Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-04
SHALAKO DANCE
BY ZUN| INDIANS
A WEIRD AFFAIR
Annual Festival Held Last
Week Near Ramah Wit
messed by ThrOng of
TribeSmen.

tssserAL eoRsssPoHosHoa TO MORNING JOURNAL
Ramah, n. NJ, Dec. 3.-The dance
of the Shalako held every year by our
neiehbors the Zuni Indians, was com
nenced at sundown on last Wednes-
dav evening. The coming Of the
sbaIakos was witnessed by all the
znnis and a throng of Navajos and
ouite a few Americans. In the strange
and unchanging ritual of the Zuni In
dian the six Shalako effigies represent
tho Giant Messengers of the Gods and
make their appearance once a year
at about this time. The effigies are
about nine feet high and are compOs-
ed of a head possessing fearful horns,
long bird-like beak, a crown of eagle
feathers and fierce green eyes, The
bodv is decorated with a skirt of
woven cloth embroidered in colors
and hung with fox skins, feathers and
bells. Below the spacious skirt of the
shalako the bare legs and moccasins
of the operator of the effigy appear.
After a preliminary dance about the
stone shrine which is supposed by the
Zunis to represent the center of the
earth. the Shalakos pass into the viii
lage accompanied by a full retnue of
chosen attendants and guards. The
Shalako go to separate houses newly
built for the occasion. After a while
the dancing begins in each house and
stops only for refreshments, during
the middle of the evening. No one in
dulges much except Zunis and visiting
Indians and the feasting takes place
on the earthen floor about great pot
terry bowls of cooked mutton chilli and
beans The bread is of several varie-
ties the thin wafer bread made so
skilfully by the Zunis being much In /
evidence.
Dance at Midnight
About midnight the dancing begins
in all its fervor and continues until
morning. Besides the houses being
blessed by the dance of the Shalakos !
there also the dance of the Koyesmshi /
or so-called mud-heads and the dance /
of the Siatasha or Long Horn who
wear a costume unlike any Of the I
other dances and each Long Horn
carries a long sword of the native
yucca plant.
At noon on Thursday the final GER
emory of the Shalakos is performed !!
in an open plot of ground beside the
Zuni river. After this the Giant
Shalakos leave the village and as they !
go hundreds of devout Zunis form a
long line and sprinkle prayer meal
upon the Shalakos as they pass out
of the village not to appear again for
a year.
Tine attendance at the dance by the
NaVajos was considerably curtailed
this year by the Indian traders
this part of the country
being requested to tell the Navajos
to stay away on account of the pres
ance of smallpox in Gallup Most Of
he Navaios come through Gallup on
their way from the reservation and 1t
was feared that they might bring the
with them This disease
las played havoc with the Zunis in
ormer years and the government is
aking great care to prevent conta-
ious diseases in the village, which
low numbers some LOO souls.
The prohibition movement seems to
le having its effect on the Indians
Last year the deputies took away and
destroyed 1j6 quarts of whisky which
he Navajos had brought with them to
assist the spirit of the occasion This
year but three quarts of whiskey were
aiken from them and there were no
arrests or fights among them.
Visitors From Distance.
Among the visitors from the out
side was w. G. Field, a wealthy bust
ness man from Chicago, who made {
the trip of 5000 miles especially to I
see this wierd celebration of Indian
religion, Mr. Field was with the Ro- I
man Hubbell party of Gallup which
Mrs Hubbell and Mrs. Carey,
The party had left Gallup several
days before and had visited Atarque. !
0jo Pueblo, Inscription Rock, Ramah
and Zuni Mr.. Field, who has travel
ed all over the world, made the state
ment that New Mexico was one of the ;
most fascinating parts of the world
and was beginning to get much atten-
ton from eastern travellers. He was {