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

OF the O0lteQ 0IaI6S anu
other agencies.
Frederic j. Haskin, who is direc-
tor of the Palladium Information Blu
reau at Washington has written an
on the revival of Indian art and
Miss Dougan's connection with it.
Miss Dougan has set forth her pur-
pose and aim in the appended state
ment, which preeedes Mr.. Haskin's
presentation.
Editor Palladium:
l enclose an outline of what l am
trying to do and why, in reference to
the fund | have established in Santa
Fe for prizes to be awarded to the
Indians.
After watching the situation for sew
eral years | decided the only way to
accomplish anything was to undertake
it through the Museum in Santa Fe
where an annual Fiesta has been held
for several generations. Therefore l
wrote TO the director of the Museum
last fall, outlining my plan and sug-
costing the cooperation of the Muse
UNI.
My suggestion was met very cordi-
ally and within a short time not only
the Museum but the Santa Fe Cham
Der of Commerce and the Bureau of
Indian Affairs of the United States
Government proved to be very much
interested in the subject.
From this has grown two lists of
prizes, one known as the Santa Fe
Business Mems Prizes and the other
The Dougan Fund Prizes.
Eirc1-To a,cottr71a the InHtapc IL
the preservation of their decorative
arts.
Indians have a decorative art based
upon symbolism, the original basis OF
all primitive decorative arts; symbol
ism connected with the forces of Ma
ture they worship. As myths develop
in reference to these forces and their
origin, other designs referring to these
myths are developed.
AS the older people die and the
! younger generations come more into
contact with a different form of civil
~ization, the pure symbolism is forgot
ten and the designs become merely
decorative and absorb the tendencies
of the dominant C. surrounding
them.
SecondIy-To present the lndiar
Arts inteIIigentIy and so increase tht
understanding of them among otheI
races.
Today the Indian designs are i!
the transition stage between pure
symbolism and mere decorative eff
fects and the Indian must be encouI
aged to value and save the symbolism
and methods of work peculiar to hi
people for the records of Humanit.
to which every race has something o
interest and beauty to contribute.
Thirdly-To enable the Indians t
sell their creations for a value base,
upon their careful workmanship AM
correctness of type.
To be successful our encourage
ment must be practical. 1t must b
made worth while to the Indian in
way he will understand.
The mind of the average Indian Q
today, like that of other averag
minds, is unable to grasp the value Q
a thing unless it can be expressed b
the white mans unit of yalue,-mor
ey.
An Indian who can make a beaut
full bowl, for instance, cannot afford I
spend the time and thought necessar
for its creation-going miles for tn
right kind of clay and for the minel
ais and plants used; working up tn
clay to the proper consistency; GRIND
ing the mineral colours; gatherin
and preparing the plants to obtai
I other colours; baking, polishing, de-
orating,-all the things necessary fc
the correct making of a bowl-fo
which he receives much less than fo
the same amount of time spent j
manual labor on a railroad or in
sugar beet field.
The result OF this existing conditio
is killing the artistic, creative sid
of the Indian and is therefore degel
Grating in its effect.
Fourthly-To protect our NatiV
American Arts from the destructiV
influence of the people VINO live o
the Indians.
In order to create an understanu
ing and appreciation of our only re;
native art, it must be brought to tt
attention of the public in an INTEL
: gent way, taken out of the realm
mere curios and placed definitel
' among the arts of nations.
: We speak OF the Chinese, Japanes
l Slavic arts and agree with all WI
l say we are a nation of borrowers an
have no native art on this continen
We shall before very long have 1
native art if we continue to oblige tt
THEY ARE MILL BUT EFFECTIVE