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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1907)
THE OREGON DAILY JOURNAL, PORTLAND. SATURDAY 5ENIN0.- JANUARY 8. 1C37. 14 . ! 1(1 FT t - i i ' r " ' ' 1 , . .' , ,.r I j ' '-' is, ':" !.- .:-:' ii'-U :;, ii ii iiiiin-nniii-iirTi---inntiii.i -.mil iiln n i h imr-irn itr"-n-- in" r . ,f m 1 - " A r- g i 3 m , hit rMlJMnta of nnuthern Califor- M .... nia are privileged by reason of Jl their remarkable . climate - to adopt at the beginning of each calendar twelvemonth the nufst novel and enjoyable "method" of" celeKrattng . " -Jew Year's.day known .to the Amert ran oeoole. This ingenious i plan for ushering In the new year takes the form of flower carnivals and tournament' of " roses held on January; r irr the varlou cities and towns In the land of sun- abine. , ' . , . ' -.-,rr . These unique flower festivals are. It need scarcely be explained, outdoor en tertainments; for, whereas the first day of January (s very likely to find" peo ple In other sections of the country '" " shivering in furs and- overcoats, this date in the southern half of the Golden Gate state marks the climax of the most . attractive season of the year and pre sents such spectacles nm that of women In summer attire seated on the lawns eating oranges and fresh strawberries. Probably the choice of New. Year's day as the almost universal date for the - floral carnivals la -due primarily to the " fact that It Is a national holiday, when presumably all the population will be at leisure to participate either as per formers In the spectable or aa onlook , era. Another reason,- however. Ilea In the circumstance that this season marks flood tide In the tourist travel to Call . fornla from other parts of the country, .and. since the sightseers spend some thins; like t2S.oOO.000 a year In southern California, naturally the natives are only too eager to do all In their power To emphasise the beauties of the south western paradise- . -.- ..-i-.. .- , i" There 1s never any uneasiness aa to the sort of weather Dame Nature will provide for the pre-eminent event of the year. In other sections of the coun try plans for a picnic, an outing or a parade, no matter at what time of the year, must be more or less contingent upon the weather tor their success. Not so, however, ; In the aptly named land of sunshine. Here the hundred of thousands of workers on behalf of the carnivals can be almost aa cer(aln that the sun will lend the aid of warm and friendly beams as they can that the momentous day will arrive as per cal endar. There have been a few rare oc casions when cool winds on Carnival day slightly chilled the gauxe-gowned girls In elbow sleeves, but for the most THAT the Americas - Indian " ot many different tribes take due , A . cognisance of New Year" da;', may prove something of a sur prise to many a reader who has had an Idea that the typical red "man, 'cotd and conservative by nature, has had cant sympathy- for the white man's . holidays. However, the children of the forest have usually been willing enough to fall in with any scheme of the pale face that means feasting or gifts for them, snd-they quickly learned that the first day of the year, had some such . pleasurable significance. " c Since the Indian's Idea of supreme happiness is the possession of a full stomach. It Is but natural that -the , feasting feature ef the traditional New -Year" observance should appeal to" him most forcefully. Indeed, not" a' few tribes, such as' the Fltnas. designate New Tear as "Kattng Day" or th '"Big Eating." There are very few In- ? dlans who are not regaW with a boun teous repaet on New Year' day. but 1 whether they secure the treat throukb the good nffioes of the white man or owing to their own exertion, depend . somewhat on circumstances. , . For Instance, at the mission stations, nil the United ... States government si-honls It Is the custom of the official.! to sm to it that all Ihelr rhargre are provided with a rousing New Year's dinner, and those Indian traders who, under the modem monopolistic plan, , t onfrol the services of certain Indian exrerts as beadworkcra, blankot-weavers or pottery -makers, are expected to arrange for a liberal "spread" for their retainers. A trader who manifests any fori el fulness on this point la likely to ere lung find his best artisans turn ing over tbrlr best products to some ther dealer irf Indian wares. n the other liaml, there are, 'f -oiirse. glt number of Indians who l ive no stiru connections ss those Just If . ' : . ' ''..'.11" gffrO r -4 yky - - , : -.. - ; L in i 'i m m i 1 1 i - i . iS. I It'' W II) ' fit '!J ffyy l.fV'7 - - ASfoSc i x : - (if c It 4 W r ' ' ' - l ' f part the savins sunshine has been un falllor. " ' - From year to year the flower tourna ments In southern. California have been increasing In beauty and splendor until fwowlf Ir-dtffiPult te Imagine eliat-aew- magnificence can be added. ' Indeed, these blossom festivals havo within the pant few . years gained a world-wide reputation aa the most marvelous of all winter fete. - Nona ot the fanciful frol Irs -pf southern Prance and Italy, the winter diversions m Florida, nor even the glorious MarUOras In New Orleans and Moblle.