EMPIRES children: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZA.N FOSTER 



107 



finger (fig. 23). At the bottom of the tip there 

 is a nonfunctional point, often carved in the 

 form of a duck's head, and along the top as far 

 as the handle a shallow groove to take the 

 spear, whose butt is inserted in a 1-cm, point 

 near the tip. The spear is a stout reed shaft 3 m. 

 long in which is inserted a three-pronged barbed 

 point. The user stands erect in the canoe, the 

 right hand over and back of the shoulder, hold- 

 ing the thrower on which is balanced the shaft, 

 the left hand supporting the shaft in front of 

 the handle. Only sitting ducks are targets. 



Although a few ducks begin to appear in the 

 Patzcuaro market early in October there is little 

 activity until October 31, the day before the 

 eve of Todos Santos. On this day most of the 



from $0.60 to $1.00, depending on season and 

 size. 



NET WEAVING 



The Net Proper 



Most fishermen can weave their own nets, 

 though as is usually the case there are a few 

 who are particularly adept and who devote a 

 greater part of their time to this occupation. In 

 ancient times the maguey fibers of the hills were 

 utilized in making nets; today the raw material 

 is bought in Quiroga and Patzcuaro in the form 

 of shanks of hilasa, roughly woven cotton 

 threads which sell at $4.00 a libra ("pound"). 

 The threads are separated and wound on a large 



Figure 23. — Spear thrower and shaft. 



fishermen of the lake gather near Janitzio; up 

 to a thousand canoes, each with several men, 

 participate. Concentric rings are formed, with 

 the largest concentration of ducks in the middle. 

 The first group throws simultaneously, and the 

 surviving ducks, of which there are many, fly a 

 short distance to apparent safety, but what is 

 in fact the space between the inner and outer 

 ring. Here they are closed in upon and again 

 attacked. The aim of skilful men is deadly, 

 and literally thousands of ducks are killed on 

 this day. Subsequent hunts are individual af- 

 fairs, with one or more canoes participating. 



In spite of the presence of many guns among 

 both Tarascans and Mestizos, the atlatl has 

 shown a remarkable persistence. This is prob- 

 ably due to two reasons: in a large hunt the 

 ducks are not badly frightened and do not fly 

 far, giving others a chance for a second shot; 

 the atlatl is much cheaper and can be made by 

 almost anyone. Nevertheless, some individuals 

 come to be known for special skill in their 

 fabrication, so that standard prices have devel- 

 oped: atlotl. $1.00 to $1.50, the spear, $1.00. 

 Curiously, any implement in good condition, 

 new or used, sells for about the same price. 

 Ducks are normally sold in Patzcuaro and Eron- 

 garicuaro, boiled and ready to eat. Prices range 



reel, the chororanskua, consisting of either 20- 

 cm. wooden disks joined by slats on the outside, 

 or two crosses 70 cm. apart on an axis, turned 

 at a 45-degree angle, and with the ends joined 

 by slats. 



The number of threads spun into the net 

 string depends upon the use: six for the body 

 proper of the seine, five for the pocket of this 

 net if intended for bass, four for the pocket if 

 intended for khuerepu, and two for the large 

 gill net. The small gill net is woven of ordinary 

 spool thread. Two, four, five, or six threads are 

 taken, depending on the net to be made, and 

 wound into a ball simultaneously on a corncob. 

 Subsequently they are spun together on a sim- 

 ple, common spinning wheel (Beals, 1946, fig. 

 6, p. 36). In Ichupio two old men continue to 

 use the ancient spindle whorl, the malacate (T. 

 uipino). One specimen observed was of turned 

 wood, presumably from Paracho. Another, larg- 

 er and heavier, had a baked clay whorl 1 cm. 

 thick and 8 cm. in diameter. Tarerio is a more 

 conservative village in the sense that the spindle 

 has not given way to the spinning wheel. 



The newly spun thread is soaked in water and 

 then stretched to dry between trees, or often 

 along the streets between houses, in lengths of 

 a hundred meters or more. Subsequently the 



