EMPIRES CHILDREN: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



255 



hy parents, godparents, and friends. The brides wear 

 satin dresses, two of them jjink. and one blue. The 

 boys wear their new trousers and jackets, but do not 

 appear to be any more dressed up than, for example, 

 on the first day of the Rescate fiesta. Father Tovar 

 gives a short talk, stressing the reciprocal implica- 

 tions of marriage, and points out that it is an indis- 

 soluble contract having as its first purpose the jiro- 

 creation of children. The sacristan then hands him 

 a silver plate with three pairs of rings and three 

 piles of silver money, the arras, to be aspersed with 

 holy water. Three rings are given to the boys, who 

 put them on the fingers of the girls, and the priest 

 himself puts the other rings on the fingers of the 

 boys. The onlookers are asked if anyone has any 

 objections, or knows if there is any reason why 

 these couples should not be united in holy matrimony. 

 Again Father Tovar passes down the line of cou]iles. 

 giving to each in turn the arras — seven tostones, 

 $0.50 silver pieces — asjiersing the money and telling 

 the boy to say to the girl, "I give you these arras as 

 a sign of matrimony." to which the girls reply, "I 

 accept it." The arras, which are furnished by the 

 grooms' families, are later collected by the priest for 

 his own use. Mass is said, the couples partake of 

 communion, and the sacristan jilaces a white cord 

 around their necks symbolically binding them to- 

 gether. 



The strain of the wedding over, the couples ad- 

 journ to the homes of the new godparents for the 

 wedding breakfast. Jose has contracted for Pascual's 

 band, which has taken its place in a corner of his 

 large living room. The rest of the room is occupied 

 by an improvised table of planks on saw horses, 

 covered with a white cloth and heaped with piles 

 of bread. Jose takes his place at the head of the 

 table, Andres on his right and Lucia on his left. 

 Standing he apologizes for the humble fare, says 

 he is a poor man (not at all true), reminds the 

 diners that the town is poor and has little to offer, 

 and adds that nonetheless he is glad they are all 

 there. Then cups of chocolate and glasses of milk 

 are brought in by the women and everyone eats hearti- 

 ly, after which the table is cleared to make room for 

 a second group. Pascual fills the room with din, and 

 presently he and the musicians also are fed. After 

 breakfast the parents of both newlyweds, and Jose 

 and his wife gather together. They are now to for- 

 malize the new relationship by which they all become 

 compadres to one another. Each embraces the other, 

 saying, ''\^'e are going to be compadres. First we 

 were friends, and now. in the presence of God. we 

 become compadres." ^^ Later in the morning everyone 

 goes to the house of Jaime, where an enormous 

 banquet has been prepared. Lucia sits at one end of 

 the table beside her new godmother, and Andres sits 

 at the other end beside Jose, his new godfather. In 



11 The parents of the boy and girl refer to the parents 

 of their son- or daughter-in-law as compadres. Hence, usually 

 three married couples are united in the new relationship: the 

 parents of the boy, the parents of the girl, and the couple 

 asked to be compadres. 



the jiatio, Pascual plays for the meal. Three times 

 the table is cleared, and three times new diners enter. 

 The wedding party has now increased fivefold, and it 

 is to be a day of great celebration. After eating, the 

 newlyweds adjourn to a semiprivate room — in which 

 many adults and children enter and depart — for the 

 marital advice of the godparents. Jose looks em- 

 barrassed, coughs, and reminds them of the serious- 

 ness of their action, that they must be faithful, try 

 to help each other, and understand the faults of one 

 another. Bartola, his wife, adds a few words, but 

 everyone is obviously glad to have the affair over and 

 be outside in the fresh air. Now Pascual's band goes 

 outside into the street. There is little room in the 

 patio, and for dancing, more space is desirable. The 

 bride, in the momentary absence of her husband, is 

 seized by another youth and whirled away. Andres 

 presently emerges, looks a little piqued, takes his 

 wife, and dances away. All afternoon and into the 

 night the dancing continues. 



Meanv^fhile, the position of Isaac, the jilted 

 suitor, was unenviable. Everyone in town knew 

 the story, and he was the butt of jokes on the 

 part of all his erstwhile friends. His reaction 

 is quite understandable in terms of our own 

 society. 



A week after Andres stole Lucia, he suddenly ap- 

 peared at his home one night with Laura C. in tow, 

 and announced to his mother their intention to marry. 

 The marriage was ill-fated from the first act. Isaac's 

 family was scarcely on speaking terms with that of 

 Laura, and all the first night his mother stayed up, 

 expecting a possible attack to carry the girl home. 

 This did not occur, but members of her family were 

 seen spying on the house to determine if the girl 

 really were there. Next morning Isaac, exhausted by 

 events of the preceding 2 weeks, went to the hills 

 and slept all day, leaving Laura to aid his mother 

 with the housework. 



Old Don Bernabe, father of Isaac's mother Maria, 

 as baptismal godfather had the task of trying to con- 

 ciliate the irate parents of the girl. Being old and 

 sick, he asked two of his oldest compadres — and note 

 that compadres and not blood relatives are asked — 

 to do the unpleasant task for him. At dusk the same 

 day Norberto P. and Eleno M. came to Don Berna- 

 be's house where he offered them caballito. raw al- 

 cohol mixed with soda pop. to nerve themselves for 

 the ordeal. It was decided first to seek out old Na- 

 talio E., grandfather of the girl, in the hope that 

 he could be ])ersuaded to accompany the party, thus 

 facilitating the work. Francisco C, father of Laura, 

 had the reputation of being a difficult man at best, 

 and the situation was one which called for every pos- 

 sible precaution. Upon arrival at Natalio's house, 

 loud knockings were met with a sullen female voice 

 announcing that Natalio was not there and, quien sa- 

 ke, who knows where he might be. Subsequently the 

 party went, somewhat dejectedly, to the house of 



