EMPIRES CHILDREN: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



57 



come next, respected if they work hard and 

 well, but rarely among the topmost families of 

 the village. In the eyes of the Mestizos, fisher- 

 men are on a somewhat lower level, simply 

 because nearly all men so engaged are Taras- 

 cans. The fact that they may own some of the 

 finest agricultural lands in the area, and that 

 they earn excellent money, does not mitigate 

 a certain disdain for this work. The Tarascans, 

 on the other hand, would consider fishing as 

 occupying a higher status level than pottery 

 making, and the combination fisherman-farmer 

 with good lands as occupying the highest of all 

 positions. Day work for hire is the occupation 

 of least prestige; such individuals are depend- 

 ent upon the whim of others for their daily 

 bread, have no security, and generally occupy 

 an inferior position. It must be remembered, 

 however, that these social differences are rela- 

 tively slight. Tzintzuntzan in no sense of the 

 word represents a stratified society. 



It is clear, then, that the attraction of status 

 tends to pull most Mestizos toward farming, 

 with a few drawn to storekeeping. Pottery 

 draws individuals who, for economic or other 

 reasons, do not qualify for the highest category. 

 Fishing is an obvious occupation for Tarascans 

 with sufficient wealth to keep canoes and nets, 

 while day work is left to those with less energy, 

 initiative, and wealth. 



In practice, most sons of farmer fathers tend 

 to follow this occupation if they inherit suffi- 

 cient lands to make it possible. Customarily 

 (p. 175) a father divides his land among his 

 sons, and perhaps also his daughters, so that 

 frequently there is insufficient land for all to 

 make a living from farming alone. Hence, one 

 must turn to other occupations. Some may 

 marry into pottery-making families and take 

 up the work, while others may become rescato- 

 nes, buying pottery wholesale and carrying it 

 to distant markets to retail. Still others, should 

 they possess draft animals, may remain farm- 

 ers by share cropping (p. 71), while still others 

 will take to day labor during at least a part of 

 the year. Eventually, some of these men will 

 acquire enough money to buy lands and become 

 full-time farmers, and upon their deaths, the 

 cycle will repeat. The less capable or fortunate 

 sons who have inherited small pieces of land 

 may find it necessary to sell their holdings. 



sometimes to brothers, sometimes to others, and 

 to come to rely entirely on nonagricultural pur- 

 suits. Obviously, only a limited number of 

 men by temperament will be drawn to store- 

 keeping and of this limited number, still fewer 

 will have the necessary capital. Outside limits 

 on the numbers of storekeepers are placed by 

 the necessities of the town and neighboring ham- 

 lets. Outside limits on agriculture are placed 

 by an absolute land shortage. Hence, regardless 

 of how openings are shuffled, and who may fill 

 them in each generation, the numbers cannot 

 greatly change. The smaller number of farmers 

 (66 fuU-and part-time) as compared to the 

 number of land owners (107) is explained by 

 the fact that some owners of land share crop 

 entirely, and hence do no agricultural work 

 themselves. 



Pottery, as an occupation, has several attrac- 

 tions worth noting. It requires no great capital 

 investment as compared to fishing, farming, and 

 storekeeping, one's wife and children are of 

 great help, and by hard work it is possible to 

 earn an adequate living. Hence, men who can- 

 not qualify for farming or storekeeping are 

 drawn to this work. They may have learned 

 the technique as a child from their own parents, 

 or as a result of marriage into a potter's family 

 they gradually acquire the necessary knowledge. 

 Some of these men will farm during the wet 

 season, and a few, through hard work and luck, 

 will graduate to the farming class alone. 



Rescatones occupy a special position. Though 

 a moderate capital investment in pack animals 

 is necessary, this is relatively small, and most 

 men, by some means, would be able to find the 

 money. By and large, they are the only ones 

 who openly express love for their work. They 

 are rescatones, not because of necessity, not be- 

 cause they can do nothing else, but simply 

 because they like the life of the open road, the 

 chance to go to different places, and to see new 

 faces. Farmers may feel satisfaction in seeing 

 a ripening crop, and potters are content when 

 they uncover a kiln after firing and find little 

 broken ware. But a conscious joy from work ap- 

 parently is limited to the rescaton. Hence, tem- 

 perament, and not wealth or status, seems to 

 determine what individuals take up this liveli- 

 hood. 



Full-time day laborers are, for the most part, 



