The Caribou Dance
The easiest of our campfire dances to learn, and the best for quick presentation, is the Caribou Dance[1]. It has been put on for public performance after twenty minutes’ rehearsing, with those who never saw it before, because it is all controlled and called off by the Chief. It does equally well for indoor gymnasium or for campfire in the woods.
In the way of fixings for this, you need only four pairs of horns and four cheap bows. Real deer horns may be used, but they are scarce and heavy. It is better to go out where you can get a few crooked limbs of oak, cedar, hickory or apple tree; and cut eight pairs, as near like those in the cut as possible, each about two feet long and one inch thick at the butt. Peel these, for they should be white; round off all sharp points of the branches, then lash them in pairs, as shown. A pair, of course, is needed for each Caribou. These are held in the hand and above the head, or in the hand resting on the head.
The four Caribou look best in white. Three or four hunters are needed. They should have bows, but no arrows. The Chief should have a drum and be able to sing the Muje Mukesin, or other Indian dance tune. One or two persons who can howl like Wolves should be sent off to one side, and another that can yell like a Lynx or a Panther on the other side, well away from the ring. Otherwise the Chief or leader can do the imitations. Now we are ready for
The Chief begins by giving three thumps on his drum to call attention; then says in a loud, singing voice: “The ..text pokračuje
- ↑ Ilustrační fotografii lze najít v obrazové příloze článku "The Twelwe Secrets of The Woods", který vyšel v červnu r.1916 v magazínu The Craftsman, viz str.239, číslo 3, svazek 30.
