The Coconino sun., 1924-06-27
SICK SING SQUAH DANCE
AND RACES DRAW CROWD
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drove before them small fortunes--for
an Indian-in mutton, went back to
their grazing grounds without them.
They brought them along to bet on
the horse races.
A Navajo will bet his livestock,
his blankets and jewelry, and the very
clothes he wears, on horse race or
card game. It's great sport Blt
when the Hopi Indian gets into a
game against them. it's worse than
playing poker with a big kitty. For
the Hopi, when it comes to shrewd-
ness, is all there.
There were Hopis at Cameron, and
they didn't go back to their pueblos
any worse off than when they came.
The squaw dance was held late
Saturday night on a mesa TINS side
Of the Little Colorado bridge. First
came the Sick sing.n Three, griev-
ously I'LL, probably no better for. the
long ride to the festival, were lying
in a hogan built of cottonwood bran
ches laid against cottonwood log
framework. Outside, standing very
closely together, were the Navajo
medicine men and Navajo bucks from
Tuba and Leupp reservations. They
sang for about two hours, the Leupp
braves for two or three minutes, then
the Tuba braves. So closely did they
keep time and so smoothly did one
bunch take up where the other left
off that. one standing twenty feet
away couldn't tell which group was
singing, except that the Leupp con-
tlngent, fewer in number, didn't get
cut quite so much volume.
Then the squaw dance, near a big
bonfire some distance from the hogan
hospital.
The leading squaw, with a big tuft
OF feathers, advanced to the inside of
the circle of spectators. The orches-
ira was vocal, the braves again fur
nishing the wind. Presently the
sqaaw decided on man. She got a
firm hold with one hand in the back
of his shirt just above the belt. Then
she galloped backward around him,
he helplessly and foolish-looking
slowly turning, back TO her. Other
squaws picked braves and soon there
we're many couples ct it and many
miniature circus rings worn in the
sand by the feet of the squaws.
The squaws occasionally prowled
around among the spectators, keep
ing in the shadows and seeking white
bucks. The latter were cagey. Only
one was caught-Stanton Borum, and
he was the pivot for little squaw
until he bribed her to let go, quart
er-hour after she fastened on him.
1t always takes cash to get cut of a
Squaw's clutches cash if you do dance
or cash if you don't.
The chicken pull and horse races
were next afternoon, in a valley be-
yond the bridge. There were some
trim ponies entered.
Among those at the dance were:
From Flagstaff: Miss Myrtle Web
Der and her niece, Miss Montague,
here from Wichita, Kans., visiting her;
Mr.. .asld Mrs. Arthur Saunders, DIR.
Vaughn Mcclure, Ted Goode, Roy
Jones, Miss Garnet jackson, Profess
sor G. v. Ridgely, Dir. L. A. Adams,
University of Illinois; Mr.. and Mrs.
Dan Williams and party, Henry
Hollar and party, Jim Walluup, Mr.
and Mrs. III. A. Ashcraft, Speed
Campbell, Mr.. and Mrs. Del Strong,
Jimmie Turpin and party, Mr.. and
Mrs. Dean Eldridge, Leon Egner, Miss
Minnie Hilkins, Mr.. and Mrs. Allen
Greenlaw, DR.. and Mrs. T. w. Crump,
Miss Thelma Wilmeth, Ed Ford
Tuba City: MIR. and Mrs. Harvey
X. Meyer and son, Miss Laura Arthur,
Mr.. and Mrs. John Dodson, Ernest v.
Wesson, DIR. Thomasson, Miss Lewis,
Miss Carol Reid, Miss Morris, DIR.
Ashley, Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Neher,
Phil Housiaux, Miss Ayeaill Huns
niger, Miss Darby. Grand Canyon:
superintendent and Mrs. Eal1n,
George G. Bolton, Mr.. and Mrs. Doug
las, Messrs. Vint, Hull and Harmon.
Red Lake: Mrs. Ishmael, Mrs. John
son, Mr.. Welch.
Hubert Richardson, owner of the
Cameron trading post; Mrs. Richard
son, Stanton Borum, post manager;
Billy Bo1um, Mrs. M. w. Borum and
several others were kept busy selling
soft drinks, groceries, fruit and nov
elites to the Indians.