-can compare tn" brilliancy and variety with the spectacles on the Pacific coast on New Year's day - - Flower fetes are held, as has been ex plained, in various towns and cities In southern California, but In the main es sentials the celebrations are much alike. There Is usually a program of sports. Including such stirring novelties as' four- horse chariot races for purses of 11,000 or more, but the principal feature of each tournament is the great floral pa geant in which schools, clubs and indi viduals participate with blossom-laden vehicles of every description, from pony carts wholly hidden by posies to flower bedecked automobiles and blossom-encrusted slx-ln-hand. ; - - -, The tournaments of roses, as many of the fesltvals are officially designated, had their Inception In 1S8. the annual fete In Pasadena. California (now one of the most Important of the carnivals), growing out of the annual entertainment of a hunt club. The original Idea was to produce a combination of fete, fiesta and tournament to celebrate In a poetto and beautiful manner the ripening of the orange, which takes place In the land of flowers early In the new. year, and Is naturally an event of the first Impor tance In that region. . . ' The basic Idea was to have aa offer ing of flowers and fruits to express, as It were, the bounties of nature to tne cllmatlo paradise of the southwest, but this was elaborated by the addition or various features. Including the battle of roses, the Idea of which was gained from the event of that name at Rome, Italy, each year, and the Introduction of old Spanish and Indian games sug gested by the Indian fiestas which have been held at the missions of southern California from time out of mind. In later years the exciting chariot races on circular track have become popular. mentioned and who must needs bestir themselves to provide their own. New icars feast. .The manner, in which they do this In some Instances indicates. as well as anything that could be cited. tne progress which lias been 'made by the copper-colored race.' The Sioux, that populous tribe- that occupies reserva tions In the northwest,, notsbly in the uaxotas. are .especially systematic and businesslike In making , ready for th midwinter feaat,. ',' '. ', v, T Several week, or perhaps "" month! previous to the holiday a committee' of brave makes a round of all the habita tions on the reservation collecting . a fund for the purchase of eatables for the feast. . After every member of the tribe ha made hi . contribution th lump sum Is turned over to a purchas ing agent, or a purchasing committee, who proceed to make out the most elaborate menu . which it I thought could be procurable with the money In hand. It is Just here that the Instinctive shrewdness of the -rid man as a trader crops out. Instead of purchasing the required quantities of provisions at the nearest store, the Indians In charge submit a schedule of the various food Items to all commissary contractors or other merchants who may be In a posi tion to bid, and the ' lowest bidder,' or the caterer who offers the most for th money, wins out... , At the New Year dinner In an Indian community the members of the younger generation sll sit st long tables. Just as white folk do on similar occasions, but the older members of the tribe who have mayhap never mastered the art of using a knife and fork, squat cross legged on the floor, sfter the fashion prescribed by the tradition of th tepee. The tendency of Indian o turn any feast - Into a pow-wow manifest Itself at New Year's, and th dinner usually wind up with a series of ad dressee by the chiefs and councilor of ' XTT1A-7:l-VHnA-TF sjrw-rJ' '- """ '' i but the floral parade., with Its substan tial prise for the most novel and most beautifully adorned equipage In -each class, remains the chief feature of everyq tournament-1 v All the more pretentious, winter car nivals, now held' annually within, the confines of the tourist mecca of south ern California, are under the manage ment of committee appointed by local boards of trade or chambers of com merce, or els of regular organised tour nament association maintained, aa are the. tribe, . Sometimes the speaker, are even selected beforehand, and . likewise a .toestmaster, or . "censor, of speech," as' the Indian designate him, .whose duty it Is to announce the names -of th speaker and th subjects on which they, wiU talk-. .... .. Among tribes with a . more or less serious moral bent thfc holiday festivi ties are likely to revolve around . tha missionary church. Especially Is this the case If th mission be a Catholic one, with ceremonials of solemnity and pomp that, appeal- to th Indian mind. An excellent Illustration of this is af forded on the Nes Perces reservation. In Oregon,, where Chief Williams suc cessor of the nflghty Chief Joseph and many of his people Journey to th mission snd camp around the cfaurcn during the week; between Christmas and New Year', meanwhile attending divine services. :. ' Among the Indian whose knowledge ot the white man.' manners and cus toms has largely been derived from association with the French-Canadian fur traders-sent out by the famous Hud son Bay company and other interests, New Year' day is . generally 'regarded .i u w. i a, i, v " ' 'i-vji' i- r - r m . -BsaBMekigfeavvjavjBBaBBBBese JPJBJ2LE JVnfrf7?