The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-03-14
CHRIsTlAN!ZED INDIANS.
Religious Ceremonies OF the Pueblos In
Honor of Their Patron Saint.

Religious Ceremonies OF the Pueblos 10
Honor of Their Patron Saint.
The Pueblo Indians are prudent and
self-sustaining. They, are Christian.
lied and have a patron saint, st. Ge-
ronimo (St. Jerome) The Pueblo viii
lage is on both sides of a creek that
flows down from the Sangre De Christie
range and joins the Rio Grande several
miles below Taos village. This creek
supplies water to irrigate their lands
and as it is never failing source, their
crops are always abundant There is a
pueblo on either side of the creek, and
friendly spirit of rivalry exists be-
tween the occupants of the two. These
pueblos each contain a population of
four hundred or five hundred Indians.
They are built of adobe, several stories
high and divided into houses for fami-
lies They have an image of their
patron saint, and the custody of this
image is supposed to bring with it a
train of special blessings to that pueblo
where it is housed. The choice of the
council and the custody of the image
are determined by foot race on St
Jerome day, September 30. and the vic
torious pueblo has undisputed posses
sion of the offices and the image Entil
the next 30th of September. About
thirty contestants from each pueblo
are chosen for the race, which is run
over course of one-eighth of mile
over the public road, Four judges, two
from either faction, are stationed at each
end of the course. and fifteen runners
from each pueblo are placed at either
end, so that sixty men are stripped for
the race at once. At a signal one run
ner from each side starts for the oppo-
site end of the course, where two
others are anxiouslE awaiting their
arrival, each hoping his ally may gain
few yards over his antagonist. The
instant the foremost runner crosses the
line runner belonging to his faction
darts away for the opposite goal, while
his competitor is compelled to await
the arrival of his coadjutor. 1t re-
quires considerable time for thirty
pairs of runners to cover the one
eighth mile course and excitement runs
high, and with any people of less
stoicism than an Indian these races
would be liable to end in fights. After
the race is over, upon which such vital
interests hinge, the balance of the day
is passed in friendly games that al
ways include the creased pig and
creased pole and many such games as
afford amusement at our eastern fairs.
st. Geronimo day always attracts a
crowd and the thrifty Pueblos gather
wealth by sale of Indian trinkets The
ceremonies of the celebration of St
Geronimo day really begin at sun
down on the Goth of September, when
a procession of men and women march
through the town, each person carry
ing u green branch, all chanting or
informing some unintelligible words and
dancing in front of the church, where
they deposit the boughs about the
image of the saint. On the morning of
saints day the image is deposited in
the church to abide the event of the
days race, after which the successful
contestants take it into their keeping
and expect the special blessings at
tendant upon its possession. The feet
est runners are chosen from each
pueblo, and the speed would astonish
many professional pedestrians. Troy
Times