The Indians of the Painted Desert Region: Hopis, Navahoes, Wallapais, HavasupaisJames, George Wharton
Religion
The Indians of the Painted Desert Region: Hopis, Navahoes, Wallapais, Havasupais
James, George Wharton
Indians of North America -- Southwest, New
It will be noticed that I have not rigidly adhered to the subjects as
indicated by the heads of the chapters. I have preferred a discursive
rather than a rigid style, for I deem it will prove itself the more
interesting to the generality of my readers, and I merely call
attention to it so that my critics may know it is not done without
intent.
Of the Indians of this region I have room to write of four tribes
only, viz., the Hopi, the Navaho, the Wallapai, and the Havasupai. Of
the former much has been written in late years, owing to the interest
centred in their thrilling religious ceremony, the Snake Dance. Of the
Navaho considerable is known, but of the Wallapai and Havasupai there
is little known and less written. Indeed, of the Wallapai there is
nothing in print except the brief and cursory remarks of travellers,
and the reports of the teachers of the recently established schools
to the Indian Department. No one is better aware than myself of the
incomplete and fragmentary character of what I have written, but this
book is issued, as others that have preceded it from my pen, in accord
with my desire to place in compact form for the general reader reliable
accounts of places and peoples in the United States hitherto known only
to the explorer and scientist.
To all the writers of the United States Bureau of Ethnology and the
Smithsonian Institution, as well as those of other departments of the
Government who have written on the region, I gratefully acknowledge
many indebtednesses, especially to Powell, Fewkes, Matthews, Stephen,
Hodge, Hough, Hrdlicka, Cushing, and Shufeldt.
To those who know the persistency and conscientiousness of my labors
in my chosen field, and the pains I take both by observation and
from the works of authorities to gain accurate knowledge, and my
_over_-willingness to acknowledge by pen and voice those to whom I am
indebted, it will not be necessary to state that I have endeavored to
make this book a standard. If I have failed to give credit where it was
due, I do so now with an open heart.
For the kindly reception my work in the printed page and on the
platform has received in the past I hereby express my grateful
acknowledgments.
GEORGE WHARTON JAMES.
AUTHOR AMPHITHEATRE,
BASS CAMP,
GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA.
_THE INDIANS OF THE
Painted Desert Region_
CHAPTER I
THE PAINTED DESERT REGION
Civilization and barbarism obtrude themselves delightfully at every
turn in this Wonderland of the American Southwest, called the Painted
Desert Region.
Ancient and modern history play you many a game of hide-and-seek as you
endeavor to trace either one or the other in a study of its aboriginal
people; you look upon a ceremony performed to-day and call it modern.
In reality it is of the past, so old, so hoary with antiquity that even
to the participants it has lost its origin and much of its meaning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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