The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-01-14
CHRISTMAS At 4 PUEBLO

~ d nalr oozen startling coIors: huge
bracelets of silver and brass encircle
their upper arms; their heavy shocks of
hair hang to the shoulders and their
races are q CHASTITY white. They wear
embroidered kits of red yellowish leg.
glngs are fastened about their calves, and
beaded moccasine generally heirloooms,
are on their fest. Behind each kill
bangles the skin of wildcat or a fox
some of these decorations have been used
IN these dances for fully century, a. few
Tor longer periods. Each male dancer
nolds sacred gourd filled with pebbles
like rattle, in one hand, and a bunch ~
long eagle feathers in the other.
Inc dresses of the women dancers arc
more gaudy and generous. Each wears q
orleht red or blue oVergoWm, reaching
from her shoulders to her knees. It is the
product of weeks of labor and planning.
with its cariegated embroidery. Fro1n
the knees to the ankles are white buck
! SKIN affairs like bootlegs, and on the fee+
are red moccasins. embroidered with cor
penis heads. bunch of feathers dvex5
| IN red and blue is in one hand. and a
snowy SILK handkerchief is in the other
heavy earrings, a score of bracelets and
TURQUOISE and shell necklaces comnlete
! the toilet Oo-'p'o'e
Inc men face the women. a. thnmn ~,
me orunl IS heard and the dancing TO-
GINS The chorus by the choir starts in =,
wv SLOW gutteral. The feet of all tho
uancers move slowly in unison with the
music the feathers being waved aloft tn
lhe movement of the feet, Graduate 49,
c,lorus rises. the feet move faster. and
me leathers wave more swiftly. The
chorus becomes a wild allegro The men
are syfatlng so fast that one can scarcely
u1suhgulsh their features, while their
ba sSn id1r STANDS out straight from their
neads. The onlookers' cries grew louder
ara more rapid and the music wa
drowned. A picture never to he forpot+e.,
IS formed by the adobe white walls o
sard thick, with deep recessed windows
ana many crude pictures REPRESENTING
sIenes IN the passion: the little altar at
me further end. adorned with candles
:huSe bouquets of paper flowers. a wealth
" tilsel ana several wooden crosses: the
Icss mat support the roof, the persnir,n,r
i~nteu lnclan men, whirling about as If
III oellrlcm; the dark-visaged women in
Sa u, or vivid colors. and with now
ClSIe' eled hair ever their laces mov;ng
apcut with appraised hands. waving fa.-b
ers ana SILK handkcrchiefs in perfect time
10 the rapid chorus; the hundreds ~
t,aoNe?tu excited, shouting spectators
stle "rlhkled and bent old men, the chill,
| 1oe,,t clao IN blankets and strange gar
nlehts Of barbaric fancy. the voun. ~o-
men VINO hold lighted candles above +beir
o"art races ard ebony hair. Thu ;ono
Nioe room 1esovn6s with the shouts If
sne !hol&ns and the altar shakes With tho
a'ssnlplns OF the feet on the floor TIn~
n,ars, aiu locr hcurs this strange cera.
Hlo1y continues. At exactly midnipht tho
Cells on the roof are iincled viuorr,,sl,
me chorus ceases and the dancers ston
~ sucden hCSh comes over all Tn :, for,
minutes the assemhlage participates IN
', T, eeleoratlon of the mass by the pciast
me christmas week has begun in the
pueblo OF lsleta. Many an Indian fo,,iI,,
| sits up all Christmas NIGHT feas ss
| smoking and drinking It is the most
glorious period in the whole year. F,ve,v
aAteH'looI 1or a week dancing takes nlaco
on the little plaza. The more sociabIa
people from the neighboring tribes come
and join in the festivity. Half ioza,,
sheepskin and barrel drums are hronaht
into use and several score of singers as.
semole every day to add their voices 1o
the music. The dances are all subsfan,
t!ally the same. Sometimes a. band ~
NaVaJos' moved by the spirit of the &C.
.as1oh 10 snow their dexterity and stav-
Ing powers as long-distance dancers. nav
entertain the Isleta people by marvelous
hopp1ngs and WRITINGS, ACCOMPANIED hv
ear-spilttlng whoops, for an hour or +u,o
without cessation. No wild West show
ever mad such an attraction as Jsleta
presents. o'"
Chilstmas week means a good deal to
Tic juvenile part of the population Of tho
pueblo. The white person who thinks tbe
Indians are devoid of humor and are a
S1lent race ought to DO out here in the
monday season and observe the Indian
ooys. The teacher at the government
school says she never knew such roguish
fellows, and in holiday week thew are "a
loquaclous as any quilting bee ever was
Ihey plan surprises for their elders nv
throwing crotchety hen in through the
open door, by concealing the all-essential
lanliy store OF tobacco and secretly
! watching with roguish eyes while a grand
parent goes hunting for it. At night
bands OF a dozen little boys and girls
wander about the pueblo, making noise
with gourd rattles and bits of metal or
stone, and visiting friendly homes. Thew
give the occupants brief serenade and
attempt dancing like the men and women
! AS reward these children serenaders get
DIT OF corn cake or sweet drink Thew
are excellent mimics.
Every day for a week the feasting con-
t1nues. Almost hourly pueblo squaws.
dressed in startling combinations of blue.
| red, green aid black, may be seen bear
ing carefully prepared bean pies to the
| homes of friends. There is a wealth Of
black cake throughout the village and
breadstuffs seasoned with chiles are on
every table. Wine is to be found hero
also. An Isleta decoction squeezed from
| the juice of the Zinfandel grapes and
| toned by an ingredient from the cactus
! will set any mans blood tingling. Every
night in the holiday week there are sew
e=al hundred thick tongues and shining
| eyes in thu ancient pueblo.
|