The CHEMAWA AMERICAN
Page 4
THE NAVAJO RAIN MAKERS
By PETER PAQUETTE. Sophomore
Dudley Williams is a well educated Navajo Indian
of New Mexico. He attended school at Grand Junc
tion, Colorado, and after he had finished the course,
he decided to return to his own reservation rather
than to adopt the white man's mode of living. There
after, Dudley Williams became a great Medicine Man.
During the earlier part of the summer of 1929, the
weather in the Navajo country was exceedingly hot
and the Indians suffered from heat and drought.
Everything pointed to a total crop loss and herds of
stock were dying from the weather and from the lack
of grass on the usual grazing grounds. Dudley Wil
liams called a council of all the leading men among
the Navajos because it was necessary to come to some
conclusion concerning what might be done to provide
water and food for families and stock. As a result,
six of the oldest and wisest Medicine Men (among
whom was Dudley Williams himself) were chosen to
pray for rain.
Three Medicine Men were instructed to proceed to
the top of a certain mountain and the other three to
another mountain located one hundred and fifty miles
away. All were supplied with precious stones as offer-
• ings, along with the prayers, to the Rain God. Going,
as they did, in opposite directions, assured that the
’ rain would be precipitated into a valley extending from
t north to south. This would take care of the entire res
ervation.
Rain should have come four days after the prayers
and gifts were offered to the Rain God, but the four
days passed and no rain resulted. The disappointed
Navojos concluded that the Medicine Men were not
praying seriously or reverently, so six men were
1 thereafter stationed on the mountaintops. Four days
jater, the first rain came and it was a deluge! Bridges
were washed out, railroad beds were ruined, Navajo
crops were destroyed and Navajo stock was drowned
by herds! Even then there was no cessation of rain—
it fell at least once or twice a week until the first of
October.
And now—the entire Navajo tribe is perfectly sure
• that those Medicine Men are too powerful! Those poor
; fellows are censured for all of the destruction caused
by the rains, and Dudley Williams, of course, is bear
ing most of the blame, since he is the greatest of them
all!
ESCORTS
-
Mr. Ratzburg
Miss Peterson
Winona............................ Mrs. Mote
Mr. Berry
Hawley ------ Mr. James
Mrs. James
.. Sun., Feb. 23—McBride
-
-
-
CHEMAWA WINS THREE
We have a much happier job making a report of
athletic events this week.
We won three contests
out of three played, and all by decisive scores.
In the first game oa Monday evening, Feb. 10th,
we defeated Dallas high school here by the score of 30
to 16. In this game Vivette lead the scoring with 10
points.
The second game for our first team, held here last
Wednesday evening, also resulted in a victory for the
Chemawa eagers. This time the score was 31 to 15.
Marsden tore loose in this game and, for the first
time since our initial contest against Andersen’s, actu
ally played up to his ability, scoring 14 points, pass
ing the ball and performing under the basket in fine
style.
The third game of the week was a preliminary to
the above game in which “B” teams from Woodburn
and Chemawa staged a lively little contest, our young
cassabatossers coming out ahead 21-15. Dog Eagle was
high man with 14 points.
All these were return games and were welcome vic
tories in view of the fact that in the former contests
we came out second best. The Chemawa team dis
played poise and confidence on the floor during the
past week that was a delight to see. Few wild throws
were made and faking and passing was smoothly and
cleverly excuted by all members of the team. The
“high point’’ men are to be congratulated on accu
rate shooting but the little crosses opposite their names
were due in a large measure to constant “feeding” of
the other four hard-working members of the quintet.
Miller at guard has bolstered our defense considera
bly. It goes without saying, however, that much of the
improvement reported is due to the presence back on
the team of Jesse Prettyman who, by the way, is faster
and more dangerous than ever this year.
Prettyman and Simmons, forwards; Marsden, center;
and Vivette, Miller and Smith, guards, played in the
games and worked very well together in putting us
into the winning column.
Even the little fellows have tired of losing.
Wit
ness the victory of our Scouts over the Pioneers of
Salem, 30-19, Saturday afternoon here and the massa
cre here Sunday afternoon of the McCarthy’s church
team by “Goose-Egg’s” Ramblers, 48 to 12.
Everyone enjoyed the presence of the band at the
games.
An account of the Williamette freshman-Chemawa
game, played last night, will appear in the next issue.