76 



INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 2 



rero or even from the Pacific Ocean. Even 

 men who are not regular traders will go on 

 local market. Finally, it should be noted that 

 individuals often visit markets, especially those 

 in Paracho or during fiestas at nearby towns, 

 and make purchases of needed goods. Espe- 

 cially since the highway has brought bus service 

 to the town, for important purchases a man 

 may even go to Uruapan. It is not uncommon 

 for well-to-do men, for example, to have gar- 

 ments made to order by the tailors in Uruapan. 



It is impossible to compile from present data 

 a complete list of the products imported into 

 Cheran. The list extends from chile and beans 

 to horses and sewing machines. Many articles 

 are available only on special occasions. For 

 example, the almost universally used type of 

 water jar in Cheran is made only in Patamban, 

 and is offered for sale only on the occasion of 

 the fiesta of the patron saint in October. House- 

 holders must anticipate their yearly needs of 

 these fragile (but quite long-lived) articles at 

 this time; otherwise they are forced to attend 

 a fiesta in some other town and pick up a differ- 

 ent plain style of jar made in Uruapan or La 

 Caiiada. 



Nearly all goods sold in the stores are im- 

 ported (except occasional local products such 

 as clothing) . A considerable list of these goods 

 is given in the discussion of price (p. 88). 

 Tarascan products imported include fish and 

 tules from the Lake area; hat braid of palm 

 stravi?, chairs, tables, beds, and various wooden 

 objects from Paracho; pottery from Santa Fe, 

 Quiroga, Patamban, La Canada, and the "hot 

 country," or ticrra calienfc (the last is non- 

 Tarascan) ; axes from Tingambato; knives, 

 machetes, plow points, and jewelry from Na- 

 huatzen ; oils, garlic, spices, and vegetables from 

 Zacapu and the Lake region ; rchozos and cloth 

 from Paracho, Nahuatzen, and elsewhere; pigs 

 from La Canada ; beans from the Lake region ; 

 chiles from various places; and a variety of 

 fruits. The latter include bananas, coconuts 

 (from non-Tarascan sources), sweet and sour 

 lemons, oranges, guavas, mameys, plums, 

 mangoes, watermelons, cantaloups, avocados, 

 zapotes of all sorts, and cherimoyas. 



From non-Tarascan sources, but still outside 

 the more conventional commercial channels, are 



to be mentioned pottery from Guanajuato (and 

 even from Oaxaca), dried meat from ticrra 

 calientc, cattle, and horses. Machinery and 

 tools made in industrial establishments include 

 axes, saws, hoes, hatchets, plow points, engines 

 (for nixtamal mills), sewing machines, flat 

 irons, and, quite rarely, radios, phonographs, 

 typewriters, and trucks. The functioning of 

 the principal distributive agencies will now be 

 examined in some detail. 



TRADERS 



A fair number of men in Cheran who engage 

 in trade are known as arrieros or viajcros. 

 Whether there is any distinction between the 

 two is uncertain. The impression received — • 

 and it is no more than an impression — is that 

 originally the arrieros traveled to distant places 

 outside of Tarascan territory, while the viajeros 

 traded among the local villages. At present 

 the two terms seem to be used as synonyms. 



In the town voting register a number of men 

 are listed as arrieros. Nevertheless, so far as 

 could be learned, none of them dedicates all his 

 time to trade. At the same time, there were 

 numerous other men listed as farmers or labor- 

 ers, yet who make fairly regular trading trips. 

 The main distinction seems to be that a man 

 listed as an arriero ordinarily makes about 

 three long trips a year, while other men may 

 make only one. Some men who make fairly 

 regular short trips are not listed as traders. 

 For example, one man who carries palm leaves 

 regularly to the Paracho market is not included. 



The main season for trading is from late 

 fall until June, that is, the dry season. The 

 principal routes followed for long trips are to 

 Guerrero, Coalcoman, and Colima. A good 

 many shorter trips may be taken to local fiestas, 

 especially the great fiesta and market at San 

 Juan Parangaricutiro. In addition, some men 

 go to Guadalajara and Celaya for goods to car- 

 ry to Guerrero. Finally, a long trip usually 

 involves a number of short local trips around 

 Cheran, either to purchase goods for transport 

 to the ticrra calientc or to dispose of merchan- 

 dise brought back. 



The arrieros are all men, with a single ex- 

 ception (reported but not seen). Wives, how- 

 ever, frequently accompany their husbands. 

 Sickness is the greatest hazard. Women are 



