El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-07

IN INDIAN WORK
Colunga Family, Destitute
Spends Years in Vain
With Tarahumares.


The martyrdom OF an aged man. his
wife and three young daughters who
spent the past seven years IN a tribe
OF semi barbarous Indians In the
sierra Sladres Of southern chihuahua,
attempting to bring to them the ad-
vantaees Of modern civilization and
lost a fortune in the attempt, was Wv
idlv impressed Wednesday during an
interview given a Herald reporter by
the father Of the family, Aboionio n
Colunga-
Mr.. Coiunga and his wife, Petra B.
Toral de CoIunga. both highly edu-
Gated. and their three daughters. be
s9n their work in 1911, when Gen
: 4bram Gonzales, then governor o.
/ chihuahua, appointed Nj. Colunsa .
l travelling teacher tor the ln-5 1e-s
| Nine months later Gonzales was siam,
snd fron1 that time date the trials and
/ fribuIations OF the Colunga family.
Uses Private Fortune.
! There was no more state money
available, but Mr.. Colunga nao a Pr
vate fortune Of 10000 pesos gold, @ nc
he decided to use that IN the WORK Ae
ana MS wife and daughters the eldest
I Of which Is now only p years olo'
/ then went to the settlement OF Bocoy-
na- about which the tribe OF Iaranu-
I mares was scattered
From that time TO just a few wees
ago the family had spent every min
! ME 81 the tine trying to improve the
3 condition Of a tribe so primltlVe an, an
( Wild that they 20 about stark NAKED
] men. women and children allke-
little school was opened. aIter me -
lunga family. with their own II-i. -
! made adobes and constructed IS
building. For q year the instltullOH
1 made no apneal to the natives
Have Naked Students.
| The second session saw an enrol
] n1ent OF IL naked boys ana Bllls aHg
a daily attendance OF between ~ ~ ~
90. A sensible course or instructor
I free from all religious dogma was
then begun. and little Indian girls
were taught to sew and boys were
/ taught something about modern asIl-
l culture. The Spanish language w.
also taught A rudimentaIiy HloT ~ :
& edge OF carpentry was graoualiy N
l stiiled in the minds Of some OF the
male students
I The Indians themselves began %
favor the school, but opposition c1lI ls
from the Spanish speaking elernsn.
I particularly the land owners. the Ied.
being expressed that education mig n
\ causS the Indians, who had no lancs
I OF their own, to cease 70 WORK tOI
practically nothing IN thing otnsls
j. lands It also happened that the Ma Ma
de-o party. with which Mr. Coiunga
B ORIGINAL 1atron was Identified, LOST
povger and the school was pointed ou'
a. ssNTade-fstaF' or -VilliSta" lnsll-
tuition. with the result that on more
fhsn one occasion threats were al
most carried out to murder the sn
tire Colunga family
[ OMIT Work; Land Here Destitute.
I But they continued their Work
building more adobe -shacks as tns
Z enrolment increased ABOUT 80 lnulal
children who lived at consiuerao O.
distance from the school were boarree
80 Todred at the institution free Of
CHARGE But money came slowly, only
an occasional financial recognition
corafn- from the 'jefes" that nap
pened TO be in power. The small IoE'
tune OF the COlunga family was grao'
I uaIlv spent so that this session tner'
S,-e-e no funds TO continue the institu'
ton. II had TO be closed, and tn'
family started for the border. Inei
are nov stopping at the Associated
CHARITIES and are seeking financia
help from American philantnropists q
continue their work
[ The Tarahumares are a wild, pu
| peacefuI tribe. Mr.. Colunga said i n
causes OF their semi barbarous stat
are several. political conditions unde
which they have no tribal lands ant
II are practically serfs. and drink beini
the chief. They have native alco
holic mixture that is unique. MI CO
iunga said II is known as 'tezhulno
I and is a fermented corn mush-
III improvements as a result OF IN
Il schools work are notable Little IN
i dian girls are learning TO sew an
/ are working for money in order to bu.
4 materials. Many OF them. partcu
| larlv the girls approaching the mar
i ria geable age, are to be seen amonl
| the tribe wearing clothing the,
/ learned 10 make at the little schoo
II at Bocoyna-
II B. Gwin. secretary OF the Asso
i ciated Charities, and other Fl Paso
! ans are said TO have endorsed tn
II mission OF the Colungas. who plan q
return to the Indian tribe as soon q
10 thew are able and to reo-en the school