Boas, Franz: Primitive art (Oslo , Leipzig [u.a.], 1927)

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Literature, music and, dance

the right hand stretches far out as though it was taking food, and
is then brought to the mouth, while the left describes a wide circle,
indicating “everywhere”; “ Cannibal-at-the-North-End-of-the-World ”,
both hands are bent inward and the finger tips moved toward the
mouth, meaning “the eater”; “I went” is expressed as before;
“ Cannibal-at-North-End-of-the-World is crying ‘food’ for me”, the
sign of the cannibal spirit is made; then the arms are stretched far
backward, the palms turned downward, and the head is lowered,
this being the cannibal spirit’s attitude when crying “food”. “At
the center of the world ”, when these words are sung the dancer
is in front of the fire and looks up to the rear of the house in the
characteristic attitude of the cannibal, the rear of the house being
the center of the world.
The further development of movement accompanying the song
leads to true pantomimic and ultimately to dramatic performances.