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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 2 



ribbons and flowers at the points. Persons of 

 other occupations also appear similarly deco- 

 rated. All throw objects at the onlookers. The 

 ox drivers scatter seeds, the muleteers throw 

 flour and bran, the breadmakers throw bread, 

 the overseers scatter ink. The honey gatherers 

 collect many honeycombs from the mountains 

 to sell and give away. One is placed at a 

 corner of the plaza on a greased pole. The 

 leader of the honey gatherers on this day is 

 called kurindure. The butchers station them- 

 selves in one of the arcades of the plaza and 

 butcher a goat, whose blood is thrown at the 

 people. One of the butchers disguises himself 

 as a coyote and steals a piece of meat; the 

 others pursue him about the plaza. 



On the day of San Juan, June 24, both sexes 

 bathe early in the morning. The youths pro- 

 vide musicians, who play while the girls are 

 bathing. In the houses where there is a person 

 named Juan, a roll is placed between small 

 boards tied with a cord. Youths on horseback 

 try to seize the roll with their hands. The cord 

 is jerked as they ride past, in order to make 

 the task harder. The same is done on the day 

 of San Pedro in the houses where there is 

 someone named Pedro. 



On the day of Santiago, woros and soldiers 

 dance. The moros always come from the barrio 

 of the mayordomo, while the soldiers come from 

 the other barrio. They dance on the 25th and 

 26th, first in the chapel of the hospital, then 

 in the prie.st's residence, then in the house of 

 the mayor of the town, and then in private 

 houses where they are given presents of fruit. 

 Each group has a first and second captain. 

 Each pays for 1 day of the music and serves a 

 meal in his house. The mayordomo of Santiago 

 has no expense except the Mass and another 

 group of musicians who play at the church. 

 The dancers gather to practice the evening 

 before the day of Santiago at the house of the 

 regklor. The roseras give a supper of curipo 

 and kurundas. The fiesta is called tzindakua. 



On the day of the Conception, youths and 

 girls take musicians to the Virgin and sing 

 las mananitas to her in the church. 



On December 12 the image of the Virgin in 

 the hospital is removed from the altar and 

 placed in the middle of the chapel. Girls and 

 boys become "brothers and sisters" by crossing 



themselves, kissing the image, and wearing a 

 crown for a few minutes. Alms are given and 

 the boy and girl are then "hermanos." During 

 the day girls put on the dress of the Tarascan 

 girl, uari, and go about to the stores offering 

 tamales for sale in the manner of the Indians. 

 Boys sing pastores in private houses and are 

 given aguardiente. 



The day of Christmas Eve, the pendompari 

 goes about with musicians singing pastores 

 (pastorals) to the houses of the cabildo, where 

 she makes presents of bufmelos. In return 

 each gives the pcndoynpari 50 centavos and 

 charape. With the money the pendompari pays 

 for the Mass said on Holy Thuisday. 



One month before Christmas Eve the ciciua 

 prepares figures representing the birth of 

 Christ in his house. These are taken to the 

 image of the Holy Child. The day of Christ- 

 mas Eve, people watch and burn candles before 

 the image until 11 p. m. Quantities of bunuelos 

 and nakatamales are made for the cabildo. 

 At 11 o'clock, the image of the Holy Child 

 (which apparently is in a private house) is 

 taken to the church accompanied by a band. 

 Powder is burned at the street corners. In the 

 church the Infant is placed in a reclining posi- 

 tion. Moss for preparing the bed is brought 

 from Cerro Viejo by youths in the same fashion 

 flowers are brought for Carnival. 



In addition to these observances, fiestas 

 called nifios gorderos are celebrated in private 

 houses. A scene representing the birth of 

 Christ is prepared. The Infant is "raised" 

 sometime before Candelaria, and the scene is 

 removed on the 3d of February. 



Pastorelas are also celebrated on Christmas 

 Eve. The roseras pay the teacher to instruct 

 the dancers, and provide them with curipo and 

 tamales. Each dancer provides his own 

 costume. The group consists of 5 girl and 5 

 boy shepherds, 3 devils, 2 old men, 2 negros, 

 2 hermits, 1 male and 1 female rancher. They 

 appear to conduct the image of the Holy Child 

 to church, and they also appear on the two 

 following nights. 



On January 6 the new ci6iua goes to church 

 with music and "rai.ses" the Holy Child. The 

 priest takes up the image and gives it to the 

 6i6iua to dress. He kisses the image and gives 

 it to others to kiss. Afterward all go through 



