The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1913-06-28
which the tribe has become world ia

which the tribe has become world IA
nous.
The Navajo silversmiths do not use
silver bullion for their work. They
prefer silver coins, for the reason that
the minted silver has the right proper
ton Of alloy to make enduring orna-
ments. Mexican dollars, which COM
mand only their bullion value, are gen.
orally used. These are melted and run
into various molds, and, after a labori-
GUS process of polishing and chasing,
come out as finished ornaments.
The art Of the Navajo silversmith is
nowhere shown to better advantage
than in the manufacture of the silver
necklaces which are worn by men and
women, and which form the most elab-
crate and costly pieces of Navajo jew
elry. These necklaces consist of beads
of silver, ranging from the size of a
pea to globules an inch in diameter.
The larger beads are finished with pen
dantlike projections cleverly graduated
as to size. The larger beads, with
these pendants hang on the breast and
generally a very striking effect is Sc
cured by alternating the beads with
turquoise or bits of coral. The cost Of
such a necklace varies according to
the workmanship represented in the
beads and the value Of the coral or tur-
quoise that is used to set off the silver.
Most of the articles made by the Ma
vajo silversmith are sold to members
of the tribe, for probably no other peo-
pie in the world have such fondness
for jewelry, especially of massive de-
sign. The Navajo likes plenty of pre-
cious metal in jewelry. The wire brace
lets and rings are all right for the
Americans who stray across the reser-
walton, but the Navajo wears five or
six heavy silver rings, with turquoise
settings, bracelet or two sometimes
four or five inches in width and cor
respondingly heavy; belt of huge sill
yer disks about his waist, massive
silver necklace on his breast, elaborate
silver mountings on his bride jacket
buttons made of dimes, and huge tur-
Iquoise earrings dangling from the lobes
Of his ears. These, with the inevitable
Navajo blanket about his shoulders, go
a long way toward making the Navajo
a strikingly picturesque figure.
Most of the turquoise utilized so lib
orally by the Navajo silversmiths
comes from the Zunis. There are tur-
quoise mines near Zunis and for years
the Zunis have bargained with their
Navajo neighbors for steers and sheep
In exchange for the precious blue
stones which figure SO largely in Ma
yajo jewelry. The Zunis are the only
individuals who have the advantage of
1.-THE Navajo people in bargains. The Ma
Vojo is great trader when it comes
to selling his own blankets or silver
ware. He is SO clever at driving atty.
gain that tourists find it more to their
advantage to buy blankets and jewelry
| from the white traders, rather than
from the Navajo himself. But the Ma
vajo's fondness for the precious tur-
quoise is his one business weakness.
The shrewd Zunis takes advantage of
this failing, and are enriching them
selves at the expense of the Navajo
| tribe.
| The jewelry manufactured by the
Navajo silversmiths has staple value
on the reservation. Every trader has
a corner of his store which he calls
his pawnshop. Here one sees hanging
all kinds of jewelry, pawned at regula-
ton rates by Indian owners. Bracelets,
necklaces, rings and strings of un-
mounted coral and turquoise figure in
the pawnshop. These are generally re-
deemed by the owners. If not they
are put in the traders collection OF
merchandise and sold through the reg.
Iular channels of trade. Of late the
Government has been seeking to break
up this pawning practice, but little
Roadway has been made. The traders
GENERALLY allow generous amount for
each article pawned, and the jewelry
is religiously kept for the time agreed
on. AS general rule the Indians re
deem their pawned jewelry. Probably
the average redemption is much high
er than In the pawnshops of civiliza
ton. Orleans Times.D Democrat.
/ NINTH WARD LOCALS.