La revista de Taos. [volume] (Taos, Nuevo MeÌxico) 1905-1922, 1909-09-03
San Geronimo Day.
By j. Wight Giddings.

Much interest is evident everywhere,
both in Taos and abroad regarding the
festivities belonging to the celebration
Of San Geronimo day. There il a desire
to know more Of it; what its history Is;
what its significance; from whatit sprung
and why it is continued as the frstal day
Of the year among Pueblo Indians. We
have endeavored to gather few au-
thentic facts from an absolutely reliable
source and present them to our readers
hoping they may be Of interest, and may
in part satisfy the desire to know more
of this famous celebration.
In 1898 Spanish priest left the little
settlement Of San Gabriel, on the west
bank Of the Rio Grande, where theChance
river flows into it, and came to the Taos
Pueblo to establish a mission. He chose
as their patron saint, jerome, whose day
falls on the 30th. Of September in each
year, and from that time down to the
present date this feast has been annually
observed that day. The famous relay
race, which is one of the big fetures Of
the celebration, originated purely as an
Indian custom, and previous to the in
stitution Of saints day it was held on the
day of assuming Office by the Alcalde of
the Pueblos. It was originally used as
marriage sacrament. When a new
Alcalde assumed Office he would select
an equal number Of unmarried men and
women, placing the men together at one
end Of the track and the women at the
other AT a given signal the men all
rushed to the end Of the track where
the women were congregated and which
ever woman a runner reached first, that
one was his wife. The race was to the
swift and the heetest runner had his
pick from the waiting women for his
bride. The last to arrive at the goal had
to be content with what was left.
Since the introduction Of the catholic
marriage ceremony, the relay race has
been used as means Of friendly rivalry
between men living in the north and
south pyramids, aud they have changed
the significance Of the race into custom
having for its object the selection, by
the yictors, from their number the several
candidates for the position Of Alcalde
for the ensuing year. These candidates
are nominated in the council several days
before Jan. 1st. They are voted for on
New Years eve and the successful can
didate assumes Office on the following
day.
All Of the ceremonies of the Pueblo
Indians have some significance. They
are for pleasure, religious Or political.
The ceremonies at San Geronimo time
combine all three AT sunset on the
10Th. day Of September, just as the sun
disappears under the horizon, two paral-
lei rows of men, painted fantastically
and in most gorgeous attire, each hold
ing aloft branch Of bright autumn
leaves, leads dance to the music Of the
tom toms. This dance is known as the
sunset dance and is an invocation to
their "trues,n to bless their patron saints
day. This, with vespers by the village
priest, is the commencement Of the Ger
emonies incident to San Geronimo day
As the first rays Of sunlight pierce the
eastern horizon on the morning Of Sep
tember 30th. brightly clad herald
stands on the summit Of each pyramid
to greet the rising sun, and TO announce
to the Pueblo the coming day.
In an hour or 50, after the Mass in the
Pueblo church, the statue Of ST. Jerome
is carried in a procession, under cam
opy, held aloft BY certain Indians, to
rustic bower, overlooking the race track.
Soon mony braves, painted in many
colors, leave the various "kivas," and
form themselves at opposite ends Of the
course. The relay race then commences
and continues until one side or the other
is victorious. Six to eight thousand
people usually surround the race course.
At the conclusion of the race a dance is
held, similar to the one Of the night
before. During this dance a perfect
fusilade Is kept up from the house tops,
of bread, cake and other fayors Of various
kinds which are rained down upon the
dancers. This concludes the morning
ceremony.
About two p. m. the gay antics Of the
chiffonettes, or delight makers made
famous in story by Bandolier, give
amusement to the people, their frolic
taking place around a large pole erected
between the two pyramids After this
ceremony other dances are held at dit
ferent points Of the Pueblo, at the close
Of the day, winding up the ceremonies
of Patron Saints day, and filing with
delight the hearts Of Apaches, Utee,
Nayaioes, and Representatives of most
all Pueblos along the Rio Grande, who
have come to enjoy the festivities Of San
CerOnimo Oav