EMPIRES CHILDREN: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



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golden cloth, the palio. supported on four staflFs. 

 Outside, poles have been erected in front of the 

 church door, and over them is stretched a canopy 

 of fish net, to which are fastened red and white 

 paper decorations and purple bougainvillaea 

 flowers. The procession advances to the end of 

 the net covering, prays at the chapel of San 

 Francisco, and returns to the church. 



The main altar and the one on the left bear- 

 ing the picture of Nuestro Seiior del Rescate are 

 draped in purple cloth to symbolize mourning. 

 On the altar to the right, the Monument to the 

 Holy Sacrament, candles and vases of lilies and 

 geraniums have been placed. Christ's spirit is 

 said to be present in this altar. During the day 

 there is a rezandero who has an account book 

 and several large candles which he loans to 

 those who ask to be vcladorcs. By holding a 

 lighted candle in front of the Monument and 

 vowing to light candles at stated intervals dur- 

 ing the year, the supplicant seeks special favors. 

 For the loan of the candles he pays $0.25. 



During the day comic relief is provided by 

 the antics of Judas and Barabbas. The former 

 is dressed in a Carmelite tunic and a priest's 

 cap, his face hidden by a papier-mache mask. 

 In his hand he carries a small leather sack fill- 

 ed with copper coins which represent the 30 

 pieces of silver for which Judas betrayed Christ. 

 Barabbas, wearing the mask of an old man, one 

 huarache missing, is dressed in a tattered tunic 

 which leaves one arm and shoulder uncovered. 

 In one hand he carries a length of chain with 

 which he tries to whip children, and in the other 

 a dog-eared deck of cards. As they pass through 

 town Barabbas stops any passer-by who looks 

 as if he might have a few centavos, and by means 

 of pantomime insists that they play cards. Plac- 

 ing his own coin on the cards, he waits only 

 until it has been matched before he grabs both 

 and rushes off. Judas simply holds out a small 

 box for contributions, and the money so gather- 

 ed is used to help defray the expenses of the 

 Judea. 



According to local tradition, this represen- 

 tation of the Passion of Christ was introduced 

 by Father Leso in 1631 upon finishing La Sole- 

 dad chapel. It is sponsored and prepared by a 

 group of young men who have no formal organ- 

 ization, but who, for a month before Holy Week, 

 meet each night in the church to practice their 

 parts. The entire procedure is so thoroughly 



integrated with the rest of the activities of Holy 

 Week that it is not always easy to tell which 

 activities belong strictly to the Judea, and which 

 are a part of the regular week's activities. 



All during Thursday members of the Judea 

 group are engaged in building a crude stage in 

 the small atrium between La Soledad and the 

 chapel of La Concepcion, and in the sacristy a 

 cage is built to serve as the prison of Jesus. This 

 activity stops temporarily at 4 o'clock in the 

 afternoon for the lavatoria. or washing of the 

 feet of the apostles by the priest. The men who 

 play the part are chosen by the priest, apparently 

 primarily on the basis of the quality of theii 

 beards. Most are older men and look every inch 

 the part which they play, and their feet are 

 probably as calloused and dirty as those of the 

 original apostles. Only John, young and un- 

 shaven, stands out from the crowd. They seat 

 themselves on three benches forming three sides 

 of a square, facing the audience, and everyone 

 crowds around to watch intently and critically. 

 Father Tovar splashes a little water on the top 

 of the first foot, gingerly daubs a little soap 

 and water, dries the foot with a towel and ihen 

 passes on to the next. When finished with all 

 24 he mounts to the pulpit and, over the usual 

 caterwauling of babies, reads the account of the 

 washing of the feet, sermonizes a bit, and thus 

 finishes his unpleasant duty until the next y^ar. 



By evening the stage is ready, lighted by two 

 casseroles filled with burning crumbled candles. 

 Jose Estrada, the organizer and moving spirit 

 of the Judea, steps to the center of the platform, 

 uncovers his head and announces, "With the 

 recommendation of Father Tovar we are going 

 to show the dramatization of the betrayal of 

 Christ. Please remove your hats." As if a wind 

 had passed over the audience, all hats come off. 



The portrayal of the Last Supper, in many 

 parts of Mexico a real banquet, has been reduced 

 in Tzintzuntzan to mere symbolism. The apostles 

 are clothed in women's dresses, the closest ap- 

 proach to a real tunic that the local dressmakers 

 can turn out, and after tlie play they are recut 

 to fit their wives. All disciples, with much noise 

 and clatter, finally find their jdaces at the table 

 and partake of the supper which consists only 

 of a basket of communion wafers and a bottle 

 of brandy. Christ announces in a sad voice, 

 entirely out of keeping with the jovial spirits 

 of Jesiis Huipe who plays the part, that some- 



