170 



THE lEVEL AND COST OF LIVING 



beans and 187 pounds of white beans which are 

 served in ceremonies, probably all in addition to 

 normal consumption. 



{5, 6) Peppers. — A number of varieties of dried 

 red peppers, and, to a much lesser degree, of fresh, 

 green peppers, are the most important condiment 

 in the diet. They are ground and eaten with salt 

 and tortillas, and are used Ln or with most cooked 

 foods. Tastes differ considerably and the con- 

 sumption of peppers probably varies without re- 

 spect to wealth. I see no reason why the small 

 sample should not reflect the variety reasonably 

 well. In ceremonies perhaps 24 of the 40 ounces 

 of chile used throughout the year represent addi- 

 tional consumption, since it goes with beans, 

 meat, and fowl that are not frequently eaten in 

 quantities. The sample is faulty with respect to 

 the use of red peppers versus green peppers. AU 

 three families grew green peppers and doubtless 

 ate them in larger proportion than did many 

 others, especially the landless Indians. Green 

 peppers are twice as expensive as red. Therefore, 

 it is necessary to transfer about a fourth of the 

 green pepper to red pepper. 



Salt. — By an oversight, salt was left out of the 

 consumption schedule and, curiously, the omission 

 was never called to my attention while in the field. 

 I therefore have no direct data on how much is 

 consumed. The only hint that I have is that for 

 the ceremonies a pound of salt is bought for every 

 pound of chile, and I shall simply apply this 

 ratio to the community. 



(7) Cofee. — The consumption of coffee is Pana- 

 jachel is remarkably high. In many families it is 

 the only daily beverage, atole not being used, and 

 it is drunk with each meal by adult and child alike. 

 Even where atole is still made, coffee is by far the 

 leading beverage. Family 58 probably drinks 

 more coffee than is normal, and allowance must be 

 made for this in using the sample, but the other 

 two families are probably representative. Many 

 of the poorer families, unlike those of the sample, 

 buy their coffee roasted and ground, daily, by the 

 ounce. This is much more expensive ; I am assum- 

 ing that one-eighth of all coffee consumed is so 

 purchased. Since poor people are the chief pur- 

 chasers of coffee bought this way, it is likely that 

 they use less coffee than the families of the sample. 

 In the cases of two such families I find, indeed, that 

 they buy but an ounce (each) daily, which is about 

 half the consumption of the sample families. 



Therefore I am lowering the total of coffee con- 

 sumed by another one-twelfth. Most Indians 

 who grow coffee use some of it in their kitchens, 

 although many producers sell their coffee and buy 

 cheaper grades for consumption. I am assuming 

 on the basis of knowledge of the number of coffee 

 growers and the information in the sample, that 

 60 percent of the bean coffee used is home grown. 

 Coffee is not used in the ceremonies. 



{8) Low-refined sugar (panela). — Panela is used 

 in certain desserts, especially those made with 

 squash, and in the ceremonies to help sweeten 

 chocolate, but it is consumed chiefly with coffee, so 

 the two items tend to have a fixed ratio which in 

 the three families is 1 to 2.25, 1 to 3, and 1 to 2.58, 

 respectively. The ratio of 1 to 3 is probably most 

 typical of conservative Indians; family No. 1 also 

 so reports the use of coffee and panela. I therefore 

 think that the sample is probably a little low, and 

 if the total it indicates were raised by a thousand 

 pounds it would come near to being three times 

 the total of coffee consumed. The 96 pounds of 

 panela used in the ceremonies must also be added 

 as extra. 



{9,10) White sugar, chocolate . — Whi tesugar is con- 

 sumed exclusively, as far as I know, with chocolate, 

 and the two may best be considered together. They 

 are normally used only during Holy Week; but they 

 are also consumed by the officials in ceremonies 

 and at any time when brought as gifts. The ratio 

 of chocolate to sugar in the three families are 

 1 to 2.25, 1 to 2.83, and 1 to 2.74. It may be noted 

 that family 58 evidently uses less sweetening in 

 both coffee and chocolate than do the others. 

 Family No. 1 buys neither chocolate nor sugar, 

 for it receives at least what it needs in the form of 

 gifts from others. The only comparison I have '*• 

 comes from the sugar and chocolate used in the 

 rituals; and here the ratio is given as 1 part 

 chocolate to 2.24 parts sweetening (six-sevenths 

 panela, one-seventh sugar). If this information is 

 correct, then probably 49 and 37 are atypical or 

 mistaken. I have no way of telling, however, 

 which of the two items, sugar or chocolate, should 

 be raised or lowered so I give both as shown by the 

 sample. However, the 13 pounds of sugar and the 

 800 oxmces of chocolate used ceremonially must 

 be added. Sugar and chocolate (in tablet form) 

 together with bread, are the most common gifts 



'» Evidently family F106 a (Totonicapedos) in the 1944 sample week were 

 using pontic with their chocolate, which Panajachelenos do not do. 



