Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-01-01

primitive way, and, although
I'll they profess Christianity they
b 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 Mt the catufa 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 wOrthincss IN the chase,
select the candidates by n viva voce
vote. Women are not permitted IN the
cstufa, The officers elected are n gov
crnor Of the village, war chief police
official ana council OF five members
as 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 dcsignates the time to
irrgatc the little patches, the time TO
20 to work and Is cx ohiclo admins
traitor of Justice The war chief di-
reefs the pasturing of stock and pre-
vents dcprcdations upon private prop
crty. lie 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 buckskin pantaloons, with
white cotton shirt. The hCaddrcss
is OF the skin Of the deer or fox, The
tail of the animal hanging down tie
back as an ornament, Some Of the
hcnddrcRsCs Of the officials are prcttily
decorated with bright feathers and
sometimes eagle plumCs. Their faces
are painted in yellow and white stripes,
relieved by red spots on the checks
They wear moCCasins of leather, The
braves form In double line and march
around the village, preceded by the
officers and the CaCiquc, or spiritual
head. Each brave carries in his left
hand gourd half filled with pebbles
ana nCkcd Mt the top, In his right
hand Is II convex stick which he saws
across the gourd and at the same time
gives the gourd II shake or rattle. This
CXCruciating noise Is partly drowned
by the general chant, In which all join.
The song Is n monotone, MS If the
singer were telling n story on rcClting
historical sketches, and suddenly 1t
breaks out into wild and loud blnrc,
like the crash of the elements Of dis
cord In the grand opera of civilization.
The dance Is n hippctty hop, and the
movement IL slow until one of these
| breaks Is sounded, and then 1t Is dcliri-
GUS, like war dance This exercise
| continues all night or as long us the
braves can stand up, There Is n con
siderable quantity of mCsCal drunk Mt
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 Ia not used to our whisky, and
very little soon induces him to gamble
away his money, clothes and wife.
lsleta, n few miles from AlhuQuCr-
que, N. NJ, Is the largest of the twenty
Pueblo villages in the territory, and
the celebration here Is always attended
by Il 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
n hidden spring which the dealer
touches, Another sport Is 81 gallo-the
burying OF n rooster In the sand, lCay-
ing his head above the surface. The
best riders In the village are selected
to compete They form In Il front line
ut distance of 100 yards, and charge
down upon the rooster. The rider go
ing at full run, leans from his saddle
and grabs Mt the head of the rooster,
/ he catches the fowl, he is upplaudcd
rs the victor He then races FOR his
home, with all the other horScmcn art
or him, with the Intention of dCpriv-
ing him of his trophy. II they take
the fowl from him before he reaches
home, he is shorn of his HurClS and
in the scramble the unfortunate rooster
Is oilSh torn 10 pi'VVS' w H'H Ilu'l
misses catching the ROSTERS head,
! every one laughs, aud II he fails from
his horse he is greeted with shouts
OF dcrlson and cpithcts 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 scrv.
| ices are Roman Catholic-an rucblos
being members OF that church. They.
however, observe some OF their own
rights in sccrct--thc dance being part
Of their creed Worship
Christmns In Jerusalem,
Christmas Is hpIl In ,rrpntrSt rover.