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ELLIOTT: PW
Folklore
Cacique of the Tiguas
Dist 20. El Paso, Texas
CACI= OF THE TIGUAS
#240
p.(2..words
Living in a house built by his father, over one hundred years ago, at
Yaleta, oxas, Damsel° Colmenero bears the quiet dignity of a Ttgna Chieftain,
or Cacique.
444 appears erect, and hardly looks the 72 years which he claims. He
had been picking cotton all day, thereby providing a living for himself,
two daughters and grand -children, the share the quaint adobe home --a long
low building poorly ventilated, having earthen floors end sapling ceiling.
The roof of the house has never leaked, for it consists of layers of adobe
brick laid flat and chinked over with adobe mud.
There is one large room too which has beenadded,a4lny addition, which serves
as a guest room and this little room was crowded wei# tie dor thrA straight
chairs, center table, and a little dresser on which proudly reposed a recent
picture of Demasio with his cherished drum.
The old man's face lighted momentarily from its stoical expression,
as he talked of the drum 4 which had been a tribal possession from the long
ago past. Its a war drums, fashioned from an old cotton wood (Alamo) log.
Its present covering is cowhide, tied on with leather thongs, and Demasio
does not know hew many or what kind of hides on the old drum have previous-
ly summoned the Tiguas to War or celebration of victories.
The Cacique was born in Yeleta, Texas in this house, which he claims is
the first one built there, which makes it the oldest of the settlement. His
mother died when he was seventeen and he learned to till the land of the little
farm which his father had received as a land grant from the Spanish Governor.
His father (deceased) had bequeathed the house and land to the sons,
and the little irrigated farm produced beans, corn and grain which helped to
provide for the widow who assited by making pottery in the primitive Indian
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ELLIOTT: PW
CACIQUE OF THE TIGUAS
fashion, which was differuet from the clay pots made by the Mexican potters.
Hoes were made of vivid red clay and decorated in bright colors and her son
claims it was superior to the MeXiSaR aritele. ES seems very proud of being
(Pure Indian)pure Idian which he claims for himself and a cousin, though he
married outside the tribe his first and second wives (now deceased) were
Mexican women.
Though he was too young to take part in the reprisals made by the
Tigua ttibe against Apache enemies he remembers going with the older brother
who fought in combats at Tierra Hueco (Hueco Tanket a mountain range Northeast
of El Paso and an Apache Indian stronghold.
Daring bands of these Indians would sweep down on the little settlement
at Yeleta, raiding the peaceful Tiguas and *riving off their stock, stealing
their graina and produce.
Sometimes it was necessary for the Tiguas to bring their stock into
their houses for safe -keeping as the settlement was not fortified. Then when
they were driven to it the older men of the tribe would follow the Apache's
to the mountain and engage them in warfare. Even if only one enemy Apache was
killed, the old war drum rang out in triumph and the Tiguas would hold a
celebration at Ysleta.
When the American soldiers gradually subdued these enemies the Tiguas
were left in peace to farm their little commuhity which surrounded the
beloved mission Corpus Christi Ysleta del Sur, for those were the christian-
ized Indians settled here w the Spanish in 1652. Damasio remembers the
the Salt War when battles took place over the rights of the people who were
engaged in bawling salt from salt Lake or Flats. Thee old trails led
through San Elizario and near !Siete and the little boy Damasio would steal
out of the house and accompany the older brothers to watch the battles.
ELLIOTT: PM
CACIQDE OF THE TIMMS
During his lifetime he has seen the passing of the old frontier and develop-
ment of a new one where modern machinery aids in producing farm products and
cotton. He rides to the field in an automobile truck where with others he
picks cotton all day during season.
His native Indian dress is used only in the ceremonial dances which take
place all during the year in celebration of certain saint's days at the Mission.
Then the old drum awakes and Damasio beats the measures for the Matachine'S
dance which sometines lasts all day and night. The title Cacique, or Chief,
is bestowed from father to oldest son who is chosen for life. Other officers
of the tribe are elected to serve for a certain length of time.
11-19-36
Vera Elliott, 40
110 Locust It.
El Paso, Texas