Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1902-12-25
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! PUEBLO INDIAN
! CHRISTMAS,
|, p .an,,.tare Of casi,,i"n''' Christ. '''

HE Pueblo Indians of New Mex
leo celebrate Christmas in their
primitive way. and, although
they profess Christianity, they
81 also observe their religious as
well as their tribal customs.
rays 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 worthlness 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 n council of i've 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 deslgnates the time TO
irrigate the little patches, the time to-
go to work and Is ex oiliclo admins
traitor of Justice. The war chief d.
rects the pasturlng 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 n grand
dance takes place. The braves are
dressed In buckskln pantaloons, with
a white cotton shirt. The hcaddress
is of the skin OF the deer or fox. the
tail of the animal hanging down the
back as an ornament. Some OF the
hcnddressps of the officials are prettlly
decorated with bright feathers and
sometimes eagle plumcsf Their faces
are painted In yellow and white stripes
relieved by red spots on the checks
They wear mlccasins Of leather. The
braves form in n double line and march
around the village. preceded by the
officers and the caclque, or spiritual
head. Each brave carries IN his left
hand n gourd half filled with pebbles
and nickcd at the top. In his right
hand Is Il convex stick. which he saws
across the gourd and at the same time
gives the gourd shake or rattle. This
eXcruciatmg noise Is partly drowned
by the general chant. IN which all join.
The song Is monotouo. MS lf the
singer were telling story or reclting
historical sketches. aud suddenly It
breaks out into Il Wild and loud biare,
[ Ike the crash of the cl. mpnts Of dis
( cord In the grand opera Of civilization.
The dance is hippn;ty hop. ana the
movement Is slow until one Of these
breaks Is sounded. and then II Is dcllri-
Gus. like war dance This exercise
/ continues all night, or as long as the
braves can stand up. There Is n con
siderable quiu,i.y OF moscal drunk at
/ these ordinations. nnd many OF the
braves fall hy the waysldc The pale
| faces from the surrounding settlements
! attend the fiesta. ANA some bring along
their whisky ana gaming implements.
| In the plaza. or central square, there
are an kinds of games aud booths for
all kinds Of drinks The Pueblo In
/ dian Is not used to our whisky, ana
/ very little soon induces him To- gamble
( away bis money, clothes aud wife.
lsleta. few miles from Albuquer-
/ que, n. NJ. Is the largest Of the twenty
/ Pueblo villages In the territory, and
/ the celebration here lsnlways attended
| by q large crowd Of whites. Il lasts two
[ or three days. during which there are
/ horse rnclug. cooking mains aud other
| sports. The gaming tables are run night
/ and dny one OF the games Is chusa.
similar 10 the American roulette, with
/ hidden epriug which the dealer
/ touches Another sport Is el gnllO-the
/ hurying ~ q rooster In the sand. leay-
| Ing Ills head above the surface The
| best riders In the village are selected
/ 90 compete They form In a front line
at % distance OF 100 yards. and charge
: down upon The rooster. The rider. go
/ Ing nt fun run leans from his saddle
/ and grabs nt the head Of the rooster.
| n hp catches the fowl. be Is appluudcd
! as the victor lle then racc5 for his
home. with all the other horsenon aft
or him, with the Intention Of depriy-
Ing him Of his trophy II they take
the fowl from him before hc reaches
home. he Is shorn Of his laurels, and
In the scramble the unfortunate rooster
Is often torn 10 pieces. When rider
misses catching the ROSTERS head.
every one laughs. aud II he falls from
his horse be ls greeted with shouts
Of derlsion aud epthets Of "gquaw
man"
There are services ln the church each
morning during the fiesta. with the
usual game and sports IN the after
noon and dancing at night The sery-
Ices nre Roman Catholic-all Pueblos
being members Of that church. They,
rights in Fccrct-ihr dance being part
Of their creed worship