Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-10-05
FEAST OF SAN GERONIMO.
A Short Description of Indian Fes-
tivities at the Pueblo Of Taos,
Held Last Week.

which was celebrated at Taos last week
was the most successful one in years in
point of number. 1t would be difficult
to estimate the visitors in thousands as a
large portion were campers on the hill
sides surrounding the pueblo, owing to
the limited facilities of the town proper
for handling crowd of such magnitude.
The ceremonies and athletic feats
which we're participated in by the In
dians exclusively were interesting, more
from the fact that certain air OF mys-
terry surrounded their every movement
than that these ceremonies and feats were
Of a very high degree.
The day opened with typical New
Mexico morning, the air crisp and cool
lending an"exhilarating influence to the
vast throng whfeilre fsde5 its way to the
pueblo, distant aboh battered limb from
the town of Taos, there all was hustle and
excitement, Indians donning their paint
and brightest hued costumes and moving
about with an air of Importance and
self consciousness; for this was the event
of the year in their comm place exist
ence.
First on the list was the foot races, par
ticipated in by the young bucks from
both sides of the river, and great was the
rivalry shown, as the pueblo is divided
by a stream, spapned by bridge, and
large and comm odious adobe residences
are reared to the height of five stories on
either eide in irregular order, one above
the other. The speed developed by some
of the young bucks was remarkably good
and might have surprised not few of
their white brothers in sprinting. Next
came the greasy pole climbing with a
goat as the reward for climb of about
40 feet up pole made difficult of ascent
by having lard spread literally over the
surface. However, the feat was accom-.
plished and the reward won and long and
loud was the cheering when the athletic
young Indian dropped gracefully to
ground, tightly claspiDg his much coveted
goat and receiving congratulatory slaps
on the back. Next in order was the fa-
nous dance, which has frequently been
described in print and which differs little
from the average Indian dance, consisting
in series of cultural grunts and wild
gesticulations accompanied by patting
Of the feet with more or less pretense at
precision. As side issue innumerable
wrestling matches and pony races we're
constantly being pulled off to the edifica-
tion of the delighted throng, who ex-
pressed their appreciation of the success
of some favorite by vigorous yell. The
scene was exciting in the extreme and one
for which long stage ride from the near
est railroad point might we'll be taken.
This tribe of Indians is peculiar to
themselves as their religious rites at the
celebration of their patron saint (St.
Jerome) is entered into with hearty
good will. There is a portion of the
ceremonies, however, to which every one
is excluded, this ls carried on under.
ground in large chambers especially con-
structed for this purpose, and what is
known, or said to be known, is mere
surmise; by some it is claimed that the
ancient religious belief is taught to the
younger members, which is decidedly
paganistic, consisting in the worshipiug
of snakes, principally; by others, the
traditions of the tribe are taught to the
young bucks, in either event a dance
followe, and beyond doubt outsiders are
barred and no member of the tribe can be
induced to divulge the secret.
Neatness and cleanliness mark every
detail OF the interior of the Fueblo'f
abode, the cradle for the slumbering in
FAINT is hung from the ceiling by raw hide
thongs, while the young Aboriginee is
swayed to and fro by the household in the
course of their household duties.
All ingress to the living rooms above
the ground floor is had by the ladder
route, a ladder over the outside wall 10
the roof and another through the trap
door to the apartment below, thus in time
of war and in the absence of modern i'm
plements of destruction the ladders could
be raised and the attacking enemy on the
outside would be at the mercy of those
on the walls above, as indeed was the
idea in this method of construction.
GRO. SUMNER.