The Coconino sun., 1909-09-17
GREAT INDIAN FIESTA
Fantastic Sunset Dance of Puebl0s Be- ginning of Wierd Ceremonial
 at Taos, New Mexico.

ceremonial this year will be wit messed by large crowd of visitors from the territory and the east. This is one of the most picturesque and fascinating of all the Pueblo ceremonials.
 The artist colony here. including some of the famous men of the country. is receiving accessions as the fiesta draws near and there are more artists in the pueblo at pres ent than at any previous time,
 The following very interesting description of the origin and cere- monies of the annual fiesta of San Geronimo is given in the Taos Val ley News:
 In 1898 Spanish priest left the little settlement of San Gabriel, on the west bank of the Rio Grande, where the Chance river flows into 1t, and came to the Taos pueblo to establish a mission. He chose as their patron saint. Jerome, whose day fails on the 10th 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 features of the celebration. originated purely as an Indian custom, and previous to the institution of saints day it was held on the day of assuming office by the alcade of the Pueblos. It was originally used as marriage sacrament. When a new alcade as- sumed office he would select an equal number of unmarried men and women, placing the men to- gether at one end of the track and the women at the other. At a giv- en 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 feetest runner had his pick from the waiting women for his bride. The last to arrive at the goal had to be con tent 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 pyra- mids, and they have changed the significance of the race into GUS tom, having for it's object the selec- tion by the visitors from their number the several candidates for the position of alcade for the ensu- ing year. The candidates are nom- mated in the council several days before January lst. They are vot- ed for on New Years eve and the successful candidate assumes office on the following day.
 All of the ceremonies of the Pueblo Indians have some slgnifi- canoe. They are for pleasure, re- ligious or political. The ceremon- ies at San Geronimo time combine all three. At sunset on the 18th day of September, just as the sun disappears under the horizon. two parallel rows of men, painted fan tastically and in most gorgeous at tire. each holding 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" to bless their patron saints day. This with vespers by the village priest. is the commence ment of the ceremonies incident 10 San Geronimo day.
 As the first rays of sunlight pierce the eastern horizon on the morning of September 30th, a 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 so after. the mass in the pueblo church, the statue of St. Jerome is carried in a process sion. under canopy held aloft by certain Indians. to a rustic bower overlooking the race track. Soon many braves painted in many colors leave the various "kivas" and form themselves at the opposite ends of the course. The relay race then commences and continues until one side or the other is victorious. Six hn o;uht thouoand nannla l1silallu