An Introduction to America’s Music

214 PART 2 | FROM THE CIVIL WAR THROUGH WORLD WAR I

date: ca. 1850

performer: Tatan ka-ohi tika (Brave

Buffalo)

genre: Teton healing song

meter: irregular

form: iterative—music repeats with same

words

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• descending melodic contour that begins
  near apex and ends near nadir


• use of gapped scale


• tense vocal quality

timing section text translation comments

0:00 phrase 4 of partial

statement

tatan ka wan

hema kiya he yo

A buffalo said to

me, he yo

Each song phrase has a

descending contour with a held

penultimate note. Phrase 4

begins near the apex and drops

to midrange; the fi nal note is the

melody’s nadir.

0:06 phrase 5 wahi nawa pin

kte wanma

yanka yo he yo

I will appear,

behold me, he yo

Begins in midrange and ends on

the nadir.

0:16 phrase 1 of full

statement

wahi nawa pin

kte wanma

yanka yo he yo

I will appear,

behold me, he yo

Begins on the apex and descends

to midrange.

0:23 phrase 2 wahi nawa pin

kte wanma

yanka yo he yo

I will appear,

behold me, he yo

Begins in midrange and ends like

phrase 4.

0:30 phrase 3 wahi nawa pin

kte wanma

yanka yo he yo

I will appear,

behold me, he yo

Identical to phrase 5.

0:38 phrase 4 tatan ka wan

hema kiya he yo

a buffalo said to

me, he yo

0:44 phrase 5 wahi nawa pin

kte wanma

yanka yo he yo

I will appear,

behold me, he yo

0:51 Singer clears his throat.

0:55 second full statement

note Field recording by Frances Densmore, Standing Rock Reservation, South Dakota, 1911–14.

Listening Guide 9.1

“A Buffalo Said to Me”

CD 1.28 TATAN KA-OHI TIKA (BRAVE BUFFALO)

172028_09_205-230_r3_ko.indd 214 23/01/13 11:29 AM