on the record as a shaman’s song.

(4) The meaning of this is problematical. Ghost dancers habitually deride the
dead and this is certainly a veiled allusion of a derogatory nature.

(c) Referring to ghosts.

(d) That is: Each uses the kind of grandiloquent language employed by chiefs.

(e) More specifically, the two uprights nearest the front-door.

Song Used for Qomcua, a Bella Coola Sun Dancer(a)

A Sawiéskémaiutstaoats | waaiyatilaxastai | séoactiwots-amatit |
The two Aitivléxa(s) drone in unison when

yao dinextiwatomdat

he(c) enters(d).

[WORDLESS CHORUS]

B Atkipiksmem:égodai | diponpontiamatemdai | tatitnextiwatomdai
All(e) watch as he draws near at the time they called him(/); is waiting(g)

das -umsumtkanidusdai
his salmon blanket(A).
[worDLEss cHoRUS]

C Skamétamtainulim | yao ditgwalstliwattsandai(i) | ofditikanikstésdai
They invite the lofty one to place himself(j) | on his seat;

atasinxdlottadai
hail, Sinxdalot#a(k).

(a) This song was composed for, and used during the kusiut season of 1923-4.
The patron of the dancer, a woman, is Simxd/lotfa, the name of Aiguniém as Sun.

(4) Referring to the two 4iitléxa who drone daily as sun and moon travel.

(c) Referring to Stnxdlotta.

(d) Thatis: When he enters Nusmét-a at the winter solstice to join the gathering
of the supernatural beings. It was impossible to obtain an individual! translation
for these two subdivisions.

(e) Referring to the supernatural beings.

(f) A reference to the gathering of the supernatural beings before the winter
solstice.

(g) It was impossible to obtain an individual translation for these three sub-
divisions. 2

(4) That is: His salmon blanket is waiting. The reference is to Afguntim’s
blanket with salmon on its lining.

(#) When the song was first used, this subdivision consisted of a repetition of
the second subsection of the second part. This was considered poor technique
and the phrasing was altered for later occasions.

(j) It was impossible to obtain individual translations of these two subdivisions.

(&) The dancer’s patron.