Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-04-18
Pueblo Indian Dances.

There is an annual dance at every
Pueblo village which is named for and
dedicated to the village In which It
occurs. This anniversary is made
gala day and there are various amuse-
ments. Foot races and pony races. con-
tests requiring speed and endurance
are engaged in, as well as the dance
and feast. with an abundant distri-
button of bread TO the dancers. termi-
nate the ceremonies. Those who give
the bread to the dancers are stationed
on the house-tops and they hurl the
loaVes, biscuits and pancakes among
them. There is a greedy scramble. and
the shirts Of the dancers are soon bulred
to the utmost by the amount of bread
stored within them.
Another dance is called the Buffalo
dance. In this the dancers have the
pelts OF animals dangling from their
| bodies, and the horns Of cattle fastened
upon their heads. \ bulky monster.
covered with the hairy hides OF cattle.
and somewhat resembling n buffalo in
appearance. is borne around the plaza
I'm a stumbling manner by two Indians
partly hidden within it. This is n chief
attraction Several Indians. suitably
costumed. take part in cownish acts at
intervals between the dances. much to
the amusement OF the spectators
Sometimes n dance is named after an
other tribe OF Indians, which is repre-
| considered vagabonds. and the Indians
representing them illustrate this con-
| dition by their slovenly dress. dance.
| conversation. and behaviour. other tribes
are represented. on other days, in a
manner BETTING their peculiarities and
the estimate in which they are held.
| The greater number of the dances
| of the Pueblos are given for the sake Of
| the accompanying feast, and are with
| out significance other than that Of the
| desire for good time Both men and
women participate in the dance, arranged
| In separate columns. The men are us
| ually bareheaded the women wear a
headdress made of short piece OF
! board. which is carved after a fantastic
design and painted in gay colors. The
| men have the upper part of the body
| nude to the waist and painted in bright
colors. The women are fully clad. and
display ribbons and colored cloth. Moe
casins and leggins are worn. to which
are attached beads, tinkling bells, and
| worn for adornment. eagle feathers pre-
| dominating. Coyote hides are suspended
| from the mems waists and dangle ovei
their hips.
During the dance the women wave
| evergreen branches in unison with the
| motions of the dancers. The men carry
| gourds containing small stones gathered
from ant mounds, which they violently
| shake whenever there is change OF
position. The women scarcely rails,
their feet from the ground. but the mer
step high and stamp with much force
There is continual beating of severa
not very sonorous drums that were made
by the Indians themselves. An Indiar
seated on the ground and bent forward
TO his task CRATES a stick over the cor
rugated edge of a board which emits q
succession of sounds that resemble thos,
produced by woodpeckers bill wher
rapidly hammerlng into hardwood tree
Sometimes there is a choir of a dozeI
or more Indians, who stand near tn,
dancers and sing with them. The gut
tural tones are used and the eXpulsiv,
form of voice. Much of the singing /!
mere repetition of Yah YAH" anc
resembles somewhat the harsh, quicl
bark of a dog,
The dancers are attended by all tn,
Indians of the village in which they ar,
held. also by visitors from neighborinl
towns and occasionally by tourists from
distance. The custom is regarded 10y
some serious folk as a hindrance to tn,
Indians advancement, inasmuch as 4
is criterion of what delights his natur,
and as such shows no indications o
progress.-IKansas City Star.