The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-07-15
INDIAN DANCES IN YUcATAN.
One of the Old Customs of the Indians
of Central America.
THarper's Magazine.l

of Central America.
THarper's Ragazine.1
One OF their dances, called ixtol, is es,
pecially interesting, being Vestge VI
worship. Men and women take part III
the dance. provided the number OF each
ia eo1aI it matters not how many, All
have on masks, anciently well made TO-
day mere square pieces of deer skin, with
three holes cut for the eyes and mouth.
Often these holes are so much aWry as
tn produce a most ludicrous appearance,
and none can guess what the features De
meath may he like. All wear sandals
The women wear necklaces, principally OF
large red beads, and earrings, formerly
nose-rings, too, but since the conquest
these have been prohibited.
The chief, or master, as they call MN,
wears circular cap, stuck all round with
peacock feathers making lofty, waving
head dress. In front of him, from his
waist, hangs a representation OF the sun.
In its center is an eye, lnclosed by
triangle from which depends large
tongue. All these are symbols of most
ancient freemasonry. One carries white
flag with sun painted on it and man
and woman worshiping it. Another has
a sacatan, a kind of drum, used also III
Africa; another flute another sIstrum,
a sacred instrument among the ancient
Egyptians With the sistrum he beats time
for the dancers. In the other hand he has
small three-tailed whip, calling to mind the
Egyptian t1agellum of Osiris This is to
chastise the dancers if they step badly A
necklace of large sea.shells hangs half way
to his waist.
Each dancer has in the left hand fan
made of turkey feathers, with the bird s
claw for handle In the right hand each
has sistrum, not quite like those of cen
trail Africa, as described by Du Chaillu.
Those in Yucatan are made OF small Gala
bashes, ornamentally painted and secured
to the handle by pieces of bamboo, and
have pebbles inside to rattle The flag is
held upright by the bearer or planted IN
the ground. Beneath it sits the drummer,
Cross-legged, his drum on the ground be-
fore him. Close to the flagstaff stands
the master, the conductor and the flute
player
With the flag for CENTER the dancers go
round three times, bodies bent forward
and the eyes on the ground, as if cropping
in the dark, the drum meanwhile beating
a peculiar quickstep. Then the flag is
unfurled-the sun appears! All draw
themselves up to their fullest height
and raise eyes and hand with a shout OF
Joy. Then the dance commences round
and round the flag with various steps and
motions, at the same time energetic and
solemn, initiating the course and move
ments of our planet, among other things.
Meanwhile the chief sings and the people
answer in chorus over and over again the
same thing in Maya tongue:
Chief-Take care how you step.
Dancers-We step well, o master.
The melody is both mournful and
stirring. The rafting of the sistrum is
very effective, now initiating the scatter
ing of grain; now, by suddeA movement
of every arm, giving forth one mighty
6 all nd 81 Of
thunder, together with a shout raised by
the dancers after each chorus is sung.
The fans are kept in motion as symbolical
of the wind