The new era., 1910-01-06

the progress of the southwest the
first Navajo fair, which held at Shiprock
Agency. New Mexico recently.
At Shprock the past six years has been a
period OF preparation. struggle for 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 obiterated. 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-
ybraced 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 some 10000
of them scattered over a 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
pletey underlaid with coal. The increase OF
their productiveness means 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 1t to
the people who are interested in the development
of that section
The holding of fair this fall not decid-
ed upon until about two weeks before it was held.
and when the decision was reached 1t was SO late
in the season that 1t necessary to arrange
for 1t 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 to gather or make
anything especially for exhibition.
Under these circumstances the amount and
quality of the exhibits displayed was no less than
l;1b dad
to the call to bring in their products was sur
\ rrise to Major Shelton, the Indian agent for this
servation. himself. He knew that they could
and would make very credtable 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 60 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
tifu silver jewery of various and unique designs.
old blankets of great value. few bunaio rooes.
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 finished). 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 Indian fair would read. the following e4-
tracts given:
General exhibit of farm and garden products
First prize, double harness. Barberbit-cil-y (the
latter is the winners name); second, disk har-
row. Happy Jack; third. cutivator Bekin'e-be-
gay; fourth. shovel. Dobe-bit-see
Native blanket. all wool-First cook stove.
Kin-le-che-ne; second, 100 pounds flour. Lenna
Oliver; third. so pounds flour. Beka-da-na-bega;
fourth 25 pounds flour, Pele-can-e-es-kin-e
Cleanest Navajo baby-First. SO pounds flour.
Lenna Oliver; second. 25 pounds flour. Hostonat-
The Navajo blanket collection. like all other
exhibits. was fine one. 1t contained few OF
vhe od-time bayetas. for which the Nava1os nrst
became famous. These were originally made
from the yarn obtained by unraveng woolen