Yei-Be-Chi
This is a most weird performance, as danced in the fire-light. It is
part of the NIGHT CHANT, which, in its entirety, is a nine days' cere
mony, and is given in order to cure any ill that springs from the lowlands
or valleys.
There were twenty dancers, each with a rattle in the right hand.
There was no drum, and the music was by the dancers themselves, rather
yelped than sung. The music is here reproduced . from Natalie Curtis'
8 meas. Indians' Book (p. 402) ; but the staccato yelping is impossible to be
air hori- notated, and the melody is here much more pronounced than in reality.
z meas.
(a) Enter, with back-trot step, in pairs, side by side 9 meas.
(b) Face front on the rest measure; bringing them into two side
wise lines, all facing front z meas.
(c) Feet perfectly still, but rattles shaken in time 2 meas.
(d) With a sudden, sharp bend of the knees, bow forward and
yelp, straighten up, and face back r meas.
(e) Repeat (c) and (d), starting faces to back, then swinging to
front again 3 meas.
With the back-trot step, they melt into one line, facing
front
(g) Repeat (c), (d), and (e)
(h)
4 meas.
6 meas.
With back-trot step, they separate into two lines again, and the f rout line faces back
4 meas.
(i) The pair at the head of the group approach each other with the back-trot step; and side by side, go down between the two lines, then take their places at the end, each again in his own line. The second couple then come down the aisle in the same manner, then the third, etc. The group continue in place to shake their rattles and keep time with the back-trot step. Use as much music as it takes to give all a chance down the aisle.
Then in pairs with the back-trot step, they exeunt.
33
Song No. 3 Yei-be-chi Dance (Navabo)
Ha hol-la ha hol-la ha ha - ay Hol-la ho .... o hol-la
i y~ AO
!!
e -
hoha - ay Ho-a ha ha ho-a ha ho-a ha ha
r =941
Ha hol-la ha hol-la ho ha - ay Hol-la ho .... a hol-la g T, ho ha - ay Ho-a ha ha ho-a Natalie Curtis-The Indians' Book, p. 402.
34
-11
ha ho-a ha - ay
