208 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY PUBLICATION NO. 6 



threat of the coming of the archbishop is powerful, 

 and sales boom, even though most buyers are il- 

 literate. The singing and selling continue, and at 

 each mention of "Nuestro Senor" hats are respect- 

 fully tipped. 



In response to Zeferino's plea to the governor in 

 Morelia, an army lieutenant and four policemen arrive 

 from Patzcuaro to keep order. Zeferino's consterna- 

 tion is great when he is billed $12 taxi fare for their 

 transportation. Consternation is even greater when 

 one of the [tolice is recognized as a former resident 

 who fled town because of robbery and murder. In a 

 hurried secret conference several trusted townsmen 

 are detailed as auxiliary police, ostensibly to help 

 tlie new guard, but in reality to keep an eye on el 

 toston, the nickname of the feared policeman. Thir- 

 teen men are arrested for drunkeness, fighting, and 

 quarreling. The o]5erators of gambling games are 

 highly indignant at Zeferino when the newly arrived 

 lieutenant refuses to reverse the order of the general 

 (p. 187) prohibiting their gaming. In the evening, 

 both bands play in fierce competition until midnight. 

 Today, likewise, the coronUas, offering boxes and 

 tin crowns, were brought from surrounding pueblos. 

 There are said to be nearly 300, some from as far 

 as Tacambaro, Zacapu, and Tingambato. Each re- 

 mains in charge of a single family in these towns, 

 and is passed on from generation to generation, the 

 right to guard them being renewed each year by 

 permission of the Tzintzuntzan priest. In the evening 

 the guardians gather in Ojo de Agua, and again the 

 bands make the pilgrimage to escort them to the 

 atrium, where the contents are delivered to the priest. 

 Twelve arrests are recorded, including two pros- 

 titutes who violated the rules and solicited in the 

 streets. 



Tuesdav, February 6. This is the actual day of 

 the fiesta itself, and in every way the most exciting. 

 Before dawn both bands go to the church to salute 

 the Rescate — exactly as one does for a friend or 

 relative on his birthday or saint's day — with "Las 

 Mananitas." Early Mass is followed by an exhausting 

 High Mass, and in the afternoon there is a solemn 

 rosary. The relationship of compadres de la corona 

 (p. 263) is formed on this day. and during rela- 

 tively free periods the new godparents make the trip 

 down the aisle with their godchildren, while the re- 

 zandero holds a small crown over the child's head 

 and mumbles the Pater Noster, three Ave Marias, and 

 a Gloria, terminated with the placing of $0.12 — a 

 carryover of the old real — in the collection plate. 

 Women penitents crawl to the church, and many other 

 persons of both sexes kneel before the painting with 

 lighted candles. A constant procession of trucks and 

 busses brings in the crowds. Ospina and I, guessing 

 independently, arrive at an estimate of 10,000 per- 

 sons including townspeople. 



A ring for cock fights has been set up, and the 

 sport continues from 11 until 6 o'clock in the after- 

 noon, well attended, and with high stakes. Bingo 

 continues to be the biggest attraction, and fascinated 

 players drop their grains of corn on the dog-eared 



cards, the lucky ones carrying off a glass, a china 

 plate, or perhaps a rag doll. I play a few games, 

 and am rewarded with the answer as to why, in all 

 parts of central Mexico, the word Apache has come 

 to take the place of the pre-Conquest Chichimeco to 

 mean barbarian, uncivilized person. In Tzintzuntzan, 

 as well as many other places, one will hear "he 

 looked like a regular Apache," or, "I haven't had 

 time to put on my good clothes. I'm a regular Apa- 

 che." It conveys the idea of savagery, half humor- 

 ously, a little seriously. Here, staring at me from 

 the card, is the feathered Plains Indian, labeled "Apa- 

 che." The merry-go-round is a simple wooden affair 

 with no motor and no mechanical music. Simple 

 seats replace horses and tigers, and motive power 

 is furnished by small boys who push from the inside, 

 their only reward the right to climb on and ride 

 when top speed has been reached. Two violins grind 

 out tunes, a girl and boy with painted faces clown 

 and clog a bit, and the effect is just as satisfying to 

 the spectators as the steam caliope to patrons of the 

 merry-go-round in the country to the north. 



Today also witnesses two dance groups, the first 

 from Patzcuaro and the second from Cipiajo, to the 

 north of Mt. Zirate. The Patzcuarenos dance the dance 

 of Santiago, simulating the struggle between Santiago 

 on the one hand, and Herod and Pilate assisted by 

 lesser Devils on the other hand. Four men are dress- 

 ed in black, representing the Devils, and one in a 

 white and black striped garb represents Death. Pilate 

 wears a wooden mask with large horns, while Herod 

 as king has a large crown and is dressed in red and 

 blue. Santiago, dressed in red and blue, rides a hob- 

 byhorse — a stick with a carved horse's head — which 

 he attempts to mount, and carries a wooden cross and 

 a banner. Mirrors, beads, and other ornaments com- 

 plement the garb of all. Women also take part in 

 the dance, as well as other lesser actors, to a total 

 of about 30. A seven-piece orchestra furnishes music. 



The dancers from Cipiajo are the pastorelas. Ex- 

 cept for their hats, richly adorned with mirrors, color- 

 ed paper and colored ribbons, and staves ornamented 

 with rattles and bells, they have no distinctive cos- 

 tume. Likewise, their music is in great contrast, con- 

 sisting simply of a reed flute, drum, and violin. There 

 is considerable disappointment in that Cucuchucho 

 has not sent its viejito dancers. This dance of the 

 "little old men"' is the only really typical and dis- 

 tinctive dance of the Tarascan area, and one of the 

 most amusing of all Mexico. 



The fireworks maker, a Tarascan from San Jeron- 

 imo Purenchecuaro, engaged by the inhabitants of 

 Ichupio for $350, has arrived with his assistants, and 

 spends the day assembling the castillo ("castle"), a 

 14-m. pole with a bewildering array of pinwheels, 

 firecrackers, and other pyrotechnic tricks. About 6 

 o'clock in the evening it is raised, with the aid of 

 many spectators, in the center of the atrium, ready 

 for the grand finale of the fiesta. Presently the church 

 bells ring and the crowd assembles, and by 9 o'clock 

 all is deemed ready. The fuse is lighted, flame shoots 

 up to the wheels, igniting bombs on the way, and for 



