Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-04-06
ACOMA OLDEST
AMERICAN TOM
Discovered Long Before ST. Au.
CUISINE Was Founded,
"CL|FF BUILT, CLOuO SWEPT

ULlTT DUtlIy ULUUV 0HtEr
Famous Indian Village Visited by p
Mia and Coronado About 15ao--Lo.
cation on Mesa Is Hard to Reach
Cathedral Still Standing, and An. i
cient Sports Are Held Annually.
Acoma, an Indian village in New
Mexico, has the distinction of being
the oldest inha bited settlement in the
United States. st. Augustine. the /
first permanent European settlement
planted within the limits of the Unit. |
ed States, was founded in 1565 |
Acoma was mentioned as early as
1889 by Fra Marco di MIA and was
visited by members Of Coronado's ar.
my in the following year, twenty-fiv
years before St. Augustine's period of
foundation. EARLY Spanish chroni.
clers have designated it's population
at that period as high as 5000.
Every traveller of greater. or less de-
gree traversing the southwest has
heard of this "the most wonderful
aboriginal city on earth, cliff built
cloud swept. matchless." 1t S built
ON a great oblong rocky pedestal ris
ing nearly 400 feet above the plain.
The Indians built this pueblo evi.
IDENTITY with the intention of resisting
the attacks Of the Navajos and
Apaches, who for many years made
war upon this peaceful people. In
1910 Coronado and his band of con.
duistadors found this little village 50
1mpregnable that 1t was only after
long siege that he was able to accom-
plish its capture.
Town In Terraces.
The village proper consists Of three
parallel rows of adobe houses, three
stories, terraced in form and about for
ty feet high, nearly hundred in all.
In these dwellings lives population
of about 600 people Entrance to the
houses is made by ladders over the
roof, passing through passageways to
the lower floor or into the second ter
race by doors or up to the third ter
race again by ladders.
1t is said that the senior members Of
the family live In the first story; the
daughter first married gets the second
terrace and the second the third ter
race. All other members have to 60
elsewhere or live with the old people.
The most conspicuous and interest
ing building in the pueblo Is the an
cient adobe cathedral, which stands
near the edge on the east side Of the
mesa. In this church priest now
holds services occasionally. The church
is said to be several hundred wears
old-built some time in the year 1900
and until in recent years the tribe bur
led their dead under its floor. Now
they use the court In front Of the
church for that purpose.
The building Is Of Spanish mission
style, with two large towers facing the
front, each of which contains a mas.
sive Spanish bell. These bells upon
close inspection proved to be retained
in place by numerous buckskin thongs.
In this church hang many paintings.
one Of which has caused bloodshed and
strife. Its possession Is believed by
the Indians to insure good fortune and
plentiful crops, SO 1t Is naturally coyet.
ed by other tribes. Several times II
has been captured by the Laguna In,
dians and was recovered by the Acc.
| mas only after bitter struggle.
Saints Image Guards Sports.
The two streets Of rock meet In Al
sort OF court, where all festas and
tribal ceremonies take place. The
main dance. which takes place early,
In September. is preceded by serviceSl
In the church. Afterward the woodenI
image Of the sacred saint" borne NJ
four braves, II carried in front Of TIL
line Of parade from the church to TIL
dancing ground, where 1t, is carefully|
put under guard until the dance
over. which Is al sundown. Two s4esI
of dancers grotesquely atttred, mal4 mal4
and female. dance alternately all dayS
at the same time singing an extendi4
thanks to the Good Being for thd
crops and prosperity and asking thA
the coming year be favored with ple
ty Of rain and good crops. HI
During the day fruits, melons al
other edibles are distributed freely
all who are present. Inside q te4
porary Enclosure of cornstalks az
green branches is placed the "sacrG|
saint" At the entrance to this hui
two Indians with loaded rifles stanG
guard. During the parade from th4l
old church to the plaza where thA
dance takes place there is continul
GUS firing of guns and revolvers, sail
to be for the purpose Of frightening
away evil spirits.
One of the events Of this day Of cere
monies Is queer race by two set
Of runners chosen from two factionI
of the tribe. The Acoma Indians. nkl
the Hopis. are known for their endu1I
ance and heetness Of foot. Thesl
races are usually from a distance q
from ten to twenty-five miles, an(