News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-11-27
THE FEAST OF SAN JERONIMO.
How IL is Observed by the Pueblo Indians OF
the Village of Taos,
from the Denver Tribune

From the Denver Tribune.1
The Pueblo Indian Village of Taos is
situated in the northern part of the Ter
ritory of New Mexico, and it is easily
reached from Embudo, on the New Mex.
leo Division of the Rio Grande, which
runs down from Antonito to Espanola.
| reporter, in conversation with w. +.
Tibbits, of the Denver and Rio Grande
Passenger Department, few days ago,
gathered some interesting information
about the inhabitants. Capt. Tibbits
made visit to the place in the latter
part of September for the purpose o.
finding out just what the people did and
how they lived. The special occasion
OF his visit was desire to be present al
| the celebration of the feast of San Je.
ronimo, the patron saint of Taos, which
| takes place every year on the 30th Of
September. The Captain says he ar.
rived in time to see the most interesting
part of the performance.
Early IN the morning of the Both q
pole 40 or 45 feet high was erected in q
public place and it was carefully creased
so as to make it an exceedingly difficult
thing to climb it. On the top of the pole
a piece of wood was fastened like the
cross bars on telephone poles. At one
end of this cross bar live sheep was
suspended. Its four legs were tied to-
gether In bunch and it was swung on
to the bar with its back down. This
was the preliminary step, and the poor
sheep was allowed to hang there all day
long, for it was to play an important
part in the performances at the close of
the day.
Later in the morning, about 9 o'clock,
the entire population went to church,
for, it must be remembered that the
Pueblo Indians are, in an ignorant way,
members of the Catholic church. They
were brought into the church at an early
day after the conquest of New Mexico
by the Spaniards, but mixed with their
religion there is much of ignorance and
even some traces of their old pagan su-
perstitions. After the services at the
church were ended, the people in gen.
eral called on each other, much, itseems,
after the manner which prevails with
Americans of calling on their friends on
New Years Day. Captain Tibbits was
among the callers, and he says that he
found the people very hospitable, and that
when he entered house something to
eat was invariably set before him, and
he was expected to eat, although some
of the articles of diet were not so palat-
able nor inviting as it is possible to find
in civilized life. In the early part of the
afternoon the footracing began. Sixteen
1.-the, supple young Indians were selected
and separated into two bands of eight
each. These were the contestants. and
when the time came to start they took
their places in front of the judges stand,
from which the race track extended
straightway. One man from each band
was selected to open the race, and off
they started. Their respective associates
watched them closely, and as soon as
one of the runners reached the end of
the track a new man from his band
would start out after him. When the
other Indian reached the goal a runner
from his band would start out, so that
member of each band was Oh the track
all the time, and what the first man lost
his party lost, unless those who followed
him made it up. When the race was
over the entire company surrounded the
eight successful runners and marched
them around in great triumph.
After the racing was over a gang of
reckless fellows SGTOllcu dTOuuu Tile
plaza with apparently perfect license
to do as they pleased. They walked
along paying, seemingly, no attention
to the hucksters who exhibited their
wares upon the plaza, but suddenly
they would turn upon some unfortunate
huckster, and in few moments utterly
waste and upset his entire store. This
was the signal for general desertion of
the plaza by the hucksters, SO far as
they could do so without first being
caught. Then three or four hideously
painted fellows went to the creased pole,
which was erected early in the day, and
attempted to climbit. One would start
up, and after he got short distance
another would follow. When several
would be on the pole at the same time,
the top one would slip down upon those
below him, and all of them would come
tumbling down in a heap at the
bottom of the pole at last, how
ever, one of them succeeded in
climbing to the top of the pole, and
when he got there he slowly and care
tulip pushed the poor sheep, which had
hung there all day; eff of the cross bar.
1t fell to the grouGd, and the fall in
stanUy killed it.