empire's children: the people of TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



247 



with more understanding than is often the case, 

 sent word that one of the boys — - they could 

 decide — should come home. And in spite of 

 all pleas to the contrary, the younger seized 

 upon this excuse to extract himself from a po- 

 tentially embarrassing situation. The older 

 brother also was relieved; he could now freely 

 tell stories and drink. In general, speech and 

 drinking patterns of a youth are strictly limited 

 in the presence of any older relative — brother 

 father, uncle, or grandfather. Needless to say, 

 he would be even more careful in the presence 

 of female relatives, though social patterns do 

 not frequently present occasions when care is 

 necessary. 



A short time later at another get-together a 

 father and son of 20 were both invited. The 

 son failed to show up, and in spite of the eth- 

 nologists' entreaties that he come, failed to put 

 in an appearance. Fathers and sons, it was ex- 

 plained, are never at ease with each other at a 

 drinking bout. Much later a younger son of 17 

 years appeared outside the door. In spite of 

 sincere invitations to enter, he remained outside 

 for over an hour, and finally, by means of mes- 

 sengers, persuaded his now staggering father to 

 accompany him home. One filial duty of un- 

 married sons is to watch out for father on fiesta 

 nights, and to help him to bed if necessary. 

 Godfathers and uncles as well may expect the 

 same consideration if the youths are aware of 

 their condition. 



Generally speaking, fathers are the most re- 

 spected and feared individuals for children of 

 both sexes. Fathers may strike their sons, even 

 after marriage, if they feel justified, and the 

 son has no recourse. The strictness of this rule 

 is only emphasized by a single exception, in 

 which a married youth was severely censored 

 by public opinion for striking at his father. 

 Mothers cease attempting corporal punishment 

 when their sons are big enough to defend them- 

 selves, and after puberty obeying the mother is 

 largely a question of choice on the part of a 

 youth. Formerly any older man of the com- 

 munity, relative or otherwise, was privileged to 

 strike a youth whom he thought was acting 

 badly. Now, the younger generation is going to 

 the dogs, and respect for age, so say the old- 

 sters, has largely disappeared. 



After puberty, boys tend to stroll the streets 



in groups, smoking and often drinking. Cus- 

 tomarily, two youths will amble, arms about 

 each others necks, or street-corner groups will 

 almost resemble a football huddle from the 

 standpoint of physical contact. This behavior 

 pattern is generally Mexican, and is probably 

 one aspect of the general Latin tendency to 

 show more openly affection and friendship be- 

 tween males than is the case in Anglo-Saxon 

 society. Certainly it is no indication of sexual 

 or homosexual tendencies. Sex is a popular 

 item of conversation, and one brags of one's 

 sweethearts or pokes fun, often by means of 

 limericks, at the bad luck or lack of ability 

 of another. Plans for stealing girls may be 

 perfected, or a harmless looking street corner 

 group may be watching for the returning father 

 of a girl who stands half a block away talking 

 with her novio, her sweetheart, one of the mem- 

 bers of the gang. 



It is difficult to tell to what extent premarital 

 sexual unions occur in Tzintzuntzan. With the 

 careful guarding of the girls it would seem to 

 be very difficult, yet illegitimate children are 

 born — in 1945 about six unmarried mothers 

 lived with their parents — and occasionally, 

 though apparently not often, girls are preg- 

 nant at the time of marriage. Local folklore 

 says that most illicit relationships occur during 

 the rainy season, when the dense growth of corn 

 and beans makes every nearby milpa a conven- 

 ient refuge. During the dry season one has to 

 go much farther, with resulting increased diffi- 

 culties. Sexual play, which sometimes results 

 in intercourse, takes place while boy and girl 

 stand in the shadows of her door. A good many 

 youths, particularly those who are late in mar- 

 rying, visit houses of prostitution in Patzcuaro 

 or in other towns through which they pass on 

 trips to the tierra caliente. Cases of homosexual- 

 ity are reported among both males and females, 

 but the practice is not common. Masturbation 

 is common among boys and youths, though dis- 

 creetly done. 



MARRIAGE 

 COURTSHIP 



Marriage is considered to be tlie normal 

 state for an adult individual, though as is shown 

 by an examination of the statistical data, which 

 follow the descriptive account, a surprising 



