EMPIRES CHILDREN: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



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tical patterns to that of Michoacan, and Tata 

 Vasco's influence was never felt in them. It 

 must be assumed, then, that today's regional 

 specialization is merely a logical and natural 

 outgrowth of a pattern which has existed for 

 hundreds of years, and which has its origin, 

 not in the wisdom of one man, but in a develop- 

 mental process which independently has charac- 

 terized various parts of the world, and which 

 represents an inevitable step in the direction of 

 civilization. 



The advent of the railway in the last 

 years of the 19th century and of highways 

 in the second quarter of the 20th century have 

 been of tremendous importance in this develop- 

 ment of trade, but from the long-term view they 

 represent changes in degree and not in kind. 

 And even today the huacalero with his crate on 

 his back and the laden animal offer stiff com- 

 petition. Eventually these older forms of trans- 

 port will be reduced to a level of little impor- 

 tance, and the new means of moving goods and 

 people will contribute substantially to a higher 

 standard of living for all. At present, these 

 effects are just beginning to be felt. 



The public market at fixed intervals is not 

 an inevitable solution to the problem of exchange 

 of goods of different regions, but it is a very 

 logical one. In Mexico there are two major 

 patterns: the weekly market, often combined 

 with minor markerts on other days, and the 

 permanent market. The latter is characteristic 

 of southern Mexico, from Tehuantepec east. 

 The other form is found in most parts of cen- 

 tral Mexico. Often the two are combined. A 

 town of considerable size will have a permanent 

 market place, with some merchants who operate 

 stands during the entire week. One day a week 

 is, however, the market day, with vendors from 

 outlying villages coming not only to sell but 

 also to stock up for the week. On such a day 

 the exchange of goods will equal if not surpass 

 that of all the rest of the week. Mexico City, 

 with a number of permanent public markets, is 

 in a class by itself, and in a sense is more 

 closely allied with the southern Mexican pattern. 

 Smaller surrounding towns, such as Toluca, Mo- 

 relia, Cuernavaca, Taxco, Tulancingo, and Ciu- 

 dad Hidalgo are characteristic of the combi- 

 nation market day and permanent market. 



Around Lake Patzcuaro, the area of most im- 

 portance to Tzintzuntzan, the aboriginal form 



of the single market day remains little changed. 

 Three markets are noteworthy: Erongaricuaro, 

 where on Sundays exchange between the lake 

 pueblos and the sierra takes place; Quiroga, 

 which has a rather animated though somewhat 

 local market, on Sundays also; and Patzcuaro, 

 which is the really important commercial center 

 of the region. Here, on Fridays, the main plaza 

 fills to overflowing with buyers and sellers from 

 many kilometers around, and to a lesser extent 

 on Sundays and Tuesdays. True, Patzcuaro also 

 has its permanent market, where basic essentials 

 can be purchased, and where one can eat. But 

 it is in a different location, and commercially 

 and psychologically has little connection with 

 the dia de la plaza. Vendors in the permanent 

 market are all Mestizos, as compared to the 

 many Tarascans who come on Friday, and do 

 not transfer their wares to the open sidewalk. 



Tzintzuntzan, too, at one time, had its weekly 

 market. Up until the first years of the 20th cen- 

 tury, Saturday was characterized by the as- 

 sembly of traders from all parts of the lake, 

 coming to barter their wares for what is con- 

 sidered to be the best utilitarian pottery of the 

 region. The steamboat which made regular 

 trips around the lake at that time made Tzin- 

 tzuntzan a regular call on this day, and in the 

 minds of old people it was a gay and exciting 

 affair. An area near the lakeshore, somewhat 

 west of the highway and pier, was set aside for 

 business. Today it is just another milpa, with- 

 out a trace of its former use. The cause of 

 the decline of this trade is uncertain. In all 

 probability the disturbances caused by the Rev- 

 olution, followed by better means of transport 

 to other towns, made it impossible for Tzintzun- 

 tzan to compete with the larger centers. 



Today, the Friday Patzcuaro market and the 

 Sunday Quiroga market are most important to 

 the Tzintzuntzenos. On Fridays from early 

 morning crowds stand patiently by the bus stop 

 in the plaza, trying to force their way into the 

 already overcrowded busses, or hoping that a 

 passing truck will stop to pick up passengers. 

 Persons with large amounts of pottery invariably 

 go on foot, driving animals, a trip accomplished 

 in about 4 hours. Naturalitos, the Tarascans 

 from La Vuelta, loaded with baskets of fish 

 wrapped in carrying cloths, mingle with the 

 Mestizos, all hoping for transportation. Those 

 with only a little pottery will try to get on the 



