The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-10-30
SAN GER0a IMOiS FESTIVAL.

MrU. MCClurg Tells OF This Great Day
Among the Notwithstanding Facts
About Ancient PeOple-The Rites of San
GerOnimo's Day-Next and Last Lecture
of the Series to be Illustrated by Stere-
opticon-The Hour Changed.
Mrs, Gilbert McClurg yesterday after
noon delivered the third in her course
of lectures on "The Prehistoric South
west" at United church chapel The
special topic yesterday was San Geroni-
mo and the festivals held in his honor
among the Pueblo Indians at present.
| Mrs. McClurg first described the pottery
OF the Pueblos and explained the myth
| ology of the race.
The most interesting part of the lee
| ture was that portion which described
| the celebrations attending San Geroni-
mos festival day. This occurs on the
SOth Of September of each year and is
| the chief gala day of the year among
the Pueblos, the Santa Domingo harvest
dance being a great part of the gaiety,
| On this occasion the dancing continues
! for about eight hours to the music of
! barbarous instruments. The origin Of
| the rites of the harvest dance dates
back to the remotest antiquity of these
people all except that part devoted to
| the honor of San Geronimo. For CEN
turtles the Pueblos have held these fes-
rivals, the like Of which were unknown
among the other Indians of what is now
the United States.
The women of the Pueblos prepare for
| the festival with as much attention as
| a New England housewife bestows up
on her Thanksgiving preparations. The
curious blue corn bread is baked in fam
| tastic shapes and this with other offer
| ings is taken to the little church, where
| the padre says a mass for the souls of
departed friends. After the ceremonies
| are over the offerings go to the PADRES
| storeroorn, so that this relic of an old
world festival is turned into a modern
donation party, These padres We're at
| work among the people Of the Pueblos
as early as 154S. They did not seek to
blot out all the faith of the people,
| but some of their gods and ideas were
slightly changed and made to coincide
with the Catholic conception of relg-
| ion
| Each Pueblo has population of about
| four hundred and is five or six stories
| high, each story being smaller than the
| one underneath. The terrace plan of
| building prevailed in the older Pueblos,
but those of the present time are built
in the fat, low Mexican style. In the
old Pueblos the lower and outer wall
made am impregnable fortress.
Taos, where the festival to San Ger
onimo is held, has its walls terraced on
all four sides, so that is resembles a
pyramid. There are really two of these
buildings about $50 feet apart, both I'M
der the shelter Of Taos mountain Two
or three rooms are allotted to each fam
ily. More than 10000 visitors come to
Taos each year to the celebration, and
all sorts of people may be seen there
at that time, even Apache Indians at
tending during recent years. The ma
tives are gaudi1y decorated in feathers,
paint, and colored leaves. After the re-
| 1igious ceremonies are over a series of
races and athletic sports are held.
Mrs. McClurg exhibited some inter-
esting relics illustrating life among the
| Pueblos, among them being deer hide
on which was painted a picture of st.
John. In the edges of the hide are nail
marks where 1t was nailed to the wall
of some mission church, and 1t is a rel
lie of early Spanish times in the south
west. Dolls such as are made by the
Pueblos and Apaches, amulets, sort
Of canteen, rude head dresses and other
relics were shown
The next and last lecture of the Sc
ries will be held tomorrow evening at
s o'clock, the time having been changed
from p. M, as at first scheduled. 1t
will be illustrated by stereopticon views
and promises to be the most interest
| ing of an extremely interesting course.