St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-03-06
THE NAVAJO INDIANS.
Customs of the Tribe-Their Love of Dress
An Enlarged Reservation.
[Correspondence of the Chicago Times

NAVAJO INDIAN AGENCY, FORT De
FIANcB, A. T., January 29.-On the
Pacific slope, at the very jumping off
place of civilization, lies the Navajo In
dian reservation. 1t is situated chiefly
in Arizona, but the eastern boundary is
in New Mexico.
just now the Navajo Indians are in
high glee at the recent news from their
"great father For years they have
pleaded for a little. more land for their
flocks where once their forefathers held
undisputed sway. AS their great chief,
Manuelita, said in council a few weeks
ago. at seemed as if there was a
large hole somewhere east of Santa Fe
where the cries of the Navajoes were
lost, for they never seemed to reach the
ear of the great father" But at last
they have found a man who, in Indian
parlance, can "talk straight and their
able and efficient agent, Mr.. Galen East
man, has succeeded in gaining the long
desired boon, increasing the area of the
reservation one fourth. With the adj
ditional water supply, they can soon
become self-supporting people and
one fraction of the Indian problem will
lBdcu ~ Satisfactory SOlutlOn.
The Navajoes differ in many respects
from their neighbors, the Utes and
Apaches. Women among them holds a
superior position. "Woman's rights -
have been practically exemplified among
them for many years. The wife not
only has her say about all domestic ar
engagements, but holds her property in
her own right. Her share of the in
crease of the sheep and ponies is set
aside for her especial use and benefit.
Often the wives accompany their dusky
lords to the council fire, and their low
toned suggestions meet with ready vt
tention. They are very skillful in the
art of weaving.
Suppose you enter a hogan, or Indian
home. 1t is built of logs or stone, plas-
tered with adobe, and you must stoop as
you cross the threshold.
Inside, the lady of the house is busy
at her blanket. 1t is to be choice pro-
duction, and her fingers deity ply the
shuttle between the scarlet threads of
Bietta or red flannel and the wool of
her own sheep, dyed according to her
fancy. She has no measure, no pat
tern, but she makes no mistakes. In
many cases the designs are quite intri-
cate, and these blankets range in
price from $50 to 800.
saw one last week which is be-
ing woven for an army officer at
Fort Wingate. 1t is composed of Ger
mantown wool, ard is a marvel of
cunning workmanship. The weaver is
to have his choice as recompense be-
tween silver bride and horse. He
wove the elegant blanket presented to
General Sherman some time ago, and is
the master workman of his craft. The
Navajoes are alive to the power of dress,
and a Navajo belle is as fully conscious
of the splendors of her apparel as her
white sisters. The richer class wear a
dress of their own weaving, generally
black with fancy stripe in red for a
border. This garment fastens at the
shoulders with silver ornaments, leaving
the arms bare. They wear gay belt,
from which depend strings of beads,
shells, and little bells. WithaI the
"Princess Navajoe" has sometimes as
many as eighteen bracelets on each arm.
These are Of brass, copper, or silver ae-
cording to the means of the wearer, and
are often chased with considerable skill.
If she has coral necklace she surveys
her less fortunate sister with conscious
superiority, and displays her silver ear
rings with unmitigated satisfaction.
She has pretty foot, and she knows it,
and her buckskin moccasins and leg
gings are fresh and new. She ties her
long, black hair with scarlet yarn,
wraps her gay blanket about her shout
ders, and sallies forth to conquer.
The greatest obstacle to civilization
of the Navajoes is their superstition
about the dead. When q Navajo dies
he is Immediately carried out and the
"hogan'' torn down. His favorite
horse is shot, for without him the hunt
er would be poorly equipped for the
"happy hunting grounds His finest
blanket and household treasures are
gathered together, for their owner must
not enter the other world in poverty.
His friends seek a cave, and there he is
laid away like the patriarchs of old, and
the entrance walled up with adobe, or
huge stone. Those who have assisted
in the obsequies are considered unclean
and not allowed to speak to any person,
or approach their families for four days.
Then they 60 through the ceremony Of
washing their hands, and are considered
purified. Should a Navajo die friend
less and alone, his household goods are
left by his side, the $ hogan is pulled
down above him, and his home becomes
place of sepulture.
Manueita. head chief of the Nava-
joes, is a man of wonderful physique.
Tall, finely developed, in his holiday
dress he is a personifcation of one OF
Cooper's heroes. He lives in com.
Portable stone house and has adopted
many of the habits of the white man.
among them the unfortunate habi,
Of drinking whisky. This prac.
tice is at the root of most Of
the Indian troubles, and the laws against
traffic in liquor with the Indians are
both stringent and severe. Manuelita
has promised to abstain from the further
use of whisky and cooperate with Mr.
Eastman in his endeavors to prevent the
sale of liquor on thereservations and the
additional territory will be great in
centive to him to be vigilant in the mat
ter. There are a galaxy of chiefs in this
nation but they all look up to Manuelita
He wears beautiful necklace of tur
quoise and coral beads. Turquoise il
held in great esteem by the Indians, anc