Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-11-22
TIE OPEN DANCE OF Tae 81: BIOS.
The Uotiring Movements of III. .idians
for Seven Long Hours

The men dancers have punches of
green and yellow parrot feathers fast
ened TO the top of their waving raven
hair, while around their necks arc
strings Of beads made OF shells, field
spar, and tnrquois. Their bodies are
nude to the waist, and are painted
with blue white clay, sometimes
merely in crude spots, while the legs
and arms are frequently striped with
the same or different tone. Around
the loins q Zuni or Moqui woven
breecheloth, embroidered in red aud
black, is held in place BY a white cot
ton girdle or sash, ending in balls and
long strings waving with every move
ment.
Below the knee masses of brilliant
colored wool are hnotted; over various
colored and beaded moccasins are an
klets of white and black skunk or goat
fur; and, hanging from the belt be-
hind, fox-skin with the tail down
ward. Under the broad armlets Of
tinted bnckskin are sprigs OF cedar; II
bunch Of the same is held i'm the left
hand, while the right shakes gourd
rattle at every change OF posture.
The dress of the women is square
Of heavy dark blue wool, drawn over
one shoulder and under the other, ex-
posing part Of the breast, while the
sides are held together by ornamented
silver pins. A long woven colored
sash is wound around the waist. The
legs are bare and notably fine; the feet
small and beautifully formed. Their
headdress IS decidly peculiar. 1t is
made of an oblong piece Of board or
dried buffalo hide, notched at the
top, with T-shaped piece resembling
the Tau" the emblem al life OF the
ancient Egyptians, cut out of the cen
ter, II Is painted light green, with
red and yellow stripes and smy bolic
figures; on the sides and points are
hecks OF white eagles down.
The lower part is followed out to lit
the head and is held in place by thongs
OF buckskin fastened under the hair.
immense strings Of shell and coral
beads encircle lie women's necks. and
big Navajo silver rings or crude tur-
quois hang rs ear pendants. Many
silver and copper bracelets dangle ut
their wrists MS they wave the branches
OF evergreen from side to side in uni
son with the steps. Rich vermillion
covers their cheeks and heightensaheir
savage beauty. ihey are modest in
demeanor. gracefully naive In move
ment and rarely take their eyes OF the
ground during the dance.
The dancing was kept up for seven
long hours; bat tbare was never any
shrinking; they stamped as energetic
ally the last hour as the first. ANY
sign of fatigue would be met with re-
newcd yigor Of the chanting chorus.
while the drummer would reverse his
drum and thump harder on the other
head The chorus huddled closer to-
gethet, gesticulating seriously with
their hands, is though to emphasize
the lfeauing Of their songs.
At shutdown they al solemnly filed
into the ehurchyard aud kneeed down
while the image Of the saiut was car
ried inside. A volley from the guns,
then the Indian character asserted IT.
self in Wild race Of men aud women
70 the ostufa. where they INDUCED in
their first refreshment Of the day.
Feasting was kept up far into. the
night, As were bonlires throughout'the
pueblo and on the church towers aud
walk. = Harper's Hesktu.