The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-10

Indian "curios" picked up by tour
lists in the southwest As souvenirs
for the folks back hoQe are not
just oddly fashioned art1Ales made
to sell to fasteners. They repre-
sent the earliest art and handcraft
OF the first Americans, the abOrig-
inal Indians who lived in the SOUTH
west in the days OF the pre-hlstor-
ic cave dwellings, nobody knows
how many centuries ago.
These arts OF blanket weaving,
pottery moldiug, silver hammering.
basketry and beading have been
handed down from generation to
generation. Each tribe or pueblo
has retained to q certain extent its
distinctive type Of handiwotk which
Immediately identities 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
p,at the Pueblo excels in pottery
makes. Even among the several
pueblos the styles Of pottery are
easily distinguished.
Indian arts are fast dying out in
this country. To effect a-fevfval Of
the native arts and crafts and to
encourage the Indians to strive for
the carry perfection OF their fore
fathers, a great, fair is to be held
among the Indians Of New Mexico
and Arizona in September at the
time of the cloth annual fiesta of
the city Of the Holy Faith, Santa
Fee, New Mexico.
The Southwest Indian Fair and
Industrial Arts and Crafts exhibi-
tiQn, as it will be known, is the
first of its kind in that section Of
the country. Local fairs have been
held on reservations and there have
been exhibitions of Indian handi-
work at county fairs. but nothing
Of the scope and character of this
exhibition has ever been held in
the southwest.
The exhibition, which is primar-
lily 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 its 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, q di-
rector o. the state museum, is to
be superintendent of exhibits.
Indiana Woman Provided Prizes.
The fair is the outgrowth of ideas
advanced several years ago by Miss
Rose Dugan of Richmond, Ind,
who has interested herself in a
practical way in Indian handicraft.
She has rendered an endowment
from the income of which some of
the prizes for the fair are derived.
Other trophies have been offered
by the Santa Fe business men who
are interested in the development
Of the Indian arts and industries.
The objects Of the exhibition are
given as 1.-The encouragement of ma
tive arts and crafts among the In
dians; to revive old arts and to
keep the arts of each tribe and pu-
eblo as distinct as possible; the es-
Enlistment and locating Of mar
kets for Indian products; the Sc
curing of reasonable prices; au-
thenticity Of all handicraft offered
for sale, and protection of the In
dian in all his business dealings
with traders and buyers"
All of the. villages and reserva-
tons in the southwest have been
notified Of the exhibition and are
bustling with preparations to send
the best Of their products and their
craftsmen to the big fair. Camp
ing facilities for the visiting In
dians, many of whom will ride their
horses in, will be provided in Santa
Fe, and their valued handiwork will
be guarded in the state armory
there. -
The entries of Pueblo pottery
will be among the largest at the
fair, Dougan fund prizes having
been offered for the. best individ aal
exhibit from each pueblo and a
grand prize for the best of all. The
following pueblos will enter exhib-