INDIANS OF THE SOUTHWEST Part 3
Description
The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The Indians of the Southwest lived in the territory now the states of Arizona and New Mexico.” “The tribes include the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, and Apache.” “Many of the Indians lived in pueblos or adobe homes.” “Adobe homes are made of clay bricks dried in the sun.” “Pueblo is the Spanish word meaning ‘village.’” Man building adobe hut. “The construction of an adobe home.” “Labor is shared equally by both sexes thus giving each a share in the property.” “The man mixes the clay to prepare the bricks.” Man pouring water on clay - mixing mixture with hoe. “Placing the wet adobe into the ‘shaping frame.’” Man shoveling mixture into mold - packing mold - man lifting off mold, adobe brick. “Placing bricks.” Man building wall of hut. “The plastering and finishing are done by the women.” Woman plastering wall by hand, man watching - close-up. “The ‘patio’ or inner court -- the heart of the home -- chili peppers drying on the wall.” Woman with vase on top of head walking in patio. “Pottery making reached a high degree of perfection among the Southwest Indians.” “Working the clay to refine it.” Woman kneading clay. “Shaping the wet clay.” Woman molding vase. “Painting -- in no instance are the designs placed on Pueblo Jars a haphazard inspiration of the moment but carry out some religious theme.” Woman painting pottery. “Firing.” Woman packing dirt around pottery - building fire over pottery - woman removing pottery. “Grinding corn.” “The ‘metate’ or mealing bins are made of lava rock -- the women work in shifts of four -- singing Maize songs, keeping time to the beat of the ‘tombe’ or drum.” Woman grinding corn by hand - man keeping beat on drum - close-up. “Baking bread -- heating the oven.” Woman building fire in outside beehive oven - woman stoking oven. “Cleaning.” Woman cleaning out oven. “Placing the bread.” Woman placing bread in oven. “Baking.” Bread in oven. “The water carriers.” Women entering pueblo with jugs of water on their backs. “Married women dress and place the hair wrapped in the brilliantly-hued chongo tie at the back of the neck.” Woman tying up hair in chongo tie - close-up of woman. “The deer skin leggings worn by the women denote the family wealth and standing -- the more leggings shown the greater prosperity.” Woman wrapping leggings - woman posing. “The Navajo Indians are skilled weavers of well-designed brilliantly-colored blankets.” “The shepherd.” Shepherd in field with sheep. “The sheep at the water hole.” Flock of sheep at water hole. “The harvest of the desert. The Navajo blanket. Blanket weaving.” Woman at loom weaving blanket, man sitting beside woman. “Circulated by the Department of Public Education of the American Museum of Natural History of New York City.” “The End.” [1941]
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