Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-05-05
PAUS AND P1NkSTER.
The Dutch Easter Time Festivals In
the MoIiuWIS Valley.

The Dutch Easter Time Festivals In
the MohuwIS Valley.
Next 10 New Years day paus and
l'inkstrr We're the more popular anil
generally observed holidays of the old
Dutch in the Mohawk valley. Paus
was Easter and l'inkstcr was Whit
sunday. l'inkstcr was particularly n
gala day. when young AMI old gave
themselves up TO jollity ana boistcrous
fun. The joys of the day began in the
morning With sports. outdoor games
and contests and ended late ut night
with indoor games and dancing. There
were egg butting' and .'rlding ut the
ring" The latter sport was probably
Il rural adaptation of the tournaments
OF the days OF chivary. Tile neccs-
sary arrangement was II cord tied
across the road just above the heads OF
men on horseback From this cord was
suspended by short string finger
ring. Each horscman was provided
with short, sharp pointed stick about
The size of Il meat skcwer which was
held between the first finger ana
thumb. The competitors were obliged
to ride at full gnllop under the cord
AMI attempt to thrust their ''lances".
through the ring and carry 1t or three
times. When one of the contestants
had accomplished this he was chased by
all the other contestants. If he sue
ceeded in reaching The goal without he
ing caught he was the winner. .rhe
prize was the payment by the other
contestants of the bill for himself and
his best girl mt the dance and supper to
be given i'll the evening. pr, however,
he WAS caught lie WAS obliged To foot
the bill for his captor and his best girl
For week before I'inkstcr the in
habitants. black anu white, began to
make ready for the festival by erecting
booths of boughs from the thickly
leavcd trees and shrubs on 81 place in
OF near the village chosen because of
Its convenience and beauty III these
booths the tables were set with good
things to cat and drink. Besides the
egg buttins" and ''rlding ut the ring"
there were imnromptu horse races,
wrestling matches and occasional
scraps" The music for dancing was
provided by the fiddle and jcwslarp.
pinkstcr was Il great occasion for the
slaves. On this day they had unusual
liberty to enjoy themselves according
to their own ideas. One way of doing
so was Il dance, which was no doubt II
relic of one of the many religious
dances brought from Africa by the
captured slaves. The music was Oh
tanned from Il huge 1rumli;e nstru-
mcnt four or live feet long and IL foot
in diameter. covered at either end by Il
tightly stretched sllcepskin This was
held between the legs OF The largest
and oldest slave in the community.
This drum he would beat with palm
and fingers, and all tile time he sang a
wordleSs song, which as the excite
mcnt increased would become wild and
weird and was accompanied by mus
cular contortlons, wagging and twist
Ing of the head and rolling OF The eyes.
One after another OF the slaves would
join In the dance as the spirit moved
him or her to do so till the musician
was surrounded by Il ring of black and
yellow twisting, wrlgglng, historical
negroes, who for the time were thou
sands of miles away In the heart of
superstitous Africa. One by one they
would fall to the ground exhausted,
when their places would be taken by
others who were just beginning to feel
the moving Of the spirit, 1t was not
Unusual for this wild dance to continue
through two days.-New York Tribune.