CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE MODERN TARASCAN AREA—-WEST De 
Inhabitants 
50,000 
40,000 
30,000 
20,000 
10,000 
Year 1750 1800 
1g50 1900 1950 
Figure 2.—Growth of population in the Sierra, 1750-1940. The population of the following towns and ranchos was 
used to calculate totals for the years indicated: Ahuiran, Angahuan, Arantepacua, Aranza, Atapan, La Cantera, 
Cherdn, Cherandsticurin, Cherato, Cocucho, Corupo, Cumachuén, Charapan, Capacuaro, Huiramangaro, Nahuatzen, 
Nurfo, Ocumicho, Pamatdcuaro, Paracho, Parangaricutiro, Paricutin, Patamban, Pichdtaro, Pomacuardn, Quinseo, 
San Felipe, San José, San Lorenzo, Sevina, Sicuicho, Sirfo, Tanaco, Tarecuato, Tenguecho, Turfcuaro, Urapicho, 
Zacan, Zirosto, San Benito, San Luis, La Tinaja, El Tropezén, Uringuitiro, Zarzamora. 
Data for 1750 were taken 
from Villasenor and church records (AAM); for 1800, from church records (AAM); for 1845, from AAM, leg. 707, 
Memorias estadisticas; for 1900, 1921, 1930, 1940, from official census. 
called Colonia Dr. Miguel Silva (Villa Silva), was 
founded by volcano refugees in August 1943, 5 
km. southwest of Ario de Rosales, on the upper 
margins of the tierra caliente. The settlement 
sheltered families mainly from Zirosto and some 
from Paricutin, Parangaricutiro, and Zacan.* 
The highland Tarascans have encountered several 
difficulties in the subtropical habitat: increased 
susceptibility to disease, unfamiliarity with sub- 
tropical clay soils, slow adaptation to new crop 
types. Consequently, within the last year (1945- 
46) the population of Villa Silva has decreased 
from approximately 600 to 300, owing to high 
death rate and movement of families back to the 
highlands; the new settlement may be abandoned 
within a short time. Besides resettlement in 
newly formed pueblos, many of the families from 
the stricken area have moved permanently to less 
damaged towns, such as Pamatdécuaro, Charapan, 
Paracho, Uruapan, and Zamora. 
80 The continued activity of the voleano may force the complete abandon- 
ment of the partially ruined towns of Zacan and Zirosto. In the spring of 
1946 the authorities of Zirosto were seriously considering the removal of the 
remnants of their townspeople to the rancho of Barranca Seca, 4 km. to the 
northwest. = 
Possible future trends in Tarascan popula- 
tion.— Judging from the long-range trend in both 
areal recession and actual numerical decrease in 
Tarascan-speaking folk, it would appear that the 
Tarascan language is headed toward extinction. 
Figure 1 indicates the terrific human toll taken by 
the European epidemics during the first 50 years 
of Spanish occupation, and the leveling off of the 
downward curve * until after 1920, when increases 
are reported by the 1930 and 1940 censuses. In 
the period 1930-40 the rate of increase in Tarascan 
population equaled that of the mestizo element. 
This period of increase is too short to conclude 
31 At the end of the 18th century, decrease in Tarascan population was 
still outstanding enough to be reported officially to the central government 
in Mexico City. Commenting on the population increase in the diocese of 
Michoac&n from 1700 to 1783, an official reports: ‘‘Hay