Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-08-06
Annual Harvest Dance Of Au-
gust a Celebrated With
More Than Usual Fervor;
Custom May Die Out.

A religious ceremony which
equals in beauty and interest the
most elaborate dance which the
civilized world has evolved-the
Russian ballet--is that of the Santo
Domingo Indians In their annual
Harvest dance, held August 4. The
spectacle was witnessed Wednesday
by many hundreds OF peop e. Wis
itors from all over the state motor
ing to the pueblo. and Indians
from netghboring pueblos travelling
10 Santo Domingo in wagons
The pueblo is one Of the larger
and more prosperous of the twenty
two or more different Indian vii
lagos in New Mexico. and is char
acterized by spacious houses with
cool attractive rooms. The streets
of the pueblo were adorned for the
fiesta with rows of young cotton
woods which had been thrust into
the earth al regular intervals.
AT one end Of the main street the
customary shrine was erected OF
boughs and lealy branches. the in
terror hung with. handsome Indian
rugs and woven mats. The figure
Of the patron saint is removed iron!
the church and psaced in the back
Of the shrine and an altar butt in
front.
Dance begins at noon and on this
occasion the dancers assembled in
front of the church, some fifty men
and fifty women in the regular
dance, while the chorus was com
posed OF about twenty men and
there We're ten or fiji; cen Koshare,
or clowns, in addition. While most
of the cars We're parked on either
side of the principal street, and
served as seats for the spectat ors,
many of the visitors walked around
to the place where the dance be-
gan.
The spectacle burst on the eyes
in riot of color. turquoise blue
and green. while in the background
the quaint church, the SAGE green
hills and the brilliant sky lifted the
vision by steps to shimmering
whole. For ten or fifteen minutes
the dance was continued there. the
chorus, which takes its stand in the
rear, standing in a circle. and ad-
fancing when the dancers moved
forward, the Koshare meanwhile |
moving up and down the lines Of !
the dance, leaping, bending, way
ing the arms in symhol.cal gestures
which once explained are clear |
enough, and which If observed |
closely, explain themselves.
The Koshare see the Clouds they
point to them banked around, and /
hanging overhead, with sweeping
gestures of the arms, and beckon-
ing they invoke the rain, and then
down t comes filtering through
the earth and making the crops
grow.
The dance with a variation of
steps, proceeds with intervals of
rest throughout the day. Fresh
dancers are added to the group,
each falling into place without dis
turbing the figures or rhythm.
Figures not unlike those used in
our square dances, and steps which
are as complicated as the rhythm
are introduced II has been said
that the Indian dances are monot-
onous, because they are as a rule
slow and dignified and only the
koshare dance wildly perhaps that
impression may be given, but when
Inc dance is watched ii will he seen
tfat there is good deal of variety.
Director Waves Standard.
A standard bearer stands in the
center of the chorus and dips the
long pole when the time and
rhythm and step of the dance is to ;
The standard is very eff
fective. the pole bound with cloth, 4
of which a narrow strip running
up and down the pole makes the
banner. 1t is decorated with SYM