Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12

gence in reviving and preserving the won
! derful old handicrafts of the peaceful
! tribes, instead of giving the children In
struction in the trades and Industries of the
white man, the Indian would not only take
| more kindly to the white mans idea Of edu-
| cation, but 1t would be a great deal easier
| for him to earn living. More than that,
Mr. Monsen believes that in the preserva-
| ton of the Indian crafts, as well as Indian
| traditions, games, ethics, morals and re-
| ligion. there lies strong influence for
| good that would ultimately affect modern
| art and life.
when 1 first wandered into the desert
eighteen years ago" Mr.. Monsen said to a
Star reporter, ut was still a land undiscov-
| cred by all save an occasional prospector
or a stray cowboy. / went there mem
Der of the geological survey, but the fas-
cination of the desert and its people laid
hold of me, and l soon realized that for
me at least no other lifework could possess
| 1.-THE of the interest that would come from
being able to depict truthfully the life,
character and customs Of the Desert In
dams, and to give the world some idea of
the charm to be found in them and in the
strange sp'endor of their environment.
Remnant Of Fast-Vanishing Race
"These Pueblo Indians are now but the
remnant of a fast-vanishing race, one OF
the many magnificent aboriginal races that
have decayed so swiftly under the death
giving touch of the white mans civiliza-
ton. That the peaceful desert tribes have
hitherto been able to. preserve so much of
their original vigor and individuality has
been due to the fact that the Indian Is
dominated in such a marked degree by his
environment and also that these Indians
live life as natural and primitive as that
of their forefathers before the advent of
the white man-that is. they have lived
so, but the chances now are that the pater--
nal care OF the government will educate
and civiliZe them to swift and final DOOM
For these reasons 1t seemed to me that
any trustfu record of the lives and GUS
toms of the people of the Pueblos, made
while they were yet unspoiled would have
an chronological and historical value even
greater than the quality of picturesqueness
that Is now coming to be of such keen in
terest to artists. The only way to gain
the true impression that alone would be of
value, Instead of merely gathering q col
lection OF unusual and attractive pictures,
was to become intimate with the peoDN to
understand them and be understood by
them. to gain their friendship and so coax
them. by imperceptible degrees to forget
to he watchfui and conscious in the pres-
ence of a stranger and to live and pursue
their daily occupations as IL no camera or
sketch block had ever been brought within
the borders of the great desert.
That my own experience of Indian life
might be as broad possible, 1 drifted
from one village to another. always accept
ing their customs. eating their food, inter
esting myself In what interested them.
And. while associating myself as much as
possible with their daily life, 1 carefully
avoided making any attempt to become
Identified with any of the peculiar cere-
monial clans. I have seen the sacred and
secret ceremonies. of course, but the oppor-
tuntty to do SO was merely a courtesy ex-
tended to me by the high priests. who have
told me that no white man has ever been
admitted as member of such an organize
ton.
Diplomacy and Careful Arrangement
When first began working among the
Indians, eighteen years ago. it required
much diplomacy and careful arrangement
to secure at all the sort of pictures /
wanted. Almost any Indian or group of In
dams would have posed for me for con-
alteration. but posed. sesf-conscious pie |
ture was Of little to me. as the uncon- |
scious expression OF daily life and charac- |
ter was what l had set my heart on OBJ |
tanning. Naturally. in those days. all the |
pictures took had to be posed and To- |
cused. as there was nothing to use but the |
tripod camera the slow lens. and the heavy
glass plates. When films were invented |
was, believe, one OF the first to use them