66 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY PUBLICATION NO. 6 



in diameter is made in the center of the trodden 

 wheat, and using either the lolly-pop canoe pad- 

 dles or wooden paddles made for the purpose, 

 winnowing begins. The outside straw is tossed 

 toward the clearing, the heavy seeds fall, and 

 the chaff is driven away by the wind ; this is the 

 windy time of year and few days are unsuit- 

 able. Wlien most of the chaff is gone the wheat 

 is gathered in gunny sacks and poured, and the 

 remaining debris blows away. Finally the wheat 

 is measured in medidas, square wooden boxes 

 of 5 liters capacity, and poured into gunny 

 sacks. From 2 to 3 tareas (lit. "tasks"), a vo- 

 lume measure of 40 manojos of cut wheat, nor- 

 mally go onto the floor at one time. The entire 

 threshing process is known as the barba. A ta- 

 rea of average wheat produces about one carga 

 (161 kilos) of cleaned grain. Hence, if a field 

 produces 9 cargas the owner will thresh a mini- 

 mum of 3 barbas and should receive about 9 

 cargas for the 3 days of work. Though the 

 composition of the threshing party varies from 

 case to case, and throughout the day, a minimum 

 of two men for each barba must be calculated. 

 Wheat is planted by 98 families. 



SQUASH 



Squash are grown both in milpas and patios. 

 Eight types are planted. Calabaza de temporal 

 is sown with maize, and is ready to eat from 

 mid-August on into the fall, first as the young, 

 tender calabacitas and later as mature squash. 

 Calabaza cunrenteha, so named because it ripens 

 in 40 days [cuarenta dias), is planted in irrigat- 

 ed lakeside gardens (p. 67). Five very similar 

 squashes are sown in patios on Candlemas, 

 February 2. The de castilla and de pellejo are 

 considered superior types because of their thin 

 shells and rich meat. The cdscara, as the name 

 indicates, has a thicker shell. The prieta and 

 amarilla are so named because of their black 

 and yellowish colors respectively. These five 

 types begin to produce in September. In cook- 

 ing, the young, tender squash need no sweet- 

 ening; when mature and hard they are usually 

 cooked with crude brown sugar. 



The squashlike chilacayote [Cucurbita fici- 

 folia) is planted both in patios and milpas at 

 the same time as maize, and is ripe in Septem- 

 ber. A hole 30 cm. deep and 45 to 60 cm. in 

 diameter is made, in which are placed a dozen 



or so seeds. Thus, a number of vines come 

 from one spot and spread over a rather wide 

 area. Three basic types of chilacayote are rec- 

 ognized: the macho, the calabaza, and the mil- 

 pera. The first-named is distinguished by its 

 wide, flat, black seed. It is very tough and 

 requires longer to cook than the other types; 

 usually it is prepared as a conserve, sweetened 

 with brown sugar. The calabaza, considered 

 superior to the others because of tenderness 

 and sweetness, has black seeds that are narrow- 

 er and smaller than those of the macho. The 

 milpera seeds are white, of the same size as 

 those of the calabaza. It is somewhat less tasty 

 than the calabaza. Chilacayotes are sometimes 

 coated with ashes to make the shells harden af- 

 ter ripening, or placed on the edges of roofs in 

 the sun. One of the characteristic fall sights 

 in Tzintzuntzan is the rows of chilacayotes sun- 

 ning on roof tops. 



OTHER MILPA CROPS 



Habas {Vicia faba), or broadbeans, are sown 

 on a small scale by 76 farmers. They may be 

 planted on the lakeshore in December and Jan- 

 uary, to be haiTested as early as March, or 

 they may be planted with the first rains in May 

 or June. Furrows 40 cm. apart are made, and 

 one seed is sown at a time at 40 cm. intervals. 

 There are two varieties, a large one for eating 

 and a smaller one for feeding to pigs. 



Peas are sown, broadcast like wheat, on lake- 

 shore lands in December and January, and are 

 ready to eat in April and May. They are boiled 

 while tender, pod and all, often with a little 

 oil and garlic, and eaten as a between-meals 

 snack at odd intervals during the day. In this 

 form they are considered a great delicacy. 

 Dried peas are rarely used. 



Other milpa crops, as contrasted to those 

 sown in patios and small gardens, are of limit- 

 ed importance. Janamargo zacate, a fodder 

 grass, is sown along the lake edge toward the 

 end of October. It is ready to be cut by mid- 

 February and continues to produce until the 

 first of May, at which time the last is removed 

 to allow the preparation of maize lands. The 

 dry zacate is threshed by hand flailing to ob- 

 tain seed for the following fall planting. Eight 

 men sow a little barley in September as fodder 

 for animals; it is ripe in April. Two men sow 



