Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-01-01

the progress of the southwest the
first Navajo fair which held at Shiprock
Agency. New Mexico recently.
AT Shiprock the past six years has been
period of preparatton. struggle for position of
advantage from which the ignorance and super
stition of barbarous people might be attacked
and the influences which have fettered them
might be obliterated. 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
braced III the common stock.
How successful this preparation for and be-
ginning of their civilization has been is
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 it is considered that there are some 80 900
sof them scattered over a reservation in New
Mexico, Arizona and Utah. which contains
garSer area than all the New England states and
includes thousands of acres of fine agricultural.
mineral and timber lands, and is almost
pletely underlaid with coal The increase of
their productiveness 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 who interested in the development
of that section
ed upon until about two weeks before it held
and when the decision reached it was late
in the season that it necessary to arrange
for it at once, thus less than two weeks notice
was given the Navajos by means of Indian police
and messengers barely time to gather up what
they had on hand and bring it in without any
preparation opportunity gather make
anything especially for exhibition
Under these circumstances the amount and
quality of the exhibits displayed was no less than
remarkable. The extent to which they responded
to the call to bring in their products
prise to Major Shelton, the Indian agent for this
reservation himself He knew that they could
lie very
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 60 articles each. Agricul
tural products formed the chief part of the exhi
bition, but by means all, as the famous Navajo
blanket there in many styles and sizes. beau
tfful 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 IL entered
and four fnisbed). 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
NJ an Indian fair would read. the following ex-
Tracts given:
: General exhibit of farm and garden products
First prize double harness. Barber-bit-cilly tthe
latter is the winners name); second disk har-
row Happy Jack; third. cultivator. Bekin-ebe-
cav: fourth shovel Do-bebit-see-
Native blanket, all wool-First, cook stove,
FKin-leche- ne; second, 100 pounds flour. Lenna
oliver: third so pounds flour. Be-ka-da-na be ga:
fourth % pounds -four, Pelecan-e-es- kline
Cleanest Navajo baby-First, so pounds flour.
sIenna oliver; second. 25 pounds flour. Hoston-at-
aso-se.
The Navajo blanket collection. like all other
exhibits, a fine 1t contained few of
the old-time bayetas. for which the NaEajos first
fbecamc famous These originally made
sfrom tie yarn obtained by unraveling wooden