Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-05-27
MuslcaL FEAST.
Quaint Ceremonial Still Observed by
New Mexico indians.

distinguished him. But among the
few ceremonies peculiar to the In
dams which have met with no changes
in the 'mescal feast" The mescal
bean is a product OF New Mexico. The
feasts are of frequent occurrence.
they partake somewhat of a religious
meeting, in that numerous prayers are
made for the welfare of the tribe and
for the leading members thereof.
When a mescal feast is to take place,
a large tepee is erected by the squaws,
holding bout twenty-five persons, who
are seated Indian fashion around the
circle upon blankets. Under the outer
edge of the blankets and protruding
therefrom a large quantity OF wild
sage is placed. This scents the tepee.
Now the remainder of the space in
the tepee is barred, and a large horse
shoe is formed in the center. Inside
of lie horseshoe a few sticks OF wood
are placed and a fire kindled, and
the place is then ready for the begin
ming Of the ceremony.
After washing and combing their
hair, painting their faces, DOMINIC
their buckskin suits and getting to-
gether the necessary paraphernalia to
conduct the feast, they don their mes
Veal blanket, a very bright, fantastic
one, and with a finely beaded bunch
of eagle feathers in his hand, each
made to the mescal tepee. A. the
entrance to the tepee a halt occurs
and a prayer is given by the Indian
who has been previously selected as
mescal chief. After the conclusion
of the prayer all file into the tent and
take their respective seats, the mes
cal chief and his two assistants being
seated opposite the entrance of the
tepee and in front of the toe of the
horseshoe.
A party is then selected as a kin
der OF the fire. whose duty is to keep
the fire during the night, and at GER
tain times during the ceremony make
from the ashes Of the fire designs Of
moons, stars, etc. After numerous
prayers, the chief outlines his even
ings work, giving his idea Of how
..
the ceremony should proceed. This
talk is eagerly listened to and follow
ed to the letter.
The chief then takes from a silken
pouch which is kept in a larger buck
skin sack a large number of mescal
beans, which he proceeds to distrib-
ute among those in attendance. These
are eaten by the Indians during the
night iE a manner which in itself is
peculiar. They chew the mescal,
which III size is about the same as
q driel peach, until it has been re-
duced to a pulp, and then roll this
iQto a little ball, and after a number
III $Cohult9 tVN0ld AuC Ej0 dlAd " lhS
large mescal which Is placed on the
zoe of the horseshoe by the chief, they
proceed to swallow it. Afterwards
they blow upon their hands, rub their
arms and chests and assume their
best posture and maintain the same
stolid Indifference to all that sur
rounds them.
After q few mescals have been eat
en- they then bring forth the tom-tom
and a small ~time-beater, made from
a wild gourd filled with beads, and
which has the same musical qualities
as any rattlebox. These are then ta-
ken up, first by the chief and one OF
his helpers, and they sing about five
or six songs, in weird, Indian style,
and then the instruments are passed
to the next Indians. Speeches are
then made by some of the leading In
dams. The whole time between this
and daylight is taken up with speech
es, prayers and songs. In the morning
at sunrise one Indian is calleu upon
to give a dance to the morning sun.
At this time a bone whistle is blown
by the chief, which brings forth the
daugnte" Of the party giving the feast,
attired in the most gaudy fashions.
Sne brings them a bucket Of water,
which is passed to all to take a drink.
Before the water Is passed, however, |
"a long blessing ceremony takes place.
The water having been passed, and
each one having satisfied his thirst,
they then bring in the mescal feast,
which consists of three dishes, the
first being a large dish OF parched
corn, soaked in a syrup. the second
being a large dish of blackberries and
the third being a shredded meat sprin-
killed. with sugar. This partaken of,
the assembly is dismissed by a fare
well prayer by the chief.
The only apparent effect of the eat
ing OF the mescal Is that 1t seems to