The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-12
BY FREDERICK j. HAsKIN

WASHINGTON. D. c., Aug. II. =
The Indian "curios" picked up by
tourists in the southwest as souvenirs
for the folks back home are not JUST
oddly fashioned articles made to sell
to fasteners. They represent the
earliest art and handicraft of the first
Americans, the aboriginal Indians who
lived in the Southwest in the days of
the prehistoric cave dwellings, no
body knows how many centuries ago.
These arts of blanket weaving, pot
terry molding, silver hammering, bas-
kerry and beading have been handed
down from generation to generation.
Each tribe or pueblo has retained to a
certain extent its distinctive type of
handiwork which Immediately identi-
fies the artist with the product. 1t IS
common knowledge that the Navajo
is the premier blanket weaver, that
the Hopi makes the finest baskets
and that the Pueblo excells in pottery
making. Even among the several pu-
eblos the styles of pottery are easily
distinguished.
Indian arts are fast dying out in
this country. To effect a revival of
the native arts and crafts to encour-
age the Indians to strive for the early
perfection of their forefathers, a great
fair is to be held among the Indians
of New Mexico and Arizona in Sep
TENDER at the time of the 210th an
nual fiesta of the city of the Holy
Faith, Santa Fe, N. NJ.
The southwest Indian fair and In
/ dustrial arts and crafts exhibition, as
it will be known, is the first Of its
kind in that section of the country.
Local fairs have been held on reser-
yations and there have been exhibi,
tons of Indian handiwork at county
fairs, but nothing of the scope and
character of this exhibition has ever
been held in the southwest.
The exhibition, which is primarily
for the Indians themselves, but will
be an added attraction for the fiesta
as we'll, is being conducted by the
School of American Research and it,
Director, Edgar L. Hewett, and by the
Santa Fe chamber of commerce which
is in charge of the annual fiesta and
historical pageant. Lansing B. Bloom
a director of the state museum, is Il
be superintendent of exhibits.
Indiana Woman
Provides Prizes
The fair is the outgrowth of idea.
advanced several years ago by Mis-
Rose Dougan of Richmond, Ind, VIII,
has interested herself in a practica
way in Indian handicraft. She hai
rendered an endowment from the in
come of which some of the prizes 70
the fair are derived. Other trophie
: have been offered by the Santa F,
: business men who are interested il
[ the development of the Indian art
T and industries.
The objects of the exhibition ar
given as. "the encouragement of nativ
arts and crafts among the Indians, t
, revive old arts and to keep the art
? of each tribe and pueblo as distinc
? as possible; the establishment and IL
: eating of markets for Indian products
the securing of reasonable prices; al
thenticity Of all handicraft offered 70
sale; and protection of the Indian i
/ all his business dealings with trader
and buyers"
r All of the villages and reservation
in the southwest have been notified c
r the exhibition and are busting wit
preparations to send the best of thei
1 products and their craftsmen to tn
big fair. Camping facilities for tn
visiting Indians, many of whom wi
2 ride their horses in, will be provide
: in Santa Fe, and their valued hand
work will be guarded in the stat
= armory there.
e The entries of Pueblo pottery wi
! be among the largest at the fair, Dol