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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY— PUBLICATION NO. 2 



Cantina, a saloon. 



Capata, a taniale made from amaranth. 



Carales, a small dried fish. 



Carga, a somewhat indefinite measure, often a burro 



load. 

 Carguero, a mayordomo, a person who has taken re- 

 sponsibility for a saint's image for a year. 

 Castillo, a set piece of fireworks on a tall pole. 

 Catrin, urban or citified, particularly applied to clothes. 

 Centavo, a cent, or one-hundredth of a peso. 

 Centimeter, one-hundredth of a meter. 

 Charanda, a drink distilled from sugarcane. 

 Charape, a ceremonial drink, usually made of pulque. 

 Chayote, a lush-growing vine and the edible fruit it 



bears. 

 Chilecayote, a type of squash. 

 Cherimoya, the anona, a fruit. 

 Cohete, an explosive rocket used in fiestas. 

 Cohetero, fireworks maker. 

 Comadre. the godmother of one's child. 

 Comal, a lenticular dish used for baking tortillas. 

 Comisionado, a person who has been commissioned by 

 the authorities to perform some task in connection 

 with municipal affairs or a fiesta. May also be 

 named by the priest or by ceremonial organizations. 

 Compadrazgo, the system of relationships set up through 



the godparent custom. 

 Compadre, godfather of one's child. 

 Copal, the gum of the long-needled tropical pine {Pinus 



montczmnae) . 

 Corales, tubular red glass beads worn by every woman 



in native costume. 

 Cuartel, a barrio, or division of a town. 

 Cuelgas, ornaments hung from ropes, poles, or about 



the neck of participants in some ceremonies. 

 Curato, the residence of the priest. 

 Curipo (T), a highly seasoned broth containing cabbage 



and chunks of boiled beef. 

 Fanega, a Spanish dry measure which has various 

 values in different parts of Mexico. In Cheran, 

 the fanega appears to equal 90.8 dry quarts. 

 Garabanzos, chickpeas. 

 Gordos. flat thickish cakes fried in lard, usually of 



ground corn but sometimes of wheat flour. 

 Guaraches, sandals. 

 Guavas, a fruit. 

 Habas, the broadbean. 

 Hectarea, a land measure of 2.47 acres, or 10,000 square 



meters. 

 Jefe de defensa, chief of the local militia. 

 Junta, any meeting of a town or organized body. 

 Ker,i (T), an official connected with the c-ahildo and the 

 church who does errands and looks after the church 

 and church properties. 

 Kuriinda (T), a tamale made of steamed nixtamal 



wrapped in maize leaves. 

 Litre, a liter, a liquid measure. 

 Maestro, a school teacher; a lay reader. 

 Maguey, the agave plant. 



Malpais, an old lava flow. 



Mano, the smaller milling stone held in the hands. 



Manta, cheajj unbleached muslin. 



Manzana, a block or square in a town. 



Mayordomia, the entire process of caring for a saint's 



image, arranging for the Mass and other cere- 

 monies involved by tradition. 

 Mayordomo, carguero; a person who is responsible for 



the care of a saint's image for a year. 

 Metate, the lower or stationary milling stone. 

 Meter, a measure of 39.37 inches. 

 Mole, a common hig-hly seasoned and complicated sauce 



used on meat; also a meat dish served in mole 



sauce. 

 Moro, a type of dancer common in Michoacan. 

 Municipe, a regidor or city councilman. 

 Municipio, an administrative area somewhat like a 



county or parish. 

 Negritos, dancers wearing black wooden masks who 



appear at Christmas. 

 Nixtamal, dough made by grinding maize after it is 



soaked in lye. 

 Nopal, the prickly pear cactus plant. 

 Ocepos (T), a sweet tamale. 

 Olla, water jar of pottery. 

 Panalero, a person who collects wild honey. 

 Pan dulce, wheat-flour bread with sweetening added. 

 Papaya, a subtropical fruit. 

 Peso, a Mexican silver coin. 

 F'inole, flour made by grinding parched maize. 

 Plan, plain ; a large level cultivated area. 

 Portales, covered sidewalks, the outer edge of the roof 



supported by pillars. 

 Posole, maize soaked in lye and then cracked into 



small pieces. 

 Pulque, fermented juice of the agave, or maguey. (See 



Agave.) 

 Raiz de paja, a root which is dried and used to make 



scrubbing brushes. 

 Ramada, a rectangular unwalled structure primarily for 



the purpose of affording shade. 

 Rebozo, a shawl worn by women. 

 Regidor, a member of the city council. 

 Relato, the text which is recited at a dance. 

 Representante del pueblo, an official who looks after 



community property in lands and forests. 

 Reserva, an authorized armed militia. 

 Rezador, a person who recites prayers for a small fee. 

 Riata, a long rope used in handling horses and cattle. 

 Rollo, the native skirt with the thick band of pleats 



across the back. 

 Ronda, the night watch, or volunteer police. 

 Secretario. the town clerk or secretary. 

 Serape, a blanket, usually ornamented, and with an 



opening so that it may be woi-n over the head as a 



poncho. 

 Solar, a town lot. 



Suplente. the alternate for an office in the government. 

 Tabla, a plank. 



