[23] Op. cit., p. 194.
[DANCES]
The dances either formed integral parts of the above ceremonies or, as stated, might be incidental and entirely unrelated to them. The word for dance is xe in the Eastern Pomo dialect, and ke in that of the Central and Northern Pomo. The following is a list of the Pomo dances:
- gīlak ke
- hōhō ke or hō´hōwa ke
- cōkin ke
- dūtūka ke
- ya´ya ke
- yō ke
- matcō ke
- lēhū´ye ke
- kalī´matōtō ke or kalī´matautau ke
- īwī ke
- gūnū´la xe
- he´lehela ke
- da´ma ke
- dja´ne ke
- kara´iya ke
- sawe´t ke
- hī´wē ke
- ī´dam ke
- xo´ke
- xahlū´īgak ke
- gū´ksū ke
- ma´ta ke
- lo´le ke
- mo´mīmomī ke
- to´to ke
- taūgū ke
- badjū´ca ke
- sīta´iya ke
In a large measure the various dances were very similar to one another so far as the steps were concerned. The characteristic step of the men was a rhythmic stamping of the feet, with the body held in a half-crouching posture. Sometimes this dancing was done "in place," that is, without moving from one situation. As a rule, however, the dancer moved over a definite course in each dance. The movement was varied slightly in accordance with the songs. Some songs were very lively and the steps correspondingly rapid, while others were much slower. All were usually sung to the accompaniment of the large foot-drum, and split-stick, or cocoon rattle. Sometimes the dancers used single or double bone whistles.
The women usually danced in place, twisting the body about and swaying slightly from side to side with little or no motion of the feet. In some instances, however, they moved over a definite course as did the men.
The dance paraphernalia of the men consisted of the following articles:
- The feather skirt.
- The head-net, bōlmakī (E).
- The down-filled head-net, ī´bōlmakī (E).
- The skewer, called kanō (N, C, E), with which the feather headdresses, tufts, etc., were pinned to the head-net.
- The feather tuft, biterk (E), kaa´itcil (C).
- The big-head headdress.
- The yellow-hammer feather forehead-band, tsō´lōpa (N, C, E).
- The trembler plume, kata´s (N, C, E).
- Loose down, te (E), which was sometimes scattered about over the freshly painted skin.
- A fillet of pepperwood leaves, bēhe´p marīt (E).
- A small green twig or a bunch of shredded tule, used in certain dances. Any object of this kind carried in the hand while dancing was called kato´hle (E).
Certain of these objects were prescribed for certain dances. In addition, various items of ordinary personal adornment were worn which do not specifically belong to dance paraphernalia—ear plugs, pendants, necklaces of beads, etc.