EMPIRES CHILDREN: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



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atrium. The largest, the Campana Mayor, is 

 named Sacramento; the next in size is called 

 the Campana de Maria Teresa, while the small- 

 est is the Campana de Santa Isabel, also some- 

 times called the Campana de Santa Cruz. 

 These are the bells used to call people to 

 Mass, and for a variety of other purposes. The 

 Campana de San Francisco is a small bell which 

 hangs from a tree just outside the chapel of the 

 same name, and is used for functions connected 

 with this building. In the tower of La Soledad 

 there are three unnamed bells which are used 

 only for functions directly connected with this 

 church. 



The bells of La Parroquia form an interest- 

 ing part of the folklore of Tzintzuntzan. They 

 may be rung in a variety of combinations to 

 indicate to the town what is about to take place. 

 This "bell language" is apparently found in 

 most parts of Mexico and, as far as I know, has 

 not been studied to date. Some of the llamadas, 

 or calls, appear to be identical over the coun- 

 try, but each village seems to have its own 

 refinements and special usages. The following 

 list probably includes most of the calls of Tzin- 

 tzuntzan. Their study results in some confusion, 

 as all those who ring the bells are not equally 

 expert, and may not know the precise nature of 

 each tolling. 



Before Mass there are three llamadas or calls, 

 about 30, 15, and 5 minutes respectively before 

 the service begins. For the misa rezada (Low 

 Mass), the large bell is tolled, then there is a 

 pause, followed by one, two, or three single 

 notes, to indicate how much time remains. For 

 the misa cantada, with music (High Mass), all 

 three bells are tolled together, followed by the 

 single, double, or triple clap of the large bell 

 alone. To indicate that there is a speedup, that 

 the interval between calls will be shorter than 

 usual, the same system is used except that the 

 tolling is for a shorter period, is followed by 

 the indicating clap, and then the tolling and clap 

 is repeated several times. To call children to 

 indoctrination, boys at about 7 on Mondays, and 

 girls at 3 on Saturdays, the Campana de Maria 

 Teresa is tolled in series of two quick claps, 

 repeated once, then twice, then once, for a period 

 of several minutes, in the following fashion: 

 Clap-clap, pause, clap-clap, clap-clap, pause, 

 clap-clap, pause, clap-clap, clap-clap, pause, and 



so on. This call has been observed to vary to 

 one clap, pause, then four claps, pause, the 

 series repeated six or eight times. The same 

 bell is associated with the prayers of the Via 

 Crucis. Friday afternoons, an hour or two be- 

 fore sunset, members of the Third Order of San 

 Francisco must go to church to pray before each 

 of the pictures of the Fourteen Stations. There 

 are three calls, as in the case of a Mass, with 

 the single, double, or triple note afterward. 

 During the actual praying the bell tolls con- 

 tinuously. 



For a Mass of the dead all three bells strike 

 together as one bell three times, then a pause 

 followed by 5 minutes of continual tolling, then 

 the three bells again, and so on. This is called 

 the doble or double. This tolling goes on all 

 through the night of All Saints', and is also used 

 to notify the community when a member of the 

 Third Order has died. To call men to work for 

 the Church, the large bell strikes three groups 

 of two claps each. For reunions of the town 

 to discuss various problems, it tolls slowly for 

 from 10 to 20 claps, followed by a pause, then 

 another series, and so on until a quorum has 

 arrived. For events of utmost importance it is 

 tolled in this pattern, but much more rapidly. 

 For Masses which belong especially to La So- 

 ledad, the same system is used as for regular 

 Masses, except that the tower bells are used. 

 To call the cargueros of this church, its large 

 tower bell strikes four groups of four notes each. 

 For processions in the churchyard, all six bells 

 are pealed together. On days of major fiestas 

 all six bells toll the alborada, an early morning 

 pealing. To call the cargueros of the San Fran- 

 cisco Chapel its small bell is rung in a series of 

 single claps separated by pauses. A final single, 

 double, or triple clap indicates, just as in the 

 manner of Mass, which call it is. 



LA SOLEDAD AND ITS FURNISHINGS 



The normal order of religious functions in 

 Tzintzuntzan was badly upset by the burning 

 of the parish church April 6, 1944, together 

 with almost all of its furnishings and equipment. 

 Compadre Guillermo, like an auctioneer, ticks 

 off the destroyed objects on his fingers. "One 

 Sacred Heart of Jesus, one Seiior San Jose, La 

 Purisima, four Nazarenes, one Christ, Our Lady 

 of Guadalupe, the Divine Providence, a picture 



