OK Here are the pictures I was trying to post on my last blog with our new Mission President and the Zone Elders and Sisters
Monday, July 25, 2011
New Mission President!!!!
WE HAVE A NEW MISSION PRESIDENT! President and Sister Agustin came into the mission field in July. They are so awesome. They made a tour all around the mission to meet everyone and then they will be back next week for extensive interviews. We are so excited. He has a wealth of knowledge and used to work for KUTV a long time ago. He has served under five presidents of the church and was the PR person for President Hinckley. He knows how to express himself very well and has a lot of really good stoires about them. We are excited.
We are also posting pictures of our zone conference. Some of these missionaries are going home and we probably will never see them again. We have come to love all of them. They are a great, valiant, and righteous sons and daughters of our heavenly father. We LOVE SERVING WITH THEM.
We are also posting pictures of our zone conference. Some of these missionaries are going home and we probably will never see them again. We have come to love all of them. They are a great, valiant, and righteous sons and daughters of our heavenly father. We LOVE SERVING WITH THEM.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Maidens Pollen Run
This is one of the sacred ceremonies they Apache's have. It is called the Maiden Pollen Run. It takes four days of preparation and four days of actually feasting. The maidens are dressed in buckskin dresses and have a variety of ceremonies (which we know nothing about) The Medicine men are the ones who perform these ceremonies. We were invited to the last day of this celebration. We had to be there at 6:00 because she has to run before the sun totally rises i the sky. When we got there they were gathering together as a family around her. After her blessing the maiden's ran from the teepees that were constructed in her honor. When they return everyone eats the feasts in her honor. It is quite a celebration. Look at the maidens running in one of the pictures. One of the memers took these pictures for me because we were not allowed cameras in the area.
But the construction of the tepee was absolutely phenominal!!! They had brought cut branches from the trees for this ceremony. With the beating of the drums they raised six branches with leaves on the top (see the picture). This was done at specific times. Then they all leaned their branches to make a teepee structure. It was very impressive. Then the ceremony of wrapping a rope around the top of the trees began. A young indian ran around the teepee to keep the branches together and make it hold together. It looked quite magestic against the blue sky with the sun shining. Then the indian braves took branches with leaves on them and tied them around the bottom of the teepee frame. They were tied together with reeds, not rope. At the very end of the ceremony they placed a canvas around the top of the teepee. Many other branches were placed around the bottom of the tepee to make a sound structure. Then they brought out shovels and sticks and made the ground soft at the entrance to the teepee. A large pole was shoved into the ground to make room for cut pine trees to line the path to the doorway. Then they lined the entrance with reeds. When it was finished it was beautiful! It was the most amazing thing I have every seen.
Apache Ceremonial Feast for 4th of July
This is the biggest ceremonial feast they Apache's have and its held on the 4th of July. The public is welcome and it is quite a celebration. There are tepees everywhere. They actually have a large camp out on the mountain and practically everyone leaves their homes and stay in arbors (they are hand made from tree limbs and brush and tree branches) They are quite attractive. Some of them are smart and put a tarp on top because it rains every 4th of July and that protects them from the sun and rain. The round one is a arbor made as a memorial of someone who died. It is beautiful. They love this feast and they are fed an actual feast of food for four days and its absolutely free. (for everyone including us) However, they do make requests that non-natives leave the ceremonial grounds at midnight. They dance all day long and all night long. THe crown dancers are the last of the dancers and they dance till wee hours of the morning.
The end of the parade
OK. This is the end of the parade. They did have a rodeo queen, but very few cowboys. I wonderful why?
GREAT PARADE
Ashley Kinzumah's Floats
Here comes Ashley Kinzumah. She is a member of our Branch, a beautiful girl, and she won Miss Mescalero for the High School.
More Floats again
Here comes the princesses, fire station float, and fish hatchery float. They actually have a fish hatchery to help provide the indians food and they USE it.
More Floats in Mescalero
I hope you are enjoying this parade. Watch for all the traditional items on the cars and floats like cradle boards, indian dress, leather dresses, feathers, and etc.
4th of July floats at Mescalero
The Apache's had a wonderful parade. They lined up along the roads and hills. People even stopped along Highway 70 to see the parade. We was very impressed. Most of the floats were hand made and very traditional. They had several indian princesses. Ashley Kinzumah, a member was the princess at the High School. They even had a band!!! Most of the music came from singing groups, however, but it was very nice to hear music along the parade route. They threw candy everywhere. At the very end, the crown dancers came. That shocked me! I was surprised they would come out along a parade route but I got a few pictures. It was a wonderful and very entertaining parade.
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