 Native
American Plays,
Skits and Dramas
The LIfe of the Corn - A drama
in 5 dances
by Alice C. Fletcher
Harvest Dance
Introductory Note.—This dance represents
the bringing of the "first-fruit offering" of
the corn from the seven little hills that were
ceremonially planted after the dead leaves
of winter had been cleared away. The dancers
who follow the seven leaders carrying the cornstalks
represent the people in triumphal procession
in honor of Corn as "Mother breathing forth
life." Both words and music of the song for
this procession are taken from a great religious
ceremony of the Pawnee wherein Corn is spoken
of as A-ti-ra, Mother, with the prefix H' signifying
breath, the sign of life. "H'A-ti-ra" ("Mother
breathing forth life") is repeated over and
over and is the only word used in this song.
The repetition is not an idle procedure but
an awakening of echoes in the native mind,
of all that Corn has meant to his ancestors
and race during the centuries. The repeated
words imply contemplation on the subject. This
song when heard sung by a hundred or more could
not fail to impress one with its majestic fervor.
The beautiful, bountiful maize giving its life
that others might enjoy life, on another plane,
is here reverently and joyously proclaimed "Mother."
Properties.—Green and other bright
colored scarfs or mantles, as many as there
are dancers, boys and girls, also wreaths made
of long leaves like those of the cornstalk;
these can be manufactured from green paper.
Tall yellow plumes, similar to the tassel of
the corn, and fastened to the wreath in such
manner that when the wreath is worn the plume
will stand above the forehead. Seven cornstalks,
or wands so wound with green as to appear like
the stalk of the corn with its tassel.
Directions.—All the dancers should
be wrapped in their mantles and have on their
wreaths, the erect tassel plume standing directly
over the middle of the forehead. Boys and girls
must mingle in this dance. All dress as before,
with the addition of the mantles. Implements,
pouches and bows and arrows are not used. Of
the seven who are to lead, four should be boys
and three girls. When leading the procession
and carrying the cornstalks, the first line
of four should be a boy, two girls, a boy;
the second line of three should be a boy, a
girl, a boy. These seven must wear green robes
or mantles and hold the cornstalks, with their
hands draped by the mantle. The other dancers
can wear green or other colored mantles or
scarfs. The boys must sing the songs, for the
volume of sound must be full in order to produce
the true effect of this impressive ceremony.
The seven dancers who have been selected to
act as leaders should stand in a group by themselves
in front of the other dancers, who are in loose
groups at the rear. On the space which heretofore
in these dances has represented the "field," the
seven cornstalks or wands should be laid in
a windrow on the ground. When ready to begin
the dance the dancers should be discovered
in the two groups as already described, talking
quietly in dumb show.
The seven leaders, who are in the front group
by themselves, appear to consult together;
then, led by one of their number, sing the
following song:
Native American Song No. 1
1
Golden on ev'ry hand,
Waving, the cornfields stand,
Calling us thither;
Calling us thither,
First-fruits to cull and bring
Our sacred offering
To great Wakon'da,
Giver of Corn.
During the singing the seven leaders stand
together wrapped in their green mantles. All
the other dancers are grouped at a little distance
back, still talking as at first in dumb show.
At the third line they stop talking, at the
fourth line they give attention to the seven
leaders, at the fifth line they join in the
song. During the singing of this stanza there
should be no change in the relative positions
of the two groups, but during the singing all
who sing should keep up a gentle rhythmic swaying
of the body.
2
Now to the field we hie,
Where stands the corn so high,
Calling us thither;
Calling us thither,
First-fruits to cull and bring
Our sacred offering
To great Wakon'da,
Giver of Corn.
The seven leaders, at the beginning of the
first line of the second stanza, slowly fall
into line and with deliberate rhythmic steps
move toward the "field," reaching it by the
fifth line, and while singing that line they
should pick up the cornstalks and hold them,
with their hands draped with their green mantles,
high to the front.
At the close of the first stanza the other
group of dancers should resume a dumb show
of speaking to one another until the third
line of the second stanza, when they change
their attitude and give attention; at the fourth
line they join in the song, and at the fifth
move toward the "field" where are the seven
leaders. By the close of the second stanza
all the dancers should be in one group at the "field."
All the dancers stand there at the "field" a
moment in silence. Then the seven leaders sing
the introduction to the following Processional
Song:
Native American Song No. 2
Introduction: Follow Mother Corn,
Who breathes forth life!
Chorus: H'A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra,
H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra,
A-ti-ra, H'A-ti-ra, A-ti-ra.
This song is retained as sung in the original
Pawnee ceremony; the meaning has already been
explained.
The introduction is sung by the seven leaders,
who advance in two rows, four in the first,
three in the second, and in this manner they
lead the Processional Dance. At the chorus
all the other dancers fall in behind the leaders,
either in couples or singly, every one singing.
All steps must be rhythmic and in time with
the music. The seven leaders move steadily,
also in time with the music, as they hold the
cornstalks high, while the followers wave their
scarfs or mantles and dance happily and lightly,
but with dignity. The picture should be one
of contrast as the procession takes its way
among trees and through the sunny fields, the
seven moving evenly, with the corn held high,
and the joyous, fluttering group of dancers
following.
The Life of the Corn culminates in a delight
of color, movement and song. |
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