empire's children: the people of TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



45 



light and dark blue, light and dark blue and 

 green, pink and green and white, or green and 

 orange and red are preferred. The stylized 

 designs are given names such as nopalitos, rosa 

 de Castillo, and canastita ("little nopales" "rose 

 of Castile," "little basket"). They are purchas- 

 ed at the Patzcuaro market, or at the time of 

 the Fiesta of Rescate when vendors come direct- 

 ly from Nahuatzen where they are made. 



Except for the petticoat no underclothing is 

 worn with the telares. A muslin slip may be 

 worn with the lighter weight bayeta, though it 

 is not deemed essential. With cotton skirts a 

 cotton slip which lacks a bodice and which prob- 

 ably is an outgrowth of the petticoat is worn, 

 along with a heavy muslin underblouse with 

 short sleeves. This underblouse invariably is 

 embroidered around the neck, and although 

 none of it shows it is more decorative than the 

 blouse worn over it. Underpants, except during 

 the menses, are worn only with cotton dresses. 

 Most women own cotton stockings, though they 

 are worn principally by those who wear dresses. 

 Unlike men, women never wear huaraches: they 

 have the choice of going bare-foot or wearing 

 shoes. Consequently, relatively more women 

 wear shoes than men. 



All females own rebozos from the time they 

 can walk. Most common are the hand-loomed 

 Paracho products, dark blue with narrow longi- 

 tudinal light blue or white stripes. Others are 

 from Santiago del Valle, and Moroleon, Gua- 

 najuato, and Uruapan, Tangancicuaro and Za- 

 mora, Michoacan. The finest are the icatl or 

 tye-dye rebozos from Tenancingo, Mexico, fa- 

 mous all over the country for their intricate, 

 named patterns, for their soft colors of gray, 

 blue, and white, and for their fine texture. All 

 types can be obtained in Patzcuaro. The rebozo 

 may be worn over the head and shoulders as a 

 protection against the elements, or it may be 

 worn over the shoulders alone, as a shawl, or as 

 a sack in which to carry a small baby. 



Nati, who wears both bayeta and dresses, has 

 the following wardrobe, which is somewhat 

 more complete than average. The prices given 

 are for the garments when new, though many 

 of these are now well-worn. 



2 bayctas, 1 old, 1 new, at SlO.OO . . $80.00 



2 petticoats at 5.00 10.00 



2 slips at 4.00 8.00 



3 embroidered undershirts at 3.75 . . 



2 dresses of cotton at 16.50 



3 blouses at 4.50 



2 cloth skirts at 8.00 '.'. 



1 skirt of chermes (cotton, rayon de- 



sign) 



2 cotton aprons at 2.50 



2 satin aprons at 8.50 



2 sashes at 5.00 



1 rebozo 



1 pair shoes 



1 pair shoes 



pairs stockings at 1.75 



pairs stockings at 1.00 



handkerchiefs at 0.35 



cordones, colored wool, for hair . . 



Total value of new wardrobe .... 



11.25 

 33.00 

 13.50 

 16.00 



16.00 



5.00 



17.00 



10.00 



12.00 



18.00 



12.50 



5.25 



3.00 



1.05 



.40 



$271.95 



Girls from the ages of 2 to 10 usually wear 

 simple dresses almost to their ankles with slip 

 or underpants and undershirt. Shoes, if owned, 

 are reserved for festive occasions except in a 

 few cases of wealthier persons. Special cloth- 

 ing is necessary for the "presentation" 40 days 

 after birth and for the first communion. The 

 lormer necessitates, for those that can afford it, 

 a dress of chermes, a calico shirt and shawl, 

 calico diaper, a fajero (swaddling band), cap, 

 woolen shoes, flannel cape, and pechera (bib), 

 all of which is valued at from S15 to $20 

 depending on the quality of material and 

 amount of embroidery. For the first communion 

 the girl needs a white dress of chermes, veil of 

 tulle, white shoes, and crown of blossoms, val- 

 ued at from $25 to $30. 



CHANGES IN DRESS HABITS 



Tables 7A and 7B show the basic combina- 

 tions of garments which customarily are worn 

 by Tzintzuntzan males and females of 6 years 

 of age and above. Shoes and trousers or dress 

 are considered to be most modern and farthest 

 removed from Indian garb, while use of calzo- 

 nes or telar and going barefoot is most prim- 

 itive. The intermediate categories are graded 

 roughly from city to Indian, though admittedly 

 this grading is somewhat arbitrary. As between 

 men and women, certain noteworthy differences 

 are apparent. More women go barefoot than 

 men, but more of them also wear shoes. This 

 is because there are only two possibilities for 

 them, as against three for men, the majority of 

 whom have huaraches. Far fewer men are in 



