The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-12-19
PUEBLO INDIAN
CHRISTMAS
An Adnn' libel Customs w
HE Pueblo Indians of New Mex

leo celebrate Christmas in their
primitive way, and, although
they profess Christianity, they
also observe their religious as
well as their tribal customs.
says the New York Evening Post. 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 six
teen years of age. II the latter have
proved their worthiness In the chase,
select the candidates by viva voce
vote. Women are not permitted In the
estufa. The officers elected are gov
ernor of the village, war chief, police
official and q council Of five members
as kind of cabinet for the govern
or. 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 officiO admins
traitor of justice. The ~ chief d.
reefs the pasturing of stock and pre-
vents depredations upon private prop
erty. He is the chief of police. con-
stable, judge and jury combined. 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 headdress
Is of the skin of the deer or fox. the
tail of the animal hanging down the
back as an ornament Some of the
headdresses of the officials are prettily
decorated with bright feathers and
sometimes 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 double line and march
around the village, preceded by the
officers and the cacique, or spiritual
head. Each brave carries in his left
hand a gourd half filled with pebbles
and nicked at the top. In his right
hand Is convex stick, which he saws
across the gourd and at the same time
gives the gourd shake or rattle. This
excruciating noise Is partly drowned
by the general chant, In which all join.
The song Is monotone, as IL the
singer were telling story or reciting
historical sketches, and suddenly 1t
breaks out into a wild and loud blare,
like the crash of the elements of dis
cord in the grand opera Of civilization.
The dance is hippetty hop, and the
movement Is slow until one of these
breaks Is sounded, and then 1t is deliri-
Gus, like a war dance. This exercise
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 In
dian is not used to our whisky, and q
very little soon induces him to gamble
away his money, clothes and wife.
Isleta, few miles from Albuquer-
que, n. NJ, Is the largest Of the twenty
Pueblo villages in the territory, and
the celebration here Is always attended
by 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 roulette, with
hidden spring which the dealer
touches. Another sport is ell gallo-the
burying of q rooster i'm the sand, leav-
ing his head above the surface. The
best riders in the village are selected
to compete. They form in front line
at u distance of 100 yards, and charge
down upon the rooster. The rider, go
ing at full run. leans from his saddle
and grabs at the head of the rooster.
If he catches the fowl, he is applauded
as the victor. He then races for his
home, with all the other horsemen aft
err him, with the intention of depriv-
ing him of his trophy. If they take
the fowl from him before he reaches
home, he is shorn Of his laurels, and
in the scramble the unfortunate rooster
is often torn to pieces. When rider
misses catching the ROSTERS head,
every one laughs, and if he falls from
his horse he is greeted with shouts
Of derision and epithets of "squaw
man."
There are services in the church each
morning during the fiesta, with the
usual game and sports in the after
noon and dancing at night. The serv-
ices are Roman Catholic-all Pueblos
being members Of that church. They.
however, observe some of their own
rights in secret-the dance being part
of their creed worship.