Connecticut western news., 1876-08-25
THE PIUTE FANDANGO.
Annual Dance of the IndIans--StranRe Cos
 tunes and Queer Love MnkinS.

Annual Dance of the Ind'ans--stranse Cos tunes nnd Queer Love Making.
 The Vincennes (Nev.) Chronicle says Once a year, usually during the first half of July, the Piute Indians come in from all parts of the State, and have 6 grand tribe dance. Whether there ie tho element of religious worship in the fandango nobody knows, but it is natur. al to suppose that pious motives are uppermost; for the white mind, Q less enjoyable assemblage than one of these yearly gatherings could hardly be pic tured. It is certainly funny, however. Unlike most Indians, the Flutes are not at all dignified or grave in their de. meanor, being very like children in the naturalness of their manner. They are especially unconstrained in their ways just about this time of the year. In winter Piute, male or female, is a ca daverous individual. Short commons and the shelter of leaky and comfort less tent of gunny sacks and skins dc not conduce to heavy weight. At pres. ent, however, all is changed. The bucks look comfortable and happy, while the squaws, especially the young ones, revel ill fatness. Piute youth waxeth gallant. It is likely that the yearly fandango is got up in part in the interest of matrimony, for it is at this season that the Flutes pair. All the youngsters are just about one year older than their younger brethren. Every healthly squaw has a papoose, and her baby is just about the size and age of every other baby. The annual
 
 to do with this chronological symmetry. Last year the dance was held on American fiat, but we had the fun neare, home this year. A little valley in the hills to the north of the homestead, be. tween Gold Hill and Virginia, was chosen, and proceedings begun on Wed nesday and wound up on Saturday night. About two hundred Flutes gath cred and proceeded to build theil camps. The aboriginal home on these occasions consists of breastwork o1 sage brush, behind which the family crouch and warm their heels at 8 fire o1 the same beautiful shrub. The brush is pulled up from a space about twice the size of an ordinary circus ring, in the center of the camp, and there the dance takes place. The Piute doesn't shine with 8 dazzling luster as heel and toe artist. The "dance " is really no dance at all. The bucks form ring standing side by side; then the squaws take up position, not mingling with the men, but forming part of the circle The ring being made, a few gifted bucks start up guttural chant of
 Hoo, hoo, hoo, hi-hi!
 | Hi yah, hi-yah, hi vi
 l Ho, hoo, hi-yah, hi-yi!
 To this inspiring air the ring begins to move, all hands going around witt short hops, just as soldiers do wher making "right dress" or cleft dress. ; This sort of thing is kept up for hours the monotonous drone of "Hoo. hoo hi-yah, going on always. When { dancer tires of the fun he drops out and some one else takes his place. T( the white mind there is certain lacl of variety about three days of one kinc of dance, but "Jim " never wearies of it.. A more grotesque and absurd crowd of human beings could not be imagined. Out of 15O of the ring which happened about on Saturday afternoon, there were three or foul braves who were arrayed in asavage COS tune of bearskin or buckskin, but al the rest looked as if they had made { raid on rag shop. Tattered dres' coats, filthy linen clusters, frayed ant shocking trousers, battered plug hat and hopeless brogans made up tht dress of the sons of the soil. One olt gentleman had on an ancient swallow tail coat and bell crown silk hat, whilt his neither limbs were tightly clothed in fringed buckskin brooches. A pal of boots that might have belonged to { farmer in Revolutionary days graced thu rickety feet of the ancient warrior. Al unusual amount of red and white pain is smeared upon the broad countenance of the bucks and squaws at fandang' time.
 During Friday afternoon and evening there were more whites present on tn ground than there were Flutes, and i must he said that the Indians were bet ter behaved than their visitors.