The Dance Festivals of the Alaskan Eskimo Part 3

To which the chorus answer:

Ilyuga awunga takina, Our brother, come hither, Takinaka, ilyuga, takinaka, Return, dead brother, return.

The women advance in line, holding their wands in the right hand, and singing in unison; then the men advance in their turn, then both n['a]skut and chorus sing together:

Takinaka, awunga, tungalika, Return to us, our dead kinsmen, Nanakatuk, kineaktuk tungal[i=]ka We wait your home coming, our dead kinsmen.

Suddenly the drummers cease and rap sharply on the in['g]lak with their drumsticks. The dancers stop in the midst of their movements and stamp on the floor, first with one foot then with the other, placing their hands on their shoulders, bringing them down over their bodies as though wiping off some unseen thing. Then they slap their thighs and sit down. I am informed that this is to "wipe off" any uncleanness (wahok) that might offend the shades of the dead.

Then the namesakes of the dead troop into the kasgi, and take their places in the center of the room between the two lines. To each, the n['a]skuk hands a bowl of water and a kantag of frozen reindeer meat cut into small pieces. The namesakes drop a small portion of the meat on the floor. The essence is evidently thought to pa.s.s below to the waiting inua. Then they finish the remainder. At the same time a large amount of frozen meat and fish is brought in and distributed among the guests. This is done at the end of each day.

The fourth day the chorus leader mounts the top of the kasgi and begins again the invitation song. The people scatter to the burying ground or to the ice along the sh.o.r.e according to the spot where they have lain their dead. They dance among the grave boxes so that the shades who have returned to them, when not in the kasgi, may see that they are doing them honor.

During the dancing the children of the village gather in the kasgi, carrying little kantags and sealskin sacks. The women on returning bring great bags of frozen blueberries and reindeer fat, commonly called "Eskimo Ice Cream," with which they fill the bowls of the children, but the young rogues immediately slip their portions into their sacks (poksrut) and hold out their dishes for more, crying in a deafening chorus, "Wunga-T['=u]k" (Me too). This part of the festival is thoroughly enjoyed by the Eskimo, who idolize their children.

At the conclusion of the day's feast many presents are given away by the n['a]skut, the husbands of the female feast givers distributing them for the ladies, who a.s.sume a bashful air. During the distribution the n['a]skut maintain their deprecatory att.i.tude and pa.s.s disparaging remarks on their gifts. Sometimes the presents are attached to a long line of oklinok (seal thong) which the n['a]skut haul down through the smokehole, making the line appear as long as possible. At the same time they sing in a mournful key bewailing their relative:

Ah-ka- ilyuga toakora, takin, Oh! oh! dead brother, return, Utiktutatuk, ilyuga awunga, Return to us, our brother, Illearuqtutuk, ilyuga, We miss you, dear brother, Pikeyutum, kokitutuk, A trifling present we bring you.

THE CLOTHING OF THE NAMESAKES

The following day occurs the clothing of the namesakes. This is symbolical of clothing the dead, who ascend into the bodies of their namesakes during the ceremony and take on the spiritual counterpart of the clothing.

After a grand distribution of presents by the n['a]skut, bags of fine clothing are lowered to the feast givers and the namesakes take the center of the floor, in front of their relatives, the feast givers.

Then each n['a]skuk calls out to the particular namesake of his dead kinsman: "[=I]takin, illorahug-naka," "Come hither, my beloved," and proceeds to remove the clothing of the namesake and put on an entirely new suit of mukluks, trousers, and parka, made of the finest furs.

Then the feast giver gathers up the discarded clothing, and stamps vigorously on the floor, bidding the ghost begone to its resting place. It goes, well satisfied, and the dancers disperse until another great festival. Until the feast is concluded no one can leave the village.

THE INVITING-IN FESTIVAL

The Inviting-In Festival (Aithukaguk) is a great inter-tribal feast, second in importance to the Great Feast to the Dead. It is a celebration on invitation from one tribe to her neighbors when sufficient provisions have been collected. It takes place late in the season, after the other festivals are over. Neighboring tribes act as hosts in rotation, each striving to outdo the other in the quality and quant.i.ty of entertainment offered. During this festival the dramatic pantomime dances for which the Alaskan Eskimo are justly famous, are performed by especially trained actors. For several days the dances continue, each side paying the forfeit as they lose in the dancing contests. In this respect the representations are somewhat similar to the nith contests of the Greenlanders. As I have noticed the dances at length elsewhere,[26] I shall only give a brief survey here, sufficient to show their place in the Eskimo festival dances.

[26] Canadian Geological Survey. Memoir 45. The "Inviting-In" Feast of the Alaskan Eskimo.

The main dances of the Inviting-In Festival are totemic in character, performed by trained actors to appease the totems of the hunters, and insure success for the coming season. These are danced in pantomime and depict the life of arctic animals, the walrus, raven, bear, ptarmigan, and others. Then there are group dances which ill.u.s.trate hunting scenes, like the Reindeer and Wolf Pack dance already described, also dances of a purely comic character, designed for the entertainment of the guests. During the latter performances the side which laughs has to pay a forfeit.

Elaborate masks are worn in all of the dances. The full paraphernalia, masks, handmasks, fillets, and armlets, are worn by the chief actors.

They are supported by richly garbed a.s.sistants. An old shaman acts as master of ceremonies. There is an interchange of presents between the tribes during the intervals but not between individuals, as in the Asking Festival. At the close of the festival the masks are burned.