CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL GEOGRAPHY OF SOUTHWEST GUATEMALA—MCcBRYDE 151 
Chicha, fermented drink made from maize (especially “black 
maize’), and sometimes from certain fruits. 
Chicharron, cracklings (of pig fat). 
Chichipate, Sweetia panamensis; tree producing fine con- 
struction wood. 
Chicozapote, see Nispero. 
Chilacayote, Cucurbita ficifolia; whitish watermelonlike 
fruit. 
Chile, red or green pepper (Capsicum spp.). 
Chinche negrita (lit., “little black bug”), or cinco negritos; 
a small shrub (Lantana camara) used as an ingredient 
with cochinea! in the dyeing of wool yarn at Momoste- 
nango. 
Chipilin, Crotalaria longirostrata, a small leguminous plant 
with yellow flowers; widely eaten as greens. 
Chirimia, crude reed instrument like an oboe, generally 
played at fiestas with drum accompaniment (pl. 17, d). 
Chupete, a kind of cone-shaped candy on a stick, sold 
especially at carnivals and fiestas, 
Cidra, citron (Citrus medica). 
Cinco negritos, see Chinche negrita. 
Ciudad, town, characterized ordinarily by a rectangular 
street pattern, small stores and artisans’ shops, a repre- 
sentative professional class, some facilities for overnight 
travelers, and, usually, Government offices (mostly 
ciudades are department cabeceras). Guatemala City 
is the only ciudad in Guatemala which approaches our 
concept of a city. Next in rank below a ciudad is a 
villa. 
Cochineal, or grana, dyestuff made up of dried bodies of 
a female scale insect (Coccus cacti); also the insect, 
cultivated on various species of tuna (gq. v.). 
Coco, the coco palm (Cocos nucifera), also its fruit (coco- 
nut). 
Cofradia, Indian religious society, membership in which is 
confined to small localities throughout the region. 
Colono, see Ranchero. 
Comal, saucer-shaped griddle of fired clay, usually un- 
glazed, on which tortillas are baked. 
Copal, tree (Icica copal; also Elaphrium or Bursera spp.) 
and its resin, widely used as incense. 
Corozo, or manaco, the cohune palm (Orbignya cohune) ; 
the largest palm and one of the most useful plants of 
the Lowlands (optimum growth in Pacific Lowlands 
below about 650 m., or 2,132 ft.). 
Corregimiento, colonial district served by a corregidor, or 
Spanish magistrate. 
Corte, a certain length (lit. “cut”) of goods for clothing, 
especially a length of cloth for a woman’s wrap skirt. 
Costa Cuca, narrow northwestern Pacific Coastal Lowlands, 
mainly beyond Retalhuleu (town). 
Costa de Guazacap4n, narrow southeastern Pacific Low- 
lands, mainly beyond Escuintla (town). 
Costa Grande, main section of Pacific Lowlands, at its 
widest, essentially between Escuintla and Retalhuleu. 
Coyol, a useful palm (Acrocomia mexicana). 
Criollo (-a), adj., native, indigenous. 
Cuadrillero, a temporadista (q. v.), or day laborer; one 
who clears cuadrillos (lit, small square areas) of coffee 
plantation land; a cuerda 28 varas (of 33 in.) square 
is the standard tarea, or day’s work. 
Cuajatinta, see Sacatinta, 
Cuarenteiio, (lit. 40-day) applied to short (2 mo.) growing 
season maize. 
Cuerda, a measure of land, usually 32 varas (of 33 in.) 
square, which is 7,744 square feet, or between one-fifth 
and one-sixth of an acre (43,560 sq. ft.). On coffee 
plantations a cuerda of 28 varas square is sometimes 
used as a basis of land measurement. 
Cuilco incense, finest grade copal, put up in small, circular 
loaves, formerly brought only from Cuilco, more 
recently produced in Santa Maria Chiquimula. 
Cuxin, important coffee shade tree (Inga sp.). 
Departamento, department, largest political division within 
the Republic, 
Echintal, starchy edible root of the vegetable pear or 
chayote (gitisquil, Sechium edule). 
Hjote, green bean or string bean; immature Phaseolus vul-~ 
garis as a vegetable. 
Elote, immature ear of maize. 
Encomienda, colonial practice of entrusting natives in 
America to the “protection” of the Spanish conquerors, 
theoretically for conversion of the charges to Roman 
Catholicism and other presumed benefits of Old World 
civilization; actually, enforced labor amounting to 
slavery. ’ 
Escobilla, small Lowland shrub (Sida rhombtfolia) pro- 
ducing fine fiber (in bark) much used in making fish 
nets. 
Estancia, large farm, usually a cattle ranch. 
Estoraque, copal resin (q. v.) in granular form. 
Feria, annual fair, specifically the animal market which in 
many villages is important only at one fiesta a year; 
hence, an animal market. 
Fiesta titular, festival held in celebration of the patron 
saint of a community, always on the saint’s day, a fixed 
day of the year, 
Finca, plantation, generally one where coffee is the major 
crop. 
Finquero, owner of a finca, or plantation. 
Flor de pito, coral tree (Erythrina corallodendron), com- 
mon hedge plant, with edible flower and ornamental red 
seeds. 
Foot loom or treadle loom, European loom with a large 
wooden frame and treadles by which the heddles are 
raised and lowered, forming the shed; the shuttle is 
shot back and forth by hand. This loom is operated 
only by men, Ladinos and Indians. Small belt and head- 
band looms of this type are operated by both men and 
women. 
Frijol, bean, generally the small common kidney bean 
(Phaseolus vulgaris). The Cakchiquel word “quindc” 
means literally “kidney seed.” 
Frijol de suelo, bush bean, kidney (Phaseolus vulgaris). 
Frijol haba, swordbean (Canavalia ensiformis), called 
ayecote in Mexico. ; 
Gaban, short jacket of natural black wool, worn by men; 
inner sleeves and sides are split for freedom of arm 
movement. 
Gallery forest, growth of trees along the banks of a river 
in a region where forest is not the dominant vegetation. 
Garavito, or escarda; weedhook. 
