Page:The Pima Indians.pdf/171

166 can not be explained by their environment, because the same surroundings produced the superior culture of the Hohokam, which there is no reason to believe was not indigenous. It may be surmised that the Pimas would have accomplished more in recent years in the art of ornamentation if they had adopted the curved knife that has become so widespread among other American Indians since the advent of the whites. A full discussion of the factors that have influenced their culture would better be deferred until after an examination of the evidence furnished by social organization (which through the absence of totemism has not directly influenced their art), by history, and by religion.



The Pimas have four kinds of musical instruments—the flute or flageolet, the basket drum, the scraping stick, and the rattle, the last having many forms. They say that the first two instruments were adopted from the Maricopas within a century or two. If this be true Pima attainments in instrumental music must have been of a very modest character indeed. There are few flutes to be found and the drum is never heard except in ceremonies which are themselves becoming increasingly rare. The gourd rattle is the commonest form of the last class of instruments.

The Pima or Maricopa flute is of cane cut of such a length that it includes two entire sections and about 4 cm. of each of the two adjoining. It therefore contains three diaphragms, of which the two end ones are perforated, while the middle one is so arranged that the air may pass over its edge from one section into the other. This is done by burning a hole through the shell of the cane on each side of the diaphragm and joining them by a furrow. With such an opening in the upper section the instrument can not be played unless a piece of bark or similar material be wrapped over all but the lower portion of the furrow to direct the air into the lower section. The forefinger of the left hand is usually employed as a stop if no permanent wrapping directs the current of air so that it may impinge upon the sharp margin of the opening into