Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-01-07
RITES OF THE ACOMA INDIANS.
They Wake up Once a Year and Work
Hard for About 10 Days


great certainty claim the credit of hav-
ing the strangest harvest ceremonies
of any people on earth. Little is really
known of these Indians, as their
strange home in New Mexico is far
out of the beaten paths of travel, and
they seldom venture far from it them
selves.
Acoma is located about 40 miles
from Fort Wingate, and the region
around it is wild and almost barren
The town itself is on top of cliff, or
rather an enormous bowlder, that rises
400 feet above the surrounding plain.
The top of this is almost inaccessible,
and the Indians have only two trails.
both being exceedingly difficult and
dangerous. The government has sent
several expeditions to Acoma, but little
has been found out about the people
who look with disfavor on any at
tempt to learn anything about certain
customs. They are a harmless and
simple tribe, but are much attached
to the traditions Of the past In fact
they have absolutely refused to give
up their old customs in spite of all
persuasion. 1t has never been possible
to make the Acomans real good Chris
tians, although they have embraced the
faith and are always glad to see a
visiting priest. A church was built
foc them over 100 years ago, and is
still standing. They are perfectly will
ling to attend service, and most of
them have been baptized, but they
will go directly from hearing mass II
some secret ceremony held in one of
the kivas or meeting halls of the town
No white man has ever seen one of
these ceremonies, and the chances are
none ever will
Another strange thing is that the
people have no respect for the church
as an edifice. When it is not being
used for service they see no reason
why it cannot be used for something
else, and generally have it full of
sheep. But they never modest the
altar nor disturb any Of the articles
used in the service. On one occasion
visiting priest forgot his prayer
book, and was unable to go back for
it. 1t was two years before he got 20
Acoma again and there had been no
other priest ito visit the place in the
mean time. He had forgotten all
| about his prayerbook, but, to his
surprise, found it in the Identical
place where he had left it when he
last used lit.
The greater portion of the year
Acoma is like a dead city. Men who
have remained there several days say
| that some of the people will not leave
their homes for weeks at a time. The
arrival of visitors is all that will dis
turb them, and when party approach
es the place they crowd around the top
of the cliff crying and gesticulating
until they find out whether the stran-
gers intend to stop or not During the
long winters the people live indoors,
telling stories and playing different
games. In spring they arouse enough
to allow the men to go to the fields
some distance away and put in seed
Then there is another long interval
of quiet until the crop is pretty we'll
along and needs watching. To watch
the crop is an honor, but he who vol
unteers to do so is exempt from work
when the harvest time comes. 1t is
a dangerous job, though, as the watch
er has to live alone near the fields,
while the rest of the tribe is safe in
the little city of cliffs.
The Acomans do not harvest their
crop as it ripens, but allow it to re-
main in the fields until everything
else is ready to harvest and then make
one job of it ALL About the middle
of September, generally, the chief gives
the word and the town wakes up.
Where all was quiet and idleness the
greatest activity prevails and excite
ment fills the people They act as if
they had not expected a crop, and the
first part of their ceremony is to give
thanks to the rain god. This they do
by beating different instruments.
building fires and singing. Several
times all the people march around the
outside edge of the cliff and then be-
gin the long walk to the fields, heavy
with the harvest. The harvest usu-
ally takes about 10 days. and in the
mean time it is doubtful if many of
the people sleep wink. All night
long they keep up their songs of
thanks to the rain god and the next
day start for the fields as soon as the
sun rises. Some of the fields are three
miles away, but all of the crop is car
ried the entire distance The men do
the digging of potatoes and cutting of
the grain and the women carry it on
their heads to the hilltop Great big
bundles of chilli peppers and grain of
different kinds are transported across
the sandy fields and up the steep sides
of the cliff, where it is deposited in
the harvest house. While the crop is
being gathered the very oldest women
in the town are made to work, and
they go about their tasks most I'M
willingly, because they have no right
to any of the harvest. They complain
and refuse and are then beaten until
they get to work They do not DO as
much as the younger people, but it
all counts
When at last the crop is all in and
the granaries are filled with food for
the long winter there is great rejoic-
ing. And what a lot of good things
they do havei There IS wheat, corn,
and barley and big piles of potatoes.
Tons Of chill and dried tomatoes.
PnachnG and or~anoc arc tbnro in DIontv