PARSONS] HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY RELATIONS 207 



monial because "in old times" they were excluded. Giving informa- 

 tion about the customs is strictly taboo. It is said that the violator 

 would be whipped with a strap by the governor; he might even be 

 interred to his waist in a secluded part of the town (near houses 1-2, 

 the houses of the town chief). A man was once actually punished in 

 tliis way, it is said, for betraying the costumbres.-'' Isletans will 

 warn one another of the presence of an alien by referring to the hawk. 

 If the stranger understands Isletan, they will say, "The beam is 

 broken," meaning "Beware lest the roof fall." 



It was said of Charles Lummis that he was well liked in Isleta, 

 because although he lived in town (in house 136) "he never wanted 

 to go to ceremonies." We may note, by the way, that the Lummises 

 had each an Isletan name. Mr. Lummis was called Paxola, star; 

 Mrs. Lummis, Turbe'se, sun, cloud design ;^^ their son, Kimbato, 

 white lion; their daughter, Papkui, spread prettily. 



A year or so after the above comment was made on the popularity 

 of Lummis it might not have been made. In 1927 a "council" was 

 held on his Pueblo Indian Folktales which seems to have come to 

 general notice for the first time. The two townspeople most noto- 

 riously in touch with whites — Pablo Abeita and Candelaria Chavez — 

 were summoned to the meeting in the courthouse by the war chief 

 (paiwilawe). Candelaria Chavez, a woman of extraordinary mentality 

 and character, pointed out to the Mothers and Fathers that the book 

 was written 30 years or more ago and that the stories which were 

 "not veiy important stories" at any rate (being mostly of Laguna), 

 were got by Lummis from one Patricio, now dead. She was excul- 

 pated and dismissed, but for some reason Pablo Abeita was held and 

 his case carried from the courthouse to another house, some cere- 

 monial house, where it was continued for four days. Possibly they 

 discussed Pablo's indiscretion in contributing the name, Kimo, 

 mountain lion, to the mo\nng picture house opened in Albuquerque 

 by some Itahans. The theater is decorated with Pueblo designs and 

 a prize of $50 had been offered for the best name for it. Pablo got 

 the prize, also much hostile criticism from his townspeople. 



In 1890 there was a Presbyterian mission school in the southeast 

 comer of the plaza. (Was it the present courthouse over the roofing 

 of which there has been so much dispute? Was it to be a tin gable 

 or a flat old-style roof? See pi. 18, a.) This mission has long since 

 disappeared, but for a time it maintained "its membership against 

 the opposition of both priest and present governor." ^^ 



Albuquerque (Le'ui) is only 13 miles away from Isleta, and there 

 is considerable visiting of that large town. Among other coiise- 



" Such punitive burial is itself a Mexican costumhre. borrowed from the Penitentes. (Lummis 1: 108.) 

 " See p. 210. 

 " Census, 113. 



