Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-04-14
STRANGE NEW RACE.
Primitive People Found in the Ser
"a Madre Mountains.
The queer Huichols Recently Located
by Prof. Carl LumhOltz known
Only 10 the Mexican Cow
ernment.


scum Of natural history, has just re-
turned from Europe, where be has been
to follow up his Investigations into the
| decorative art of a primitive people
whom, from a scientific point OF view
he discovered in a little valley in the
southern end of the Northern Sierra
Madre mountains Of Mexico, reports
New York paper.
Prof Lumholtz has been engaged for
years in studying the people of Mexico
and collecting there material for the
museum, and it was while there that
he came across these people, who had
| long been known in vague way to the
Mexican government under the name OF
the Huichols.
The then Gov. Curiel Of the state OF
Jaliseo met him while he was engaged
in his scientific work, and mentioned
the Huichols, whom the government, he
said, had never been able to do more
than locate inasmuch as they were
isolated in deep, unapproachable val
ley of the Sierra Madre.
The governor said that while the Hui
chol tribe had been found and partly
subjugated in 1923, when Mexico be-
longed to Spain, they had never paid
any taxes or held much communication
with the outside world.
Recognizing that this must be a race
which probably had maintained the
customs Of the tribes that were found
during the conquest, Prof. Lumholtz de-
cided to visit the Huichols.
This he did with great difficulty be-
cause Of the natural dangers in the way
ofthe untrayeled mountain country and
then Of the enmity with which the tribe
regarded all strangers, and especially
whites.
To show his trust in the Huichols and
to appeal to their generosity, he dis
charged his guides and stayed alone
among the tribe. Thus he was able TO
conquer their luminosity and to gather
such information as he needed in his
scientific researches.
Having completed this work, he re-
turned to civilization, and this summer
in order to discover II the Huichols had
been influenced in their decorative art
by any other than native sources, he
went abroad The result of his study
there shows him that there is trace
of the Arabic influence in the art, this
having been brought in by the Span
iards, who got It through the Moors.
The trace is slight, however, and Prof.
Lumholtz says that the main decorative
work of the tribe came from the native
talent in combinations
II found this tribe in what must have
been the state Of the savage tribes found
by the Spaniards at the time of the con-
quest centuries ago" said Prof. Lum-
holtz. "They still use bows and arrows
as weapons, thus showing their lack OF
contact with the whites. That they
have never been visited can only be &C
counted for by the GOODNESS Of their re-
ception of strangers, the lack Of any
thing Of great value amOng'them, and
finally the enormous difficulty one has
in getting TO their sequestered valley,
which lies shut in by the great ranges,
II is some 40 miles long and 20 wide, and
populated by about 1000 souls. The
tribe leads a community life, every man
having an equal amount OF property,
and the whole tribe being ruled by
number OF chiefs Their religion con-
sists in the worship Of the four elements
earth, air fire and water
These very decorations are an ex-
preston Of their religion--cach design
Is a prayer The decorations Of prim-
tive man are the results Of his contem-
plation OF nature and natural objects.
Savages do not decorate from mere
fancy but wish TO express something.
For instance. among the Huichols the
double water gourd means a prayer for
water, the source Of all life and health
Figures Of animals like the lion and
the eagle express appeals for protection
as well as the alteration Of the deity to
which the creatures belong Flowers.
like the plumes of birds. are prayers
for rain and life. and they are sacrificed
TO the god Of fire No flower is ever
plucked without some pious intention.
The royal eagle is a favorite design on
pouches. The young female eagle.
which Is believed to hold the world in
its talons, guards especially the corn.
The guardian mother eagle is to the
Huichol synonymous with the Virgin
Mary.
The designs are not often made in
stone. but most usually are found in
the wearing apparel Of the people. and
may be woven, embroidered or formed
in beadwork. In civilized countries
nowadays Il Is difficult for us to find
new designs. new patterns. and Il is
/ certain that when these patterns be-
come known we shall turn 20 this tribe
| for new ideas Ii Is curious that this
people. which we regard as unciyilized
and far our interiors. are more artistic
in certain ways than ourselves and un-
/ consciously turn ont beautiful designs
while in civilization we have 10 estab-
fish societies 10 encourage people ia
surround themselves with beautiful
things"
Hls Amuity.
Dumley-l've got a sort Of guspicfDp