Cultural Geography of the Modern Tarascan Area 
By Rosert C. West 
THE MODERN TARASCAN AREA 
The present territory of Tarascan speech con- 
sists of a relatively small area (about 3,500 sq. 
km.) in northwestern Michoacan. Approximately, 
the modern area extends eastward from the 
Zamora-Los Reyes railroad to the east shore of 
Lake PAtzcuaro, and southward from the M éxico- 
Guadalajara highway to a line drawn between 
Patzcuaro and the peak of Tancitaro (map 1).! 
A few small islands of Tarascan-speaking folk 
exist south of the main area. Within the present 
area nearly 55,000 individuals of indigenous speech 
live in 66 Tarascan pueblos and 50 ranchos. 
Four geographical regions comprise the modern 
Tarascan area. (1) The Sierra (called by the 
Tarascans Sierra or Siéris) is the largest of the 
regions, the main portion of which extends west- 
ward from Lake Patzcuaro to slightly east of the 
Zamora-Los Reyes railroad.“ The northern 
! Map 1 is based on an enlarged portion of sheet 643A (Uruapan) of the 
AAF Preliminary Base, 1:500,000. This sheet was compiled by the U. 8S. 
Aeronautical Chart Service in January 1945 from AAF trimetrogon photog- 
raphy taken in December 1942. Positions and names of topographic fea- 
tures which appear on the accompanying map were checked on the ground 
during the spring of 1946. Some errors were encountered on the original 
map: misnamed localities (e. g. Ajuno), small errors in routes of highways 
and railroads, mistakes in elevations. Drainage was found to be fairly 
correct. Onmap1only the more important trails are indicated. Numbered 
localities refer to the following ranchos: 
1. Guarachanillo. 14. San Maros Aracht- 27. Patambicho. 
2. Aranza. cuta. 28. Ojo de Agua. 
3. Las Trojes. 15. Huancho. 29. Ichupio. 
4. Las Cafias. 16. Las Cocinas. 30. Tarerio. 
5. El Venado. 17. San Nicolas. 31. Ucasandstacua. 
6. Tapan. 18. La Alberca. 32. La Vinata. 
7. Tierras Blancas. 19. La Atascada. 33. Las Granadas. 
8. La Mesa. 20. El Rosario. 34. Yunuén. 
chars 21. El Tepemal. 
9. La Tinaja. 22. Tepetate 35. Tecuena. 
10. Queréndaro. 23. Tejamanil. 36. Urandén Morales. 
11. Zarzamora. 24. Pacdpatiro. 37. Urandén Morelos. 
12. San Luis Sorena. 25. Chupicuaro. 38. Urandén Carian. 
13. La Jolla. 26. Oponguio, 39. E] Padre. 
The following Tarascan ranchos (listed in the official 1940 census) are not 
located: Tzintzicha (municipio of Chilchota); Agua Escondida (municipio 
of Tangancicuaro); Las Encinillas and Los Laureles (municipio of Tanga- 
mandapio); La Providencia and El] Tropezén (municipio of Los Reyes); El 
‘Tejocote (municipio of Paracho); Revolucion (municipio of Erongaricuaro); 
and Itziparamucu (municipio of Tzintzuntzan). 
1a On modern maps the high area west of Lake Patzcuaro is termed “‘Sierra 
de los Tarascos.’’ In colonial documents the area was usually called ‘‘Sierra 
de Michoacan.”’ 
boundary approximates the México-Guadalajara 
highway, while the steep escarpment that plunges 
into the Balsas-Tepalcatepec Basin marks its 
southern limit. An eastward extension lies south 
and southeast of the lake and joins with the Sierra 
de Ozumatlan in eastern Michoacan. Containing 
60 percent of the present indigenous group, the 
Sierra west of the lake is the modern center of the 
Tarascans. (2) The Lake Patzcuaro (Japinda.zu, 
Inéimecuatu) area contains 19 percent of the 
Tarascan population distributed in 13 pueblos and 
13 ranchos along the lake shore and on the islands. 
Formerly one of the political centers of the 
Tarascan Empire, the lake region, in terms of 
indigenous speech, has declined rapidly since late 
colonial times. The speech of the entire south 
shore and the towns of Quiroga, Tzintzuntzan, and 
Erongaricuaro is predominantly Spanish. North 
and northeast of the Sierra lie two small areas of 
indigenous speech, which appear to be remnants 
of the once large northern Tarascan zone. One of 
these is (3) La Canada (EréSeman), a small narrow 
valley located at the northern edge of the Sierra. 
This valley was the region of the ‘‘onze pueblos” of 
colonial days. Today nine towns with 9 percent 
of the total Tarascan population are clustered 
along a strip of alluvium within the valley. (4) 
The other remnant of the northern zone lies north 
and northwest of Lake Patzcuaro and contains 
seven pueblos and 9.5 percent of the total number 
of Tarascan-speaking folk.2 Other regions of 
Tarascan speech consist of “islands” south of the 
main area. Cuanajo, located southwest of Mo- 
relia in the western extension of the Sierra, is the 
Jast fragment of the former indigenous area south- 
east of Lake Patzcuaro. San Angel Zurumucapio 
and the newly formed towns (Caltzontzin and 
Villa Silva) harboring refugees from the stricken 
2 These pueblos include Tirindaro, Tarejero, and Naranja on the shore of 
former Zacapu marsh; Azajo and Comanja on the northeastern edge of the 
Sierra; Teremendo and Zipiajo at the northern foot of Cerro el Zirate. 
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