Traditional Songs Of the Zunis

First published in the early 20th century, Carlos Troyer’s Traditional Songs of the Zunis preserves one of the earliest Western transcriptions of Indigenous ceremonial music and oral tradition in North America.

Drawing from his encounters with the Zuni people of New Mexico, Troyer sought to record and interpret the ancient songs, chants, and invocations that had echoed through their sacred rituals for generations. These melodies—devotional, haunting, and deeply symbolic—capture the spiritual harmony between the Zuni and their land, their gods, and their ancestral memory. Presented with both musical notation and ethnographic commentary, the work offers a rare glimpse into a living cultural continuum older than the United States itself.

Part ethnomusicology, part cultural preservation, Traditional Songs of the Zunis stands as a testament to the enduring voice of America’s first nations and to the early efforts to understand and honor their artistic legacy within written form.

Complete and unabridged edition of Carlos Troyer’s pioneering transcription

Authentic record of Zuni ceremonial songs, chants, and traditional melodies

A vital resource for students of ethnomusicology, Indigenous studies, and Southwestern history

Essential reading for those interested in Native American heritage, oral traditions, and sacred music