Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-12-30


the progress of the southwest was the
first Navajo fair. which held at Shiprock
Agency, New Mexico, recently.
Al Shprock the past six years has been a
period of preparation struggle for a position of
advantage from which the ignorance and super
stition of a barbarous people might be attacked
and the influences which have fettered them
might be obterated, so that, freed from its bond.
age, the Navajo race might take its place among
the useful and beneficial elements OF the nation,
contributing its share toward the industry and
enjoying its proportion of the advantages en-
braced in the common stock
How successful this preparation for and be.
ginning of their civilization has been is soon
apparent to the observer who visits Shiprock be-
comes acquainted with the superintendent and
his assistants and realizes what they are achiev.
ing,
How important the civilization of the Navajo
Is to that section of the country Is also apparent
when 1t is considered that there are some 80 900
of them scattered over reservation in New
Mexico, Arizona and Utah, which contains
larger area than all the New England states and
includes thousands of acres of fine agricultural.
mineral and timber lands, and is almost COM
pletely undeTaid with coal. The increase of
their productveness means an increase in the out.
put OF the southwest Their education and per
manent settlement upon small homesteads will
leave large surplus of land to be sold to white
settlers. Thus the work being carried on at
Shiprock has many points which commend it to
the people VINO are interested in the development
of that section.
The holding of fair this fall was not decd.
ed upon until about two weeks before 1t was held
and when the decision reached 1t was so late
in the that it necessary to arrange
for 1t at once thus less than two weeks notice
was given the Navajos by means of Indian police
and messengers-b barely time to gather up what
they had on hand and bring 1t in without any
preparation opportunity to gather make
anything especially for exhibition.
Under these circumstances the amount and
quality of the exhibits displayed no less than
remarkable. The extent to which they responded
60 the call TO bring in their products was a sur.
prise to Major Shelton, She Indian agent for this
reservation himself He knew that they could
and would make very creditable showing.
Two hundred and ninety general exhibits
were received and displayed, while several others
arrived too late TO be accepted These exhibits
contained from five to GO articles each Agricul-
tural products formed the chief part of the exhi-
,bition but by no means all, as the famous Navajo
blanket was there in many styles and sizes, beau
tiful silver jewelry of various and unique designs
old blankets of great value, few buffalo robes.
valuable pieces of bead work and dozens of other
products and curios. ancient and modern. Be
sides these general exhibits there was the live
stock show in which horses, mich cows sheep
and goats were numerous
The sports consisted of foot races (the longest
one five and one-half miles, in which II entered
and four fnished) horse races, games and amuse-
ments Each evening the Navajos provided
their own amusement by participating in several
of their ancient sacred dances, which were both
interesting and entertaining TO the visitors.
AS an example of how list of prize winners
at an Indian fair would read. the following ex'
tracts are given:
General exhibit OF farm and garden products
First prize, double harness, Barberbit-cilly (tho
latter is the winners name); second, disk har-
row. Happy Jack; third. cultivator. Be-kin-e-bs-
gay; fourth, shovel. Do'be-bit-see.
Native blanket all wool-First, cook stove,
Kinle-che-ne; second 100 pounds 1our, Lennh
oliver; third. so pounds -four. Be-ka-dana-be-ga;
Fourth, 25 pounds flour. Pele-can-e-eskin-e
cleanest Navajo baby-First, so pounds four
Ienna oliver; second. rs pounds flour. Hostonat
sO-se.
The Navajo blanket collection, like all other
exhibits. was a fine one II contained rev OF
the old-time bayetas. for which the Navaios fret
became famous. These were originally made
from the yarn obtained by unrayeling WOODEN