The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-23
A PUEBLO INDIAN CHRISTMAS.
Election of officers and Tribal Dam
cers--GnmbIing and Sports.

Election of officers and Tribal Dam
cers--GambIing and Sports.
From the New York Evening Post.
Albuquerque, N. M, Dec. 1S.-The
Pueblo Indians of New Mexico cele-
brated Christmas in their primitive
way, and, although they profess Chris
tianity, they also observe their relig-
ious as well as their tribal customs,
On Christmas Eve, the inhabitants OF
each village assemble at the estufa
(place of Worship and elect officers for
the ensuing year. Men and boys over
16 years of age, if the latter have
proved their worthiness in the chase,
select the candidates by a viva-voce
vote. Women are not permitted in the
estufa. The officers elected are a
Governor" of the village, War Chief. "
police official, and a council of five
members, as a kind of a Cabinet for
the Governor" The Governor" by
the advice and consent of his cabinet,
sets the time for the chase, when the
entire village turns out, also designates
the time to irrigate the little patches,
the time to go to work, and is eX-of-
llcio administrator of justice. The
"War Chief directs the pasturing of
stock, and prevents depredations upon
private property. He is the chief of
police, constable, judge and jury com
bined. Only serious cases of crime are
referred to the Governor and Council.
After the election of officers a grand
dance takes place. The braves are
dressed in buckskin pantaloons with a
white cotton shirt. The head-dresS is
of the skin of the deer or fox, the tail
IL 4 4,
as an ornament. Some of the head
dresses of the officials are prettily dec
Grated with bright feathers and some
times eagle plumes. Their faces are
painted in yellow and white stripes,
relieved by red spots on the cheeks.
They wear moccasins of leather. The
braves form in a double line and march
around the village, preceded by the
officers and the cacique or spiritual
head. Each brave carries in his left
hand q gourd half filed with pebbles
and nicked at the top. In his right
hand is a convex stick, which he saws
across the guord, and at the same time
gives the gourd a shake, or rattle. This
excruciating noise is partly drowned
by the general chant in which all join.
The song is monotone, as If the sing
er were telling a story or reciting his
torical sketches and suddenly 1t breaks
out into wild and loud blare like the
crash of the elements of discord in the
grand opera of civilization.
The dance is hippety-hop, and the
movement is slow, until one of these
breaks is sounded, and then 1t is de-
lirious like a war dance. This exercise
continues all night, or as long as the
braves can stand up. There is a con-
siderable quantity of mescal drunk at
these celebrations, and many of the
braves fall by the wayside. The pale
faces from the surrounding settlements
attend the fiesta, and some bring along
their whisky and gaming implements.
In the plaza, or central square, there
are all kinds of games and booths FOR
all kinds of drinks. The Pueblo Indian
is not used to our whisky, and a very
little soon induces him to gamble away
his money. clothes and wife.
Isleta, few miles from Albuquerque
N. M, is the largest of the twenty
Pueblo villages in the territory, and
the celebration here is always attended
by a large crowd of whites. 1t lasts
two or three days, during which there
are horse racing, cooking mains and
other sports-the gaming tables are
run night and day. One of the games
is chusa. similar to the American rou-
lette, with hidden spring which the
dealer touches. Another sport is ell gall
lo-the burying of a rooster in the
sand leaving its head above the sur
face. The best riders In the village
are selected to compete. They form
I'm a front line at a distance of 100
yards, and charge down upon the roos-
Ter. The rider, going at a full run.
leans from his saddle and grabs at the