Evening star., 1913-11-12
Explorer Spinden Returns
From Four Month Soiourn
With Southwest Tribe.
SNAKE DANGERS DRESS
FOR AMERICAN MUSEUM
Tells of Myths in Land of the
PuebloS-Weird Stories of
Witchery.

NEW hoEsIN- November 1U.-ATter spend
ing four months among the Tewa In
dians. branch of the Pueblo Indians OF
the great southwest. DR. Herbert ]. Spin
den. author and explorer. has returned
TO the American Museum of Natural His
tory with much new information about
Indian life The explorer has conducted
four expeditions through the lands OF
the Pueblos and has made an extensive
study of their industrial life their my
thology ceremonials. dances and songs.
\ Year ago he secured a number OF
phonographic records OF the songs of the
red men, During the past summer he
devoted his time chiefly to a study of
the mythology and ceremonials of the
Indians in the Pueblo country and gath
cred much valuable data relating to the
myths and dances of the Tewas
Rich in Mythology.
Although he was particularly interest
ed in the Tewa Indians, he found oppor-
tunity to witness snake dance at Walpi,
Ariz., where he obtained a fantastic
snake dance costume for the museum. or
namented with snakes and rainbows.
He found the Tewas rich in mythology.
This proved valuable to the student of
Indian lore, as the myths gave many
side lights on the religion of the Tewas,
and often showed the beginning OF their
rituals.
Pueblo region of the southwest was the
dance of the masked gods, which In
cludes caremonials relating to the rains
and crops. and which is also partici-
pated in by the delight makers or In
dian testers.
Call Gods From Lakes.
In the Pueblo region are a number of
sacred lakes. Sometimes these lakes con-
sist of only a green spot on the noun
tans. The Indians visit these lakes for
medicine waters"
According to the Indian superstition
when a dance is about to be performed
the delight makers call the gods from the
various lakes of Pueblo land. They blow
ashes from their hands and pretend to
see the gods of the lakes approaching on
the edge of a cloud. The delight makers
are painted with bands of black and
white.
The young members of the Tewa tribe
are allowed to hear the performance, but
are not permitted to see 1t. They are led
to believe that the masked gods are real
gods During the performance of the
dancers the gods sing songs, their faces
being concealed behind masks.
Garry Whizzing Sticks.
Some of the Indians carry whizzing
sticks which make a sound resembling
the wind and the rain The ornaments
on, their bodies and the designs painted
on their costumes also represent the rain,
fruit and various flowers. In fact, what
ever may be desired.
So far as known the masked dancers
OF the lake people in New Mexico have
not been seen by white men.
:. According to the. belief Of the In
people at one time inhabited the under
world. Those remaining in the under
world are gods or lake people. These
Tewa Indians also worship the sun and
the horned serpent, who is supposed to
preside over the water, and for some rea-
son they stand in awe OF the moon.
Some of the Divinities.
Among the divinities are the salt old
the turquoise old man. the
spider old woman and others
These Indians believe in witchcraft 10
certain extent The witches are car
riers of witch medicine
Dr. Spinden found among the Tewas
many interesting specimens OF pottery.
Among the dances witnessed by the eX-
plorer were the deer dance, the buffalo
dance, the eagle dance and the tablita
performed by an Indian woman, who car
ried a painted band on her head repre-
senting a cloud.
The Tewas have a tendency toward
agriculture and some OF their villages
date back to the period before the occu-
patton OF the region by the Spaniards.