60 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHEOPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 2 



The value of farm land is startlingly low, al- 

 though accurate figures on either the amount 

 of farm land in the miinicipio or the amount 

 owned by any individual were impossible to 

 secure. The tax rolls of the town are an inade- 

 quate guide. A very large number of lands 

 are not listed and in many cases the area given 

 is much smaller than actual size. A number 

 of farmers admitted this fact. The tax rolls 

 show only 303 farmers, although most men in 

 town own some land. The total parcels listed 

 number 759 with a total area of 1,9431/2 hec- 

 tares (a hectare is 2.47 acres) with a value of 

 $259,620. Community-owned lands are listed 

 as 1,667 hectares valued at $100,000. This 

 would total slightly less than 9,000 acres, or 

 about 14 square miles. This is probably less 

 than half the total area of Cheran. 



The average holding according to the tax 

 rolls is 2.5 pieces of land, totaling 6.41 hectares 

 valued at $856.86. This average is misleading, 

 however, possibly through an error on the part 

 of the tax collector's office staff, or perhaps 

 because a few large landowners hold high- 

 priced lands. From $80 to $100 per hectare 

 is the most common valuation. An average of 

 one page of the tax roll listing 58 farmers gave 

 2.62 plots per person, averaging 5.1 hectares 

 valued at $377.07 or $74 a hectare. The largest 

 holding on this page was 32 hectares, valued 

 at $2,560; the smallest was one-half a hectare, 

 valued at $50. Bearing in mind that these 

 figures represent taxable values, actual values 

 probably average around $150 a hectare. 



Data from individuals probably are even 

 more unreliable, yet show surprising uniform- 

 ity. The average value is $77.08 per hectare. 

 Estimates from six landowners are as follows : 



Area Ihcctarcs) Value 



2 $140 



4 3.50 



10 l.L'SO 



% 40 



14 l.OSO 



S 040 



44Vi ^n,5:iO 



The surprising closeness of owner evaluations 

 to the average assessed values suggests that 

 farmers are well aware of the latter. Infor- 

 mation from moi'e individuals is desirable but 

 is difficult to obtain. Even good friends nor- 



mally either refuse information or obviously 

 lie about the size and value of their holdings. 

 The only further evidence available on this 

 point is an actual sale observed in which a 

 price of $40 was paid for about one-half hectare 

 of wheat land. This piece was already planted 

 to wheat and would yield about 2 cargas. On 

 the other hand, $400 was being asked for a 

 hectare of the best maize land. 



Residential lands almost always include a 

 garden plot as well as a building site. Only in 

 the center of town is this not true. Prices of 

 residential land, however, vary sharply with 

 location and, to a lesser extent, with the depth 

 of the lot and the quality of soil. In the center 

 of town shallow lots may be valued at as much 

 as $25 a meter frontage, while on the outskirts 

 the price may be as low as $10 a meter. The 

 garden plot produces blue maize, vegetables, 

 fruit, and sometimes wheat. Probably a num- 

 ber of persons who were said to own land in 

 Cheran actually own only a large residential 

 plot, but this point was not investigated. 



Forest lands are owned by the community. 

 They serve as the source of firewood, lumber, 

 and other forest products such as shakes and 

 charcoal, and provide grazing for livestock; as 

 sources of game or wild vegetable products 

 their value is negligible. 



The use of forest lands formerly was open to 

 all who paid a small fee to aid the community 

 to pay the Federal taxes on the land. Persons 

 using the forest only for firewood paid less 

 than did charcoal burners, lumbermen, or 

 shakemakers. In recent years a permit from 

 the Federal Department of Forestry has been 

 required for any but household use, and eflforts 

 were being made to limit rights to members of 

 a cooperative organization. 



LABOR 



The sex division of labor in Cheran bars 

 women from most productive pursuits. Wom- 

 en's activities conform closely to the ideals laid 

 down recently by a notorious central European 

 — children, kitchen, and church. Women per- 

 form all the household duties, such as cooking 

 sweeping, and washing, care for the children, 

 make most of the clothes, carry water (but not 

 firewood unless they have no close male rela- 

 tives) , and take food to their men at work. 