& i i - . fill i i. II i. Tfaj.'iw ii "fni. uia fflrw.. the Hard! Gras organiatlon at New Or leans, simply to .conduct the, annual free ahowa. : The membership of each tournament ' committee ' Is largely in the hands' of wealthy men of leisure residing In southern California for their the fun of the thing! together with far-J health and who go. into tne worg tor sighted business men who lend their aid because hy .- realise that these events are among the most powerful magnets that"attract travelers to this favored section. . . ' , a much ' nipre' Important " than Christ mas, or any. other holiday, en the calen dar. Indeed, among some of the North ern tribes the conception and observ ance of New Year's Is a combination of our Ideals of Christmas and New Year's, Involving the distribution of. present, aa - well . as the enjoyment of a, fln! dinner..".'",' .' .. ' ..'. '. The- explanation' of this I probably found in the fact that in. the old day' th ' fur-trading companles.'.when ' they balanced accounts with the .Indiana on the first day of the' new year,' usually entertained . them at a feast., and be stowed urion each some Sort of a pres ent, In addition to the settlement 'due him. A relic .of this custom we find In the present custom of. the Flathead, of Montana, vto exchange gifts on the first day of each new year. The. old traders were, also wont to keep open house for several day during the first week In January,- encouraging their 'sav age visitors to eat heartily and drink deeply, and consequently the present day, Indians In some Instance extend their, New Year fcstivMIe until Janu ary . ' ' ' ' Another old French custom that ha - &xrc. ' star:-0. V iiy - i r---- ..- 1 1 ... Leading the floral parade at each- tour nament is a herald who give the note of advance. ' Thia herald , Bits - bravely astride ; pirtted , horse, . whose blanket . ia a mass of red geraniums or deep-hued violets. His eostume, typical of the,. English her aids of the Elizabethan period, consists of -a cloak and hat of red and white velvet, white tight and riding boots. In hi hat 1 a waving red plum and on hi breast, woven In gold. 1 the Insig- left . it Impress upon' the Indian' ob servance of New Year' : day ,wa th habit, of the pioneer to kiss one an other when they exchanged New Year gifts and' greetings. The Chippewas took to calling New Year's day "kissing day." and they have thus - designated It ever since,- The Menominee, who, like the. Chippewae, ar natives of the territory surrounding the headwater of th Mississippi, not only attach sim ilar significance to- the day, but to this day follow the practice of greeting one another with a New Year's "kiss." . In th southwest, that land of spec tacular Indian festivities- and ceremon ials, there has been scant adoption of the white man's Idea of New Year's a a holiday, .but whether' any signifi cance attaches to it or not. It Is a fact that some of th most important func tions of the year among these strange and little known people' are Inaugurated during January. ' The Mokt Indians, those weird, fantastio natives whose reservation is In the heart. of the Arl aona desert, soms 9 miles from the nearest railroad. Inaugurate during Jan uary those awe-inspiring -rite known th I'owamu ceremony. - nla of hle clty. The herald la followed by six-, trumpeter. . riding decorated horses, three abreast - At street inter sections the whole cavalcade halt and blast -are given oVi the bugles, . ... , . - In the floral pageant every , imagin able .type of vehicle ha place, but of late year tally-ho and automobile of various kinds-have been strong favor ite., owing to the infinite possibilities they efford.forMavish decorations. The wealth of flower expended In the orna mentation of these carnival turnout re almost beyond the. comprehension of the reader -who haa not beheld Calii fornla' petaled riches. In the decora tion of a slx-in-nand In one of the 190 carnival more than 20.000 violate were used. , and the plan for, ornamenting a similar tally-ho in the coming festival calls for the use of more than 5.000 geranium. , " ; " ; " -. - : Snow-white horse are much In de mand for the floral parade, doubtless because they lend efficient aid to the' average floral decorative echeme and are likewise la keeping with the "white gowns almost invariably worn by the ladlee who - participate in these novel procession.. ' In most instances, a foot man, also garbed In white. leads each horse,' and each equipage 1 attended by a vividly costumed corps of outriders- Thls -1 the most complicated and moat picturesque of .all. the religious dramas of the Mok,t ceremonial calendar year, extenoing over nine days. As a succession ef startling pageant , and spectacular, performances' it Is literally unrivaled. Nowhere else In the world can one aee within the space of a fort night such a wealth' of ceremony, such a, pantheon "of gods represented by men, masked' and otherwise costumed, such