Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1902-12-12
PUEBLO INDIAN
CHRISTMAS:
$50. ..,;=+,,. Of chti.t,'n't' ana
TIaDoA "
HE Pueblo Indians of New Mex
leo celebrate Christmas in their
primitive way, and, although
they profess Christianity, they

they profess Christianity, they
also observe their religious as
well 40 their tribal customs.
nays 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, If the latter have
proved their worthiness in the chase,
select the candidates by viva v0ce
vote. Women are not permitted in the
estufa. The officers elected are gov
ernor of the village, war chief, police
official and council OF five members
al a 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
60 to work and is ex officio admins
traitor of justice. The war chief d.
reefs the pasturing of stock and pre-
vents depredations upon private prep
erty. He is the chief Of police, con-
stable. Judge and Jury combined. Ouly
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
~, - In
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 mecca sins 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 gourd half filed with pebbles
and nicked at the top. In his right
hand is a convex stick, which he saws
| across the gourd and at the same time
gives the gourd shake OF rattle. This
by the general chant in which ain join.
| The song is monotone, as If the
| singer We're telling a story or r1citing
historical sketches. and suddenly it
breaks out into Il wild and loud l,lare.
| like the crash OF the elements vi dis
cord in the grand opera Of civil!z@' tion.
The dance is a hippetty hop, asstl the
| movement is slow until one cf these
| breaks is sounded. and then it is +leliri-
| GUS, like a war dance. This exercise
continues all night. or AS long ~: III"
| braves can Stand up. There is Is CON
| siderable quantity Of mcS,-;ll drunk II
these celebrations. and MANY M IT,.
! braves fall by ,lir waySiur TIL" 1,A!:'
| faces from the surrounding set: ',.',.;,,: y
! their whisky a:!l gaming inpl,',~:t<
In the plaza, or central square. There.
| are all kinds Of games and booths s4H'
| all kinds Of drinks. The r,n''l" IL.
| dian is not used TO orr whisky and 4.
/ very little soon induces hin, to ga,nl,i..
| away his money. casttnrS and wife.
Isleta, q few miles from AlhuHuer-
! que, n. H. is the largest Of the twenty
| Pueblo villages liz the territory, and
the celebration here is always attended
by q large crowd Of whites 1t lasts two
! or three: days. during which there are
horse racing, cockinge mains and other
! sports The gaming tables are run night
| and day. One Of the games is chusa,
| similar to- the American roulette. with
a hidd-t' spring which the dealer
! touches Another sport is Il gallO-~the
| buryihg Of rot,ster III the sa nd, leav-
| ing his head above the surface. The
best riders il, the village are selected
to compete They form il Il front line
| at ii diStance Of 100 yards, and charge
| down. Upon the rooster. The: rider, 20
! ing at full run, leans from his saddle
| and grabs at the head Of the rooster
| IL he catches the fowl he is appla ,l.led
as thu. victor. He then races for his
! home. with all the other horsemen AFT
| er 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