Show rp c iBl f INDIAN N 1 CHRISTMAS S AN ADMIXTURE OF OP CHRISTIANITY CHRISTIANITY CHRISTIANITY CHRIS CHRIS- AND TRIBAL CUS CUS- TOMS 1 5 c 5 1 i T THE HE Pueblo Indians of or New Mexico celebrate Christmas in their primitive primitive prim prim- i tive wa way and although the they profess Christianity they also observe e their re religIous religious re- re l as well as their tribal customs R says ml's S 'S the New York Evening E Post On Christmas eve the Inhabitants of each village assemble at t the place of worship and elect officers for the ensuing ensuing en en- en- en s suing year cor Men and boys JOs over 16 years of ot age if It the thc latter have proved their worthiness In the tho chase select the candidates candidates can can- by a n. viva 1 voce oce vote Women omen arc are not permitted In tn The ri officers elected are a n governor of or the village w war r chief police official and a n. council of live five members as ns n ft kind of at cabinet for the governor The governor b by the advice and consent of his cabinet cabi cabI- net sets Nels the time for the chose when the entire village turns out also o designates designates designates nates the time to Irrigate the little patches the time to go to work and Is cx ex officio administrator I nf Justice Ther The r chief directs the thc pasturing of stock and prevents depredations upon private property H He I-fe IB is the chief of or police constable Judge and Jury combined Only serious cases eases of at crime arc referred to the thc governor and council After Arter the election of or officers a grand dance lance takes takeR place The braves are dressed Nl in Iii buckskin pantaloons with witha a white cott cotton shirt The Thc headdress is of ot the skin of or the thc deer or fox tox the tall tail 11 of ot the animal hanging down the back backas as an nn ornament nt Some of oC the tha headdresses headdresses headdresses head head- dresses of ot the officials are prettily decorated decorated deco deco- rated with bright feathers and sometImes sometimes sometimes some some- times eagle plumes Their faces are painted in yellow and white stripes re relieved relieved relieved re- re b by red spots on the cheeks They wear moccasins of oC leather The braves braes form torm in a double line and march a und the village preceded by the cheers and the cacique or spiritual head Each FAch brave bra carries in his left lert hand a a. gourd half haIr filled with pebbles and nicked at atthe atthe the top In his right hand is 11 a a. convex con stick which he saws saw's across s the gourd sourd and at the same time gives the gourd a LL shake or rattle This excruciating excruciating- noise Is partly drowned by the general chant In which all Join The song sons is a n. monotone monotone mono mono- tone as If lr the singer were telling a astory astory story or 01 reciting sketches and anti suddenly it breaks out into a a. wild and loud blare like the crash of ot the elements of or discord In the grand STand opera of civilization The dance Is a hop and the movement mo Is slow until one of or these breaks is 13 soun sounded ed and then It is delirious delirious ous like a war nr dance This exercise continues 3 all night or as long as the thc braves can stand up There Is a 3 considerable considerable considerable con con- quantity of or mescal drunk at these celebrations and man many of or the braves braes fall tall b by r the way wayside The palefaces palefaces pale pale- faces from the surrounding settlements attend the fiesta and some ome bring along their whisky whisks and S gaming Implements In the plaza or central square there are all kinds of or games and booths for tor all nil kinds of or drinks The Pueblo In Indian Indian indian In- In dian is not used to our whisky and a avery avery avery very little soon Induces him to gamble awn away his mone money clothes and wife Isleta a few Ce miles from front Albuquerque N. N M. M is the Inre largest t of the twenty Pueblo villages l In the territory and the celebration here hero Is always oJos attended by bya a n. large crowd of or whites it lasts two or three days during which there are horse racing cocking mains and other sports The gaming tables are run night and da day One Ona of or the games Is chusa similar to the American roulette roulotte rou rou- rou- rou lette lotte with a hidden spring which the dealer touches Another sport Is el gallo the gallo the bur burying of or a n. rooster In the sand leaving his head above the surface sur sur- sur- sur face The best riders in the village e are arc selected to compete Thc They form Corm In Ina Ina ina a front line at a distance of or yards and charge down upon the roost rooster r. r The rider going at full run leans from tram his saddle and grabs nt at tho the head of oC the rooster If It he catches the fowl he is applauded as the victor He then races for his home with nil all the other horsemen horsemen horsemen horse horse- men after him with the tho Intention of oC depriving him of or his trophy If IC they take the fowl from Crom him before he hei i J caches enches home he is shorn of or his hiD laurels laurels lau lau- and in the scramble the unfortunate unfortunate nate rooster i It Is often orten torn tori-I to pieces When hen a n. rider misses catching the thc roosters rooster's roosters rooster's roos roos- ter's tera head er e every one laughs and if Ir he falls from his horse he lie is greeted with shouts of or derision and epithets of or squaw v man There are services ser In the church e each ch morning luring during the fiesta with will the usual game gane and sports in the afternoon afternoon after after- noon and dancing at night Time The servIces servIces services ices are Roman Catholic Catholic all all Pueblos being members of or that church The They however howe observe some of oC their own rights In secret the secret the dance being part of at their creed worship |