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Modoc Indian Songs and Documentation, 1934
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Spier, Leslie
- Title
- Modoc Indian Songs and Documentation
- Dates
- 1934 (inclusive)19341934
- Quantity
- 0.3 linear feet, (1 box)
- Collection Number
- SHL002 (collection)
- Summary
- Leslie Spier recorded traditional songs sung by several Modoc tribal members in 1934. The collection consists of two audio tape cassettes of Modoc Indian songs and accompanying documentation.
- Repository
-
Oregon Institute of Technology Libraries, Shaw Historical Library
Oregon Institute of Technology Libraries
3201 Campus Drive
Klamath Falls, OR
97601
Telephone: 5418851772
Fax: 5418851777
libtech@oit.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research use.
- Languages
- English, ,
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Leslie Spier (December 13, 1893 – December 3, 1961) studied the Klamath Indians as well as Plains Indians and Indians of the Southwest during his career as an anthropologist. In 1920 he obtained his doctorate in anthropology from Columbia University and went on to work for the American Museum of Natural History and several major universities, spending the longest part of his career at the University of New Mexico. He conducted extensive field work, authored a number of important monographs, including Klamath Ethnography (1930) and served as editor of several important anthropological publications.
Singers on the recordings include Celia Lynch, Mrs. Usie George, Lizzie Schonchin and Peter Schonchin. Peter Schonchin (ca. 1858-1939) fought in the Modoc War. He was the son of Schonchin John, one of the Modoc leaders executed after the war. Lizzie Robinson Schonchin (1858-1940) was Peter's fifth wife. Celia Lynch (1853-1940) was a Modoc tribal member very knowledgeable about traditional practices.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection consists of two audio tape cassettes of Modoc Indian songs recorded by Leslie Spier in 1934 and accompanying documentation. Series I: Modoc Indian Songs includes songs are sung in Modoc, and possibly Paiute, Pit River, Klamath, and Shasta. Song topics include puberty songs, love songs, healing songs, and Ghost Dance songs. A number of song titles are undocumented. Recorded by Leslie Spier, possibly with assistance from Earl W. Count, in California in 1934. The tapes are second generation audio tapes, copies of cylinders. Sound quality is fair to poor.
Both tapes are numbered 54-038-F. One tape is a copy of EC 10" 984.2--41 on Side A and a copy of EC 10" 984.42--67 on Side B. The second tape is a copy of ATL 1124.31-32 on Side A. Side B of the second tape is blank.
Series II: Documentation includes a draft manuscript with English translations of some of the songs prepared by Earl W. Count with handwritten notes by George Herzog. English translations of some songs that were not recorded are also part of the draft manuscript. Musical notations by Earl W. Count of some of the recorded songs and some unrecorded songs are also included.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Before materials from the Shaw Historical Library may be quoted in print or otherwise reproduced in whole or in part in any publication, exhibit, broadcast or other manner, the user must obtain permission from the owner of the physical property and the holder of the copyright. Copyright status for collections in the Shaw Historical Library varies. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Preferred Citation
[item identification], Modoc Indian Songs and Documentation, The Shaw Historical Library, Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Location of Collection
Shaw Historical LibraryPreservation Note
Audio cassette player required. Please contact library prior to visit.
Location of Originals
Leslie Spier deposited a collection of 7 12-inch, acetate, 78 rpm discs with the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University in Bloomington. The discs are first generation copies of the original cylinders.
Acquisition Information
Copied for the Shaw Historical Library by the Archives of Traditional Music, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.
Related Materials
A copy of Leslie Spier’s book Klamath Ethnography (1930) is in the holdings of the Shaw Historical Library.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Modoc Indian Songs, 1934Return to Top
| Description | Dates |
|---|---|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Paiute song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Pit River Indian song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Song of Inner Peace
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: unidentified song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Coyote [?] song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: White Chidi's Klamath Shaman's song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Third Stopwe (Girl's Puberty Ceremony) song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Song of Inner Peace
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Coyote's Gambling song. Klamath Modoc
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Aisis' Gambling song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Ghost Dance, a Dream song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Second Stopwe (Girl's Puberty Ceremony) song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Bear Myth; Bear's Challenge. Klamath-Modoc
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Klamath song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Bear Myth; Lament of the Parent Bears. Klamath-Modoc
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Bear Myth; Bear's Sister's Triumph. Klamath-Modoc
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Antelope song from a story; also played on flute
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Klamath Dream song, Ghost Dance
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: As above. [tape blank, perhaps unrecorded]
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Shasta song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Pit River Indian song
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Paiute song [Learned from?] Mrs. Chocktoot
Lizzie Schonchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side A: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Undocumented
Mrs. Usie George
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Girl's Puberty Dance song to mark sunset
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Girl's Puberty Dance song to mark sunset with deer hoof rattles
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: Girl's Puberty Dance song to mark midnight
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: ya'mas nu sinax'tax no'la
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: stote'las nu yane'ni
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: ade'na nu wage'jola
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: ge'las nu sowhalia'pka
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: ge'nuk ka'ta deka'ta wi'ya
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: ga ne'wal tclp
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: ga'inu ga'inu ta'pa ham'*ni
Celia Lynch
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of 984.2--67 Side B: pitchpipe |
|
Tape Copy of ATL 1124.31--32 Side A: a) ("ngeya") Song 3, Victory Dance song (Hall 1)
Peter Sconchin
(singer)
|
|
Tape Copy of ATL 1124.31--32 Side A: b) ("qululululu"); the qululululu is the proper ending to a victory song |
|
Tape Copy of ATL 1124.31--32 Side A: c) "qani dal hot") Song 2, love song (Hall 2) |
|
Tape Copy of ATL 1124.31--32 Side A: d) Song 1 Girl's puberty ceremony song; taunting song [of women?] (Hall 3) |
|
Tape Copy of ATL 1124.31--32 Side A: e) Song 5 Girl's puberty ceremony song; repartee to 1 (7d) Hall 4?) |
|
Tape Copy of ATL 1124.31--32 Side B: BLANK |
Series II: Documentation, 1934Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | 1: Summary of Documentation |
|
| 1 | 2: Tape Index Sheet, Indiana University Archives of Traditional Music |
|
| 1 | 3: Notes of Earl W. Count, Leslie Spier's Modoc Songs |
|
| 1 | 4: List of Modoc songs recorded by Leslie Spier |
|
| 1 | 5: Music transcriptions |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Ghost dance
- Healing songs, Modoc
- Love songs, Modoc
- Modoc Indians
- Puberty rites--California
- Shamans--California
- Songs, Achomawi--California
- Songs, Klamath--California
- Songs, Shasta--California
- Songs, Southern Paiute--California
Personal Names
- Count, Earl W. (Earl Wendel), 1899-1996
- Spier, Leslie, 1893-1961--Archives
Form or Genre Terms
- Audio cassette tapes
Finding aid prepared by Anne Hiller Clark
2012
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