elaborate altars and beautiful sand mosaics or speeches and songs so ar chale and ancient. At the close f -the great winter cere mony of the Mokl in the early part, of the"year there Is a distribution of sou venirs that somewhnt corresponds to the gift giving of the white race at ChrUtmaa time. " The recipients of th tokens are the little girls of the tribe, and the presentation Is made by their mothers, the presents being the product of the handicraft , of the men of the community. In appearance the gifts, known as Katclnas, are quaint and most grotesquely garbed , dolls, and as -such they are eagerly sought by the few tour ist who penetrate the land of burning and to view the tnysterlea ofMoklland. Novelties of all kinds are consplcuou In the average southern v- Callfornl floral parade, and infinite time and la bor is often expended in devising an creating some quaint conceit. - The au torn obi 1 ha proved a particular boo In this sphere of activities. , The fa vorite scheme is to cover a big tout ing car "or one of the large' alght-seeln automobiles with a boat-shaped fram of soma sort, which in in turn sheathe with flowers In solid color or multl hued design.' Last 'January the hlg school pupil at Altadena, Callfomif devised an automobile float 31 feet Ion representing a United State battleehli The rttnnlnir-gearr of -the-tnachln tr entirely hidden by a man of haagtn ivy, whloh swept ' the ground-on hot sides, of the float and gave the desire appearance Of water beneath the' boai The 'construction 'of the" side of th hip Involved the use of 61.000. mat guerttes, and 5,000 rose were banke on the gun shield. V ' 1 In -"the same parade tn ' which th blossom battleship was a feature, th queen of-the tournament there Is el way ; a . fair ruler of 'the' carnival with her '54 .maids tof honor, rode laj huge royal barge ot . flowers forme from a big motor car with seat rislni in . tiers. , The young women of ? th court were ail attired in white,7 an each wore around her shoulders a fichi of heliotrope. - Another essential fea tur of every floral tournament I 1th "pony dlvislom" which 1 made to em brace not only Shetland ; and India; ponies, but also burros, the quaint an patient " burden-bearers of the south west.-- In this, section of the proces sion' are children of ail ages, riding e driving diminutive steeds laden dowi With profuse floral, trapping. , .- In vehicles of all -kind the wheel where visible have the . spoke en twined with flowers." sweet pea belni ah especially favored blossom for thi .class of ornamentation. ' To enable th dainty blossoms te present -the - mos effective appearance the aweet pea ar usually 'plucked from, the stems am the- heads strung on - lonxr strandi which, when woven about the .spoken make the wheet a mas of bloom. Al most a interesting a the automobll division, the pony division or any othe section of a floral parade 1 th bicycl division.' This I large, for the wbee is, very 'popular in southern Callfornti and the decorative effect that can b rea red on the seemingly meager, foun datlon of "blke"ar often truly won derful. State floats, prepared by for mer resident' Of other .commonwealth temporarily or permanently dwelling I: California, are also worthy of metuloi a cop trlbu ting to the varied portray mad by these spectacular display. In reality; however, the tiny image haw far deeper significance to the Indians The word Katclna is applied, .- by th Mokl, or Itopl, as they, are-sometime' called, to -supernatural beings and th bestowal -ot these brilliantly colore statuettes upon the small maidens o: the tribe Is merely a means of maklni more vivid for chld mind one of t tth principal feature of their religion. All through the southwest the Puebli Indians . so -called, from . the. fao that they resids in pueblos, or village! formed from permanent built house o tone or adobe have been the influence of the religious teachings of th Jesu its, who came hand in hand with thi Spanish conquerors, and to thi da many of the tribes observe New Year'i day with services arranged . by thi Catholic missionaries. .; -.. ". - . In some lnstanae - 1 the New Yeai ceremony I a Strang mixture ef pa gat and Christian ceremonies, mass in thi church being followed by a ceremonla dance in the open. A further Illustra tion of this Is afforded at Loguna, I pueblo of more than 1,100 Inhabitant! in New Mexico, where the Indian bavi for many year been accustomed t( the teaching of Catholto and Presby terian missionaries., Th women of thli community are among the most axperl pottery-maker among the American In dians, and It has become a tradition thai they shall at the close of each twelve month "make clay Images of goats, sheep cattle, horses, etc., which, after belni blessed by the priest, may be carried to the fields, each to. watch over" th welfare of It kind during the ensulni yesr.r , .", WALTON FAWCETT. Hot Fight tn Texas,' ' All eye will be turned toward Austin to watch the developments in the Texs senatorial contest when Mr. Blaley will have the fight of his Ufa to secure re election. He will probably win cut to in ana. ... ... ' '. ; - i ... r .- I : ; ('( " ' ' m V r.vr'-t--.' 1:
