Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-08-06
INDIAN DANCE
NEVER BETTER
Santo Domingo En-
tertained Many
Spectators.
Ann Ar oil n
COSTUMES WERE GORGEOUS
And Evolutions Impressive.
No Drunkeness-.-Realistic
Description.

The three parties that went from
Santa Fe on last Friday to witness
the Green Corn Dance at Santo DO
mingo, returned home at an early hour
Yesterday morning. They all de-
clared that the event was one OF the
most picturesque and interesting they
had ever witnessed and those among
them who had been at the dance III
previous years, testified that never be-
fore were the costumes OF the Indians
SO gorgeous and their evolutlons SO
impressive as this year. One party
went by railroad and was under the
guidance of Clinton ]. Crandall, su'
perintendent of the Santa Fe U. ).
Indian Industrial School, and super
visor of the northern Pueblos. IN u
were .rs. Frost, Miss Pain, Grahme
Frost. Mr.. and Mrs. Paul A. F, Wal
ter, Miss Florence Luckenbach, Miss
Caldwell, Miss Simmons, and several
boys from the U. S. Indian Training
School. Another party went overland
and included Mrs. l.. B. Prince, DR.. }.
B. Wasson, Professor w. E. Garrison,
Mrs. B. M. Thomas and Mr.. and Mrs
William Bradford Prince. They found
the drive via La Bajada Hill delight
full. A third party consisted OF the
family and friends of r. B. Thomas,
of Santa Fe, and drove from Bonan-
"a. where Mr.. Thomas is in charge OF
the ranch of the Rio Grande Livestock
Company. J. W. Mexican, William
Goebel and several others from Santa
Fe were also noticed in the crowd.
Gamblers Closed and Ordered to
"Vamos.'
Friday evening was given over to
festivities by the Spanish speaking
visitors. Two bales were in progress
all evening and fakirs had erected
booths on three of the seven streets
of Santo Domingo. Superintendent
Crandall arrived in time to order five
gambling outfits from Albuquerque to
close up shop and to "vamos." 1t was
like a scene from the midway" or
a reproduction of the DonnybrooS
fair. Fortunately, not a drop OF
strong drink was sold and there was
an absence of drunkenness which is
often lacking at other Indian dances.
The Indians were busy preparing for
the fiesta of the morrow, the dancers
practicing in the two estufas. Their
homes were Hospitality opened to Wis
itors who made much of the opportun-
ity to get glimpses of Indian home
life.
Saturday morning the church bells
rang out from the large editice of
crude mission architecture, the Indian
bell ringer pounding the bell with
stones. 1t is told that when a bell
was installed with modern appurte-
nances to ring it, the Indians removed
these as they thought that the only
proper way to ring or toll a bell is
by striking II with stones. Father
Abrogast, one of the franciscan pa
dres at Pena Blanca celebrated mass
and married six couples. Last year
the customary marriages had been
omitted because the Indians refused
to take out licenses as prescribed by
the law passed by the legislative as
sembly a few months previously, but
this year, upon the advice of the
priest they complied with the law
The church was crowded, but mostly
with Spanish speaking visitors. The
discharge of old mskets and the pro
cession were unique features to the
visitors. The details of these cere
monies were minutely described II
an illustrated article in the Dali!
New Mexican few days ago as wa!
also the Indian dance of the after
noon which this year was especial!
fine.
Best Dance in Afternoon Until Sun
down.
1t began at noon by the "De
lightmakers" emerging from the eas1
ern estufa, followed soon by the frs
band of dancers in brilliant costumes
The dancing was kept up until sur
down and besides being a spectacl
aglow with color and of constant eve
buttons which included simultaneous
the dancing and forward movemen
from one estufa to another and t
the shrine of Santo Domingo erecte
under bower of green branches |
the center of the pueblo, it was ais
a remarkable demonstration of tn
endurance of the ITS Pueblos who pa
ticipated, for the sun was very he
and the dancing never ceased for se'
en- long hours. Words fail to describ
the effect upon the visitor and cannt
convey 10 the mind an adequate pi
ture or reproduce the weird mus
that formed the accompaniment. Eve
photographs cannot do the dance ju
tice although a moving picture wit
phonograph accompaniment may com
near to 1t. There would be lackin
the intensely blue sky, the imposin
back ground of mountains, the swee
of the broad river, the quaint arch
lecture of the surrounding houses an
the many incidents illustrative
native habits, life and thought. Man
have been the attempts to descrit
these dances, to fathom their symbe
ism, but all seem unsatisfactory
those who have een the dance, whit