Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1907-01-23
HOW Z
YUNAA5 LIVE.
Their Homes and Games--.Tre
Cremation c. tie Dead.
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and jeans; the women have their
heads covered by black shawls which
tall over their shoulders. All Of
item have blankets. All OF them
braid their black hair, so that from
behind n cannot distinguish sex.
Crossing the great iron bridge
ever the Colorado, says a writer in
the Southern Workman, you are on
the Yuma Reservation. The stages
leave here for Laguna, where the
Government is building the largest
dam in tie world, except tEat Of the
Nile.
TIE horse co--als near the stage
station interest the stranger. They
are mere stalls of poles, for in Yuma
they need provide neither for rain
nor for cod.
There are signs everywhere warn
ing people against being on the re-
servatlon without a permit, and also
against trading with the Indians.
No sign is seen, however, prohibiting
photography, and so we level the
Kodak at a woman. In an instant
IL has hidden her face under her
blanket and has scurried away.
A little further away on the reser-
Walton, where the arrow weed and the
pigweed rise to the height of pamDas
grass and hide vast coveys OF quail,
are scattered the adobe huts OF the
Indians. Here, there, anywhere they
choose, they build their shacks, some
CT them miles from the nearest
neighbor and hidden from sight in
the arrow weed bushes.
The huts are square, and in front
the roof cverhalgs-a mass of dried
brush fastened to two poles at either
At the sides open the cage
Xix corrais for the horses, mere
poles set fence fashion. Dogs are
everywhere, as numerous as in Tur-
key, and they and the men and the
women sink by absolutely noiseIess.
Even tie innuIne2aDle children are
quiet.
There IS a small church on the
reservation, and at it's side, in a
frame, an iron bell that the Catholic
priest is ringing. It takes ne back
to the days Of the missions.
IN contrast, across the railway on
the bluffs, is the modern Indian
school. The jaant to it is always in
terestinS to the visitor. Across the
bridge you go il company with sad
faced Indian squaws, very dark. and
the darker for their ~gay-colored gar
IenJs OF many hued borders. On
their heads the long black hair lies
uncombed, and they sometimes wear
Bags bound IN the forehead and
hanging down the nack; these serve
as a kind of ornamental top comb.
and in them the supplies are carried
from town to reservation.
Among the Yuwas there is held a
corn feast every September, when
all the tribe gathers for a three days
meeting. Then there are games and
dancing and singing and a feast Of
corn and watermelon and anything
else that "a be purchased. The
principal game Of the adults on the
reservation here is hoop the pole,
the hoop being rolled On the fiat
desert and the pole then thrown
through it.
This the bucks will play on the
hottest day, no matter how freely
the p~erspiration falls from them.
Shiny is another favorIte game.
Some of the Yumas have married
according to the rites Of the Catholic
Church, but, for the most part, nup-
tails ere according to the Indian GUS
tom.
Burning the dead, as observed
among the Yumas, is Interesting.
The body is first thoroughly wrapped
and then placed Oh logs and brush
over a hole in the ground. A bed of
logs is built Up at each side and at
the head Of the bier, which is next
covered and surrounded by dry fag-
Gots.
The flames are applied and while
they burn the clothing, blankets, etc.,
OF the deceased are added to the fire.
Inc horse OF the dead man, however,
is not burned among the yumas as
is the custom with some Indians.
A day OF two after death the wig
wan OF the deceased, if an adult, is
burned, the rest of the family then
going to live with some relative.
The Yun1as make z great show of
SORROW over their dead. Later they
are never mentioned at all.
The medicine men are still laraelv
IN control among the Yunas and the
Government makes no ATTEMPT TO in
terIere. Usually their patients grow
sickeT, SO that they proclaim them
oooaed to die and their prophecy
Will almost always come true.
The Government allows it's 500
Sumas 1900 acres of land an ir-
regular tract extending fourteen
miles Up the river and ten down. OF
this 1900 acres will be irrigable
when the LaSuna dam is done.
lnasnuch as the Indians nav set
tie where they choose on the lands,
it is probable that the widely scat
tered houses will then be drawn
closer together. AS it is now. Yuma
itself is really the only village among
them.
Other Indian tribes receive food
and clothing, but the Yunas r~anaivn