CHERAN: a sierra TARASCAN village — BEALS 



41 



ground, and the lower edge is decorated with a 

 band nearly 2 inches wide of cross-stitched de- 

 signs in blue, strong pink, or red. These 

 designs are made in Nahuatzen on long strips 

 of mania and are purchased and sewn on the 

 lower edge of the petticoat. The garment it- 

 self is tubular with a circumference of at least 

 6 yards. The top edge is folded back a foot or 

 more, giving a double thickness of cloth about 

 the waist. It is worn flat across the front and 

 then skillfully gathered in knife pleats across 

 the back, forming almost a ridge of material 

 across the back. The pleats are not sewn but 

 are laid in place each time the petticoat is 

 donned. The top of the petticoat comes at 

 least 6 inches above the waist. A woven belt 

 of wool, usually in brilliant colors, about 2 

 inches wide and 2 or more yards long, is then 

 placed very tightly about the waist to support 

 the petticoat. Only training from childhood 

 makes it possible to endure the tightness of the 

 belt constantly. 



If Tarascan dress is worn constantly, women 

 frequently wear the petticoat without the skirt 

 and apron while working. This is true even 

 when running errands on the street. Any for- 

 mal occasion, however, is thought to require 

 the outer skirt and apron. 



The outer skirt is of very dark-blue or black 

 wool cloth, either of commercial origin, or hand- 

 loomed materials from Paracho or Nahuatzen. 

 Two widths of the latter are required. The skirt 

 is tubular also, and the circumference should 

 equal or exceed that of the petticoat, the limit 

 being the purse of the family and the fortitude 

 of the woman. Skirts over 30 yards in cir- 

 cumference are known; a 15-yard circumfer- 

 ence is probably about the minimum for a really 

 stylish garment. The top is folded in, and the 

 surplus material is gathered, as in the petticoat, 

 in knife pleats across the back. The top of the 

 skirt is well above the waist and is held in 

 place by several narrow woven belts of bright 

 colors and designs. Despite their elaborate 

 designs, these belts are wrapped one on top of 

 the other. Although one would suffice, ideally 

 one belt is superimposed on another until they 

 reach a thickness of as much as 2 inches (pis. 1, 

 upper and lower right ; 2, upper right and left) . 



The pleats of the skirt must be prepared 

 more carefully than those of the petticoat. 



When the skirt is washed, two women fold in 

 the pleats while the material is still damp. It 

 is then laid flat to dry or clamped between two 

 or three pairs of sticks which project beyond 

 the sides of the skirt and are tied together. 

 The same device is often used when the skirt 

 is not being worn. 



When both skirt and petticoat are worn, a 

 ridge of cloth extends across the middle of the 

 back large enough for a small child to sit on, 

 held by his mother's shawl. The thickness of 

 cloth is also folded under when a woman sits 

 on the ground, creating a seat quite as high as 

 the low stools or chairs used by men. When 

 walking, the skirt barely clears the ground and 

 only glimpses may be caught of the colored band 

 of the petticoat. In rainy weather or on muddy 

 roads the skirt becomes wet and muddy. In the 

 Lake Patzcuaro region, not only is the skirt 

 worn a little shorter, but it is often hitched up 

 nearly to the knees by using one of the many 

 belts to loop up part of the cloth at the back 

 into a bustle-shaped bundle. In the same area, 

 skirts are often of red plaid materials and the 

 upper part is made of lighter materials, making 

 the thickness of the folds at the waist much less. 



The rebozo, or shawl, is an inseparable part 

 of the costume. The everyday i-ebozo, and the 

 only one owned by poor women, is a hand-loomed 

 cotton fabric from Paracho or Nahuatzen. The 

 color is dark blue with fine light-blue or white 

 longitudinal stripes. The color is from indigo 

 dye. A tasseled fringe some 4 inches in length 

 finishes the ends. 



For special occasions, women who can afford 

 them wear a much finer gray or blue cotton 

 rebozo from Tangancicuaro. Such rebozos may 

 cost from 10 to 60 pesos or more, and the finer 

 specimens can be drawn through a finger ring. 

 An elaborate netted fringe 8 or 10 inches long 

 is waxed to make it stiff. Some fine rebozos 

 have a thin stripe, but the main effect is of a 

 pepper-and-salt mixture. 



The rebozo is sometimes worn over the head 

 as a protection against rain, sunshine, or cold, 

 or to hide the face partly if the wearer is 

 embarrassed. At such times a fold may be 

 drawn across the lower part of the face and 

 caught in the teeth. Much of the time, how- 

 ever, the rebozo is worn as a shawl. Children 

 or small objects are slung on the back in a fold 



