The Pima Indians/Esthetic arts/Dancing
ESTHETIC ARTS
Dancing
Dancing was frequently indulged in by both sexes and was accompanied by song, together with instrumental music furnished by the basket drum and the rattle. The dancers stood in a circle with arms extended across the shoulders of those adjoining. This position did not permit much freedom, and movements were confined to stamping the feet and bending the body. When food was plentiful dances might occur at any time. Their number increased and their moral character sadly deteriorated as the men relaxed their vigilance after peace was made with the Apaches. The energy formerly expended on the warpath was then wasted in debauchery. The dances began in the morning and lasted all day. Both men and women came with freshly painted faces and bodies, the women with their hair neatly dressed. Each woman brought a contribution of food in the form of mesquite dumplings, corn and wheat pinole or tortillas, meat, and the like. Throughout the day a few at a time stopped to eat, so that the dancing and the feasting both proceeded without interruption. For an account of the war dances, see page 205; puberty dance, page 182.