Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-06
INDIAN WORKS OF ART
NATIVE INDUSTRIES TO BE Fos-
TERED.
Work of Officials in Charge OF leo
Mans Education-Taught
in Schools.

The fear that the passing away OF the
indian in his majestic state Will deprive the
world of the producers of the peaut'iui
works of art of these people is grouhdless'
according to the officials In charge OF In
dian education 1t is TO be the enoeaVoi
of those who have been intrusted with inc
education of the rising generation OF DUCKS
and sauaws to foster the native industries
as much as possible and TO teach in the
schools the methods of constructing blan-
kets basket work, beadwork, rugs, etc
AS rule a tribe is especially expert IN
some particular art or craft ana the en-
deqyor of government Indian officials Is TO
have the respective schools preserve the In
dustries Of the tribes to which their chill
dren belong The blanket weaving Whlch
the Navahos and MoQuls do to perfecuon
would naturally be impossible to tribes re-
mote from wool growing sections SINH
larly. the tanning processes OF some tribes,
which make the coarse hides as sort ana
flexible as kid, are unknown to Indians or
other sections In basketry many tribes
excel and the fame of the old Indian bas-
ket work has become worldwide. Ar
rangements have been made at number
of the schools to do this. AT Oneida WIS,
the children take special delight in bead
and lace work. Two days in the week they
are instructed in lace making, and nave
sent handsome specimens of their handi-
work to expositions and large stores, where
Il has found ready sale. In beadwork they
have been instructed In making belts and
pockets, bags, purses. lamp-shades, watch
and fan chains and collars. They take spe-
ciaI pride in this work. and wherever speci-
mems have been exhibited more orders were
received than could be filed. At Bena.
MINI. the pupils have made beaded belts
and bags and useful articles of birch bark.
The bead fan chains made at Chilocco
Okla, have netted nice profit to the In
dian girls and furnished them with profit
able work for idle hours.
Making Beadwork.
At Cheyenne. Okla. under the direction
of the seamstress, who is an Indian, ex-
cellent beadwork has been made. The ma
iron at Grand Junction, Col, has encour-
aged blanket weaving among the Navajo
pupils. AT the Albuquerque School, New
Mexico, the girls whose parents are blan-
ket weavers are so anxious to carry on this
work that they utilize the legs of an or
binary chair for loom, and IT Is no I'M
usual occurrence in passing through the
dormitory TO find a number of chairs used
as looms on which are unfinished blankets.
Many of the children at Fort Hall, Idaho,
are expert beadworkers. The baskets OF
Round Valley and Hoopa Valley, Cal, are
especially noted for their beauty and are
IN great demand. The baskets of the Pr
mas and Apaches of New Mexico and Ari-
zona, although coarse in weave, are much
sought after by tourists. The pottery
made by the Moquis of Arizona and the
Pueblos OF New Mexico finds ready SALE
and the supply does not meet the demand
for this symbolic and artistic ware. Col
lectors and museums send agents into the
field to collect the best specimens OF Indian
work.
The arts and crafts of the Indian have a
far greater value than is generally known,
and in many sections of the country they
become efficient aids TO him in earning a
livelihood. When the crops of the Pimas
failed for lack of water, they were en-
abled TO provide for themselves temporarily
by the sale of their baskets as did also the
Mohaves, Apaches and some of the Mis-
sion Indians.
Demand Very Large.
The demand for native Indian work has
very largely increased during the past FIVE
years. The production has also increased,
but not uniformly. For instance, in many
parts Of the country, owing to the practical