Arizona republican., 1922-06-04
'P|MALAND To Be
PRESENTED At THE
COLUMBIA THEATER

Before starting on their eastern
Itinerary, which will include over
10cq of the largest cities, the Indians
OF ST. Johns mission will present
theff original legendary production,
"P1knaland," at Mauk's Columbia
tEeater on Tuesday and Wednesday
evenings. June 6 and Z.
"Pimaland" is a faithful delinea-
ton of the tribal legends and GUS
toms of the Pima, Apache and
Papago races, blended into a full
two hour production that is at once
unique, original and weirdly fas-
cinating. Woven into the story,
which follows the costumes and Gus
toms of their own tribes with minute
detail, come the dances and incanta-
tions of the medicine men, the chiefs
and braves in all the solemnity of
the aged chieftains impersonated by
these their own immediate offspring.
The play opens and closes with
several band numbers by the full
Indian band and the musical accom-
plishment of these young boys would
do generous credit to far older and
longer trained organization. The
only, language spoken throughout the
pepfdanance is Pima, but the inter-
pretive actions and gestures carry
the audience along without a loss OF
the continuity at any point of the
play.
"Pimaland' opens with a domestic
scene in which Iausik, the daughter
of Chief Haashankuuk and his wife,
Hivan- moo, is critically ILL., Nieput,
son of the chief. plays about the
tepee, while little papoose hangs
from a nearby tree in its Indian
cradle. On his return from a hunt,
the chief finds his child is very ill
and decides to bring in the medicine
men. These are Gook-s11oo and koi-
moo, who Immediately begin the
weird ceremony which has been used
by the desert medicine men for CEN
turies and which is still used to cure
the sick in the more remote parts
of the desert
When the medicine men have
chanted over Iau-sik, they begin
attempts to lure the evil spirit from
her. at intervals smoke is blown
over her and famed with feathers,
and in it the medicine men see the
spirit A good spirit is then sum-
moned to fight the evil one and to
guard the child against it. The
feathers used by the medicine men
are thrust into the ground, and as
long as they remain the good spirit
watch over Tie Ciiiltl
When the incantations are finished,
the medicine men partake of food
and depart, while the chief prepares
to go into the desert to hunt. Night
falls, and Hivan-moo and her chill
dren go to sleep in the tepee. Soon
a band of marauding Apaches, look
ing for the chief. attack the tent.
While they are making Hivanmoo
and her children prisoners, the chief
rushes in to defend them, but he is
overpowered and preparations are
made to burn him at the stake.
While the Apaches are chanting
the death song, however, a Francis
can missionary rushes in and. after
a heated discussion, he succeeds in
saving the chiefs life.
The attention of the audience dur |
ing the play is directed to the fact |
that the Indians have suggested and |
worked out all the action of the play, |
and that it is a most faithful and |
accurate representation of desert In
dian life. The chants, dances and
are shown exactly as they
are today in Arizona and as they
have been since the Pima and Papago
tribes first came into the Gila River
valley.