ACCULTURATION IN THE GUAJIRA—CRIST 495 
them, living in La Gloria, in Paraguaipoa, or even in Maracaibo, are 
content to speak Guajiro all their lives, and of course to pass it on to 
their children, without so much as an attempt to learn Spanish. 
Upon one occasion we arrived in the jeep at dusk at the well just 
south of La Gloria (pl. 6, fig.1). A group of six or eight Guajiro men 
were ina palaver. One large, raw-boned individual, although so drunk 
he was lying flat on his back when we arrived, was helped to his feet 
by his indulgent and respectful fellows, never losing his dignity. Once 
his bleary, bloodshot eyes had told him that he was in the presence of 
gente de pantalén, or civilizados, he spoke in an imposing, somewhat 
boastful voice. His first words were, “I am an Indian, but I speak 
Spanish like anyone else.” Obviously for this particular Guajiro the 
speaking of Spanish was a cultural achievement of which he was very 
proud and which added to his prestige among his own fellows. Indeed 
he was the only one among this particular group who could communi- 
cate, however brokenly, in that language. 
Those born of parents of different cultures are confronted with the 
task of sorting out and choosing the values from both cultures most 
congenial to them. Those who show an aptitude for learning and 
using Spanish, as soon as they associate with others who know and use 
the language, are often the ones who avidly assume the other attitudes 
and attributes of Latin culture; for the degree of culture or of accul- 
turation depends not only on the plasticity of innate endowment, but 
upon the sentiments and whims, the tastes and foibles of each individ- 
ual. For instance some Guajiros and even mestizos in La Gloria—and 
some Latins—prefer to identify themselves with Guajiro culture, to 
buy several wives according to Guajiro law, and thus to have and to 
rear children who are culturally Guajiros; others marry one wife, use 
Spanish whenever possible, may even move to Maracaibo, and thus 
gradually become, with their family, incorporated completely into 
Latin culture. 
By and large, however, the Guajiro is proud of his race, of being 
Indian, of speaking his Guajiro language, and this is equally true of 
many mestizos, Guajiro on the mother’s side of the house. And al- 
though it is true that in most of Colombia and in certain sectors or 
social strata of Venezuela an Indian ancestry is something to be de- 
nied, ashamed of, or at least not to be boasted of, this is in general 
not true of those who have Guajiro blood. This is probably due to 
the fact that Guajiro culture itself contains many norms, values, and 
elements common to, or similar to, those found in the system of Span- 
ish American values. For instance, Guajiros are proud, individual- 
istic, and valiant (muy valiente) ; they have a highly developed sense 
of personal and human dignity, and an injury or insult to an individ- 
ual is considered an attack upon the clan and must be paid for in 
money or animals, or even in blood; Guajiros live openly, according 
492520—59-_33 
