EARLY 18th CENTURY ARIZONA

JULY 2, 3 and 4...

ON A JULY DAY in 1884, red men and white celebrated the arrival of the railroad at Flagstaff. The next day the lumberjacks returned to the woods; railroaders carried steel rails on toward California; prospectors disappeared into mountain and desert; Indians went back to their nearby Reservation homes, and the stockmen took up the age-old herding song once more.

The first "pipe of peace" had been smoked at Flagstaff, but it was not to be the last time. From that long ago day down to the present every Fourth of July has found a celebration of some type at the mountain town, commemorating that first smoking of the pipe of peace in a general good-will, friendly get-together.

For nine years now the celebration has been known far and near as the South west All-Indian Pow-Wow. On July 2, 3 and 4, Indians from all over western America gather at Flagstaff to take part in celebrating the Great Pow-Wow.

There is something to hear and see day and night, from the moment the first tribesmen arrive until the last wagon or rider leaves the Indian Village. The main part of the celebration is divided into six shows: three at night and three during the afternoons of the Pow-Wow.

The night shows consist of Indian dances and ceremonials and chants, from the ritualistic Navajo Fire Dance and the nerve tingling Tonto Apache Devil Dance to the soft voice of Little Flower Tehakan, the Jicarilla Apache girl singer.

The number of Indian ceremonial dances to be seen at the Pow-Wow are many and varied. There are, to mention a few, the Butterfly, Flower, Buffalo, Rain, Shield, Sun, Blackbird, Feather, Hoop, Comanche, Santa Clara Pot-Drum, Cliff-Dweller, War, Zia Crow, Eagle, Weaver, Arrow, Doll, Walapi, and the Dog Dance.

all Indian Pow-Wow at Flagstaff

The main chants will be by Navajo Indians mounted on white horses. In the arena, under the play of lights, they will give the "Chant of the Tall War God," "Chant at the Water Hole," and "The Warriors' Song." Two Zuni maidens will sing, in costume and bearing water jars on their heads, "The Water Carriers' Song." Little Flower Tehakan, keeping time with her small drum, will appear each night on the same program.

The objective of this great Arizona show, now the most important and the largest Indian celebration in America, is the furtherance of good will and friendship between Indians and whites. It is actually an educational feature, despite the air of festivity, through dispensation of information at first hand on the Amerinds, Indian Lore and Arts and Crafts. Though mainly sponsored by the business men of Flagstaff, actually the celebration is supported in one way or another, by business firms and Indian friends throughout the Southwest and on the Pacific Coast.

The celebration takes place at the Municipal Park, situated in a pine forest on the edge of the city. A large area is set aside for occupancy by the Indians, who begin arriving several days before the celebration officially opens. Here the various tribesmen camp to themselves, but mingle freely and enjoy themselves together. At least two types of strictly Indian social dances are held during the encampment, from about midnight until dawn. These are the Kiowa dance and the Navajo “Squaw” dance. In addition to these, on the nights of the celebration the Apaches hold a social dance of their own. Whites are welcomed at the social dances.

Two main events of the Pow-Wow Celebration have attracted national attention. Three cash awards each are made in the Indian Girls Beauty Contest, and the Better Babies Contest. The latter is by way of encouragement to Indian mothers to further acceptance of the Reservation doctors and nurses' teaching in the care and feeding of babies.

The winner of the Indian Girls Beauty event last year was Miss Gertrude Silver, Navajo, of Manuelito, New Mexico. She was officially crowned “Queen” of the Indian Rodeo. Her picture was published in newspapers and magazines throughout North America. She was hailed as a typical Indian beauty.

Seven thousand Indians attend the Pow-Wow. Most of them take part in The 3 parades down town at exactly noon, on July 2, 3, 4. The parades are led by the noted Hopi Concert Band from Moencopi Pueblo. Following the band come mounted chiefs of the various tribes, Chee Dodge, last of the Navajo War Chiefs, Chief Watahomogie of the Havasupai tribe, and others. Following them appear the many dance teams, singers and chanters who will take part in the night programs.

Next come the cowpony race horses, the Indian cowboys who will compete in the Rodeo arena during the afternoon, and wagons and women and men riders of all tribes. Ten prizes are offered for the best decorated wagons in the parade, and six prizes to the women and men riders.

The Pow-Wow is publicized as “America's Only All-Indian Rodeo.” And it is exactly that. By combining the main events of the white man's rodeo with strictly Indian games and contests the management has achieved this effect. Only Indians may compete in the contests.

The main Rodeo events consist of brone riding (saddle and bareback), steer riding, bulldogging, calf roping, team tying, wild cow milking, and wild horse racing. Other events are bareback cowpony races, Indian cowboys relay race, mule race, bed race, potato race. Navajo chicken pull, blanket race, and other events as well.

A glance at the list of 1937 rodeo prize winners show that the contestants are widely distributed. A few of them; Henry Spotted Horse, Idaho; Albert Nelson, Fort McDowell, Arizona; Bahe Bowman and Juan Arviso, Tohatchi, New Mexico; Wayne Freeland and Jack Ar(Continued on Page 28)