Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-03-14
ISLETA INDIANS.
They Amused Good Crowd Yesterday
With the Second Acequia Dance,
FUNERAL DURING PROCEEDINGS.


dians from the Apache, Navajo and |
Laguna tribes were guests Of peacea-
BILE inhabitants of the adobes, whom |
they robbed and overpowered in the
days OF hardships and strife.
Although the village may have APP |
peared to assume a spirit OF gaiety and |
revelry to the uninitiated. II was not
so to the Indian In any respect. These /
dances, in which they offer prayer to
the great spirit to send them water,
that they may have good crops and a
golden harvest, are very sacred and
solemn.
At first sight from a distance, there
is little to attract the favorable atten'
ton OF the Caucasian; a huge collec-
ton OF small adobes, without n sign OF
life. Sunshine, silence and adobes
meets the curious gaze. But as one
draws nearer the unique and ancient
architecture, the quaint ovens and
neat arrangement of the small, clean
courts are viewed with admiration.
The first evidences CT the dance was
the sudden appearance on the
house tops of six yelling In
dams. clad in white cotton. richly
decorated with sashes of bright colors
their faces made hideous by facial dec
orations of black and white. Banishlng
| their long whips in the air they pene-
trated the atmosphere with soul-stir-
ring yells They disappeared as mys-
teriously as they appeared. A few
minutes of quietness and they would
appear on another house top in the
vicinity of the plaza. This was kept
up until every Indian in the village
knew his fate II he did not attend the
| dance. These six grotesque and grim
beings, whose faces were rendered
more CHASTITY and appalling by the
bright rays of the sun, were the chiefs
of the dance ceremonies. 1t was their
duty to see that everyone attended the
dance. II anyone refused there was
fun for the spectators BY this time
the tops of the seemingly coiorless
house were lined with Indians wrapped
in red and brilliant colored blankets.
The doorways and front OF the house
were filled with the figures that stood
out in sharp relief with the surround.
ings. The conventional and accus.
Il A. 81 nd nA
a peculiar shade or tint to this pictur'
esque sight. The dance was the occa'
sion of the visit ana II was for the
7 dance that everyone waited patiently
to see From out of the council cham
bers came the men, and having formed
long line, keeping step to the odd
, sounds being pounded out of an equal
+. ly odd and Anticipated drum, they were
Joined by the women. The costumes
were very elaborate and profusely
adorned by bright colored sashes and
they were especially lavish In theil
silver jewelry. Stepping in circle t.
the tapping of the drum, they sent 9
, mystical, strange chant into the heav
ems. At times 1t reached pitch o.
shrillness which caused a shiver e
e visit the spinal column. Their gesticu
D lations were as fantastic and peculiar
as the calculations were mysterious
< The singular sight was very interest
ing to the crowd of Americans from
Albuquerque, and II was especially fas
!, cinating to- those that had a cameri
concealed under their arm, wrappe'
}. In a newspaper to represent luncl
r box. IL an Indian had been fortunate
e enough to see snap there surel.
r would have followed a breaking up Il
the photograph business.
q Across the plaza came the six dane
!. chiefs, dragging an Indian, who ha'
taken too much OF the elixir OF over
a. enjoyment. and had refused TO dance.
If Into the acequia," yelled some one
It and the crowd nearly broke the recor
In reaching the scene in time to Sc
m the ducking. The chiefs dragged thei
" victim over the sand and gravel, whe
u they reached the ditch. they lifted hir
high over their heads and he droppe
q, with splash into the muddy water.
40 Well. is would not be proper to max
pr Photographic record of his languag,
In which was English all right, the pr,
70 family alphabet OF the Indian languag
was not sufficient 20 express his view
IN on the subject. He was not only we
ne but muddy, and far from sober. Ever!
N one took care to keep out OF his wa!
~ as his anger was running over n
30 sooner had the crowd returned to th
8, plaza than the bells Of the church {
three centuries began to toll mourn
fully, and as the crowd gazed towar
n the old building. there came forth
or procession bearing large cross an
lightad candies and falawfnu tho,