Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-01-14

This Photograph Of the Pueblo at
In the beautiful Taos Valley, in
New Mexico, less than $50 miles from
Denver, and reached from Servilleta
4 station on the Santa Fe branch of
Jhe Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. is
he ancient Indian village, Pueblo de
Taos.
The two great building five
and the other seven stories high, in
habited by more than 400 people-are
considered the most interesting as
we'll as the most perfect specimens of
early Indian architecture. Inhabited
no one knows how long, but certainly
more than 500 years, they are in a
perfect state of preservation.
The Indians, who have lived here
'or generations are simple, quiet and
peaceful, and in a small way tillers OF
he soil Aside from short journeys
INTO the neighboring mountains, they
never leave the Taos Valley.
Like all Indian tribes, they are very
superStitious, believing in all kinds of
signs and workings Of supernatural
powers. Although taught the Catho-
lie religion by the. Spaniards and u.s.
ing the Mexican language even more
ileely than their own, the priests OF
whom there are several are all
French.
The dances. constituting so import
ant feature in all of their worship
or of prayer to the A!Illis,h'ty Ct.:efa
Of festival days there are many, the
most important being the feast of San
Geronimo, celebrated on the Goth of
September.
In the early morning of ST. Jerome's
lay, a black-robed Indian makes
recitation from the top of the pueblo
TO the assembled multitude below.
In the plaza stands a pine tree pole
50 feet in height, and from a cross
piece at the top bangles a live sheep.
Beside the sheep a garland of such
fruit and vegetables as the valley pro-
luces, together with basket of bread
and grain, hangs from the pole
The bell in the little adobe chapel
sounds, and few Of the Indians go
in to mass. After the services are
concluded, a procession is formed and
marches to the race track, which is
a quarter of mile in length. The
runners of whom there are so, are
naked except for a breech cloth, and
are painted no two alike. Fifty other
runners to contest with these arrive
from the pueblo just across the divid-
ing stream Two runners from each
side dart down the track. No sooner
DO they reach the goal than two 9th
ers start off-and thus for two hours
the races continue in relays of twos
The victorious side is given the
privilege of electing the governor for
both pueblos for the ensuing year.
In the afternoon dances by hide
ously painted clowns and mirth-mak-
ars are followed by mimic attempts
to climb the pole, which is at last
and amid the yells OF
The onlookers the sheep, fruit and
grain are thrown to the ground and
carried off amidst the widest excite
ment and st. Jerome's is supposed to
rejoice in this happy conclusion of
the festival in his honor. Equally in
teresting ceremonies begin the night
before Christmas and continue
the holiday period.
Two and a half miles from the In
dian pueblo is the historic Old Mex
lean town of Fernandez de Taos, with
it's primitive adobe structures, the
home i'm times gone by of many ia
nous westerners.
Pueblo de Taos and Fernandez de
Taos are so queer, quaint and curious
that at all times can be found there
a colony of artists and writer's study
ing the Indian and Mexican traits.
Frank p. Sanerwen and Bert Greer
Phillips have studios in Taos. while
Frederick Remington, e. l.. Blumen-
sohein and Curtis, the photographer
Of Indians, periodically visit that 10
,ality for new subjects.
Last week George L. Beam was in
Taos and succeeded in getting a
artistic view of this pueb-
10 from a new point of view, which
we reproduce. The low well-shaped
structure in the foreground is the en-
france to an estllfa or kiya, the coun-
ell chamber of the Delight Makers, !
1ne of the mysterious Indian orders
70 beautifully described by Bandolier
in his story of the same name. The
Lall poles are the arms of a ladder
eading to the subterranean chamber.
Tourists visit Taos at all seasons but
n greatest numbers on the festival