SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS 

 Villages 



The villages vary in size from two or three houses to two hundred 

 or more, with inhabitants numbermg from 10 or 12 to more than 

 1,000. In the smaller villages the houses are very irregularly dis- 

 posed; in the larger they are arranged more or less regularly so as 

 to form streets around a large central space, or plaza, where the 

 dance house and church are usually situated. Each "house is sur- 

 rounded by its own patio, or yard, generally inclosed in a fence of 

 "tasistas," in which the bush is allowed to grow to a considerable 

 height in order to provide a convenient latrine for the women and 

 children. Dogs, pigs, and vultures serve as scavengers. Many of the 

 Indians, especially the Santa Cruz, are at great pains to conceal the 

 whereabouts of their villages. Along the main roads only a few 

 scattered groups of huts will be seen, while the larger villages are 

 approached by tracks so inconspicuous that they may easily be 

 missed. The villages themselves are surrounded by a maze of narrow 

 tortuous paths, in which a stranger may wander about for some time 

 before finding his way in. Tlie Santa Cniz are said sometimes to 

 cut the tongues from their cocks m order to prevent them crowing 

 and so betraying the situation of the village. 



Tlie Indians are very jealous of outside interference in their affairs 

 and do not permit foreigners to reside m their villages. An exception 

 was made in the case of a number of Chinese coolies imported mto 

 British Honduras many years ago, most of whom ran away to the 

 Santa Cruz country, where they w^ere well received and married 

 Indian wives. Among their offspring, it is interesting to note, are 

 found a very unusual proportion of defectives. On one occasion the 

 Mexican Government commenced to cut a road through from Peto 

 to Santa Cruz, the Indian capital. Five of the Santa Cruz Indians 

 went to see the work going on and were well received and given useful 

 presents. On returnmg to their own country, however, they were 

 executed by the head chief as traitors for encouraging the entry of 

 outsiders into their territory. 



Marriage and Children 



The Indian girls married formerly at about 14 or 15, the boys 



at about 17 or 18 years. , After the conquest of Bacalar, however, 



and the expulsion of Yucatecans from Indian territory a law was 



passed making marriage compulsory for all girls of 12 years of age 



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