30 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY PUBLICATION NO. 6 



kept in Tzintzuntzan only since 1931. Previous 

 to that the town was a teiiencia of the municipio 

 of Quiroga, and vital statistics were kept in that 

 town. Inspection of the archives of Quiroga 

 revealed that they were in such bad condition, 

 with many numbers burned or missing, that 

 accurate figures for the earlier years were impos- 

 sible to obtain. 



Data since 1931 in Tzintzuntzan are apparent- 

 ly quite accurate. To qualify for baptism pa- 

 rents must present the civil birth registration to 

 the priest. A few children could not be located 

 in the civil register, but it is at least 95 percent 

 accurate for live births, and perhaps 98 per- 

 cent. A number of stillbirths are listed, but 

 these have been disregarded because they are 

 admittedly incomplete. Many still-born children 

 are secretly buried at night to avoid payment 

 of the registration fee. Death registrations ap- 

 pear to be about as accurate as those for births, 

 with a few very young children not registered. 

 All statistical data, then, are based on the 14- 

 year period 1931-44. During this period 367 

 male births and 403 female births were record- 

 ed, in the ratio of 100 to 110. During the period 

 1935-44 live female births greatly surpassed 

 male births, 291 to 243, in the ratio of 100 

 males to 120 females. Of the males 66 died 

 before the census was taken, leaving a balance 

 of 177, as compared to the census figure of 

 166. Of the females 77 died, leaving a balance 

 of 214, as compared to 205 listed in the census. 

 During this period of 10 years 17 males and 

 15 females moved into Tzintzuntzan. There is 

 no way to check emigration, but presumably 

 the figures would be about the same, and hence 

 all movements have been disregarded. Consider- 

 ing the possible errors both in registration of 

 vital statistics and age problems connected with 

 the census, these data show remarkably close 

 correlation. 



Additional statistical data are presented in 

 the sections on birth, marriage, and death. 

 ^ An overwhelming majority of Tzintzuntzetios 

 live in the village because they were born in or 

 near it. In addition, others who were born at 

 places farther away were born to parents who 

 had temporarily left Tzintzuntzan, and who re- 

 turned wliile their children were still young. 

 Table 2 shows by age groups those persons not 

 born in Tzintzuntzan. Category 1 is the local 



area, representing a radius of about 15 km. 

 from Tzintzuntzan. Category 2 includes births 

 within liie State of Michoacan, but outside the 

 local area. Category 3 includes all others. 

 Except for a boy of 14 born in the United States, 

 all were born in Mexico. The majority of those 

 born in the local area are Tarascans of Ichupio, 

 La Vuelta, Ojo de Agua, and other nearby vil-. 

 lages who have married into Tzintzuntzan. Ob- 

 viously, Tzintzuntzan is not a town which at- 

 tracts immigrants. Family ties and habit keep 

 most Tzintzuntzefios at home, and apparently 

 the same forces in other Mexican towns prevent 

 emigration to similar small towns. Such migra- 

 tion as occurs — and over which there is little 

 statistical control in Tzintzuntzan — is to the 

 larger urban centers, and particularly the capi- 

 tal city of Mexico. A high degree of inbreedmg 

 appears to characterize Tzintzuntzan, which 

 must be reflected in a homogeneous physical 

 type; adequate measurements to verify or dis- 

 prove this hypothesis are lacking. 



Table 2. — Birth regions of Tzintzuntzefios not born 

 in Tzintzuntzan 



1 Category 1, Local; 2, State; 3, outside State. 



MESTIZO VERSUS INDIAN 



No physical studies were made of the popu- 

 lation. Tzintzuntzan inhabitants range in ap- 

 pearance from apparently pure Indian to pure 

 Caucasoid types. Both extremes are fairly rare. 

 Most individuals clearly show Indian admixture, 

 but few show the pronounced mongoloid facial 

 expression characteristic of the inhabitants of 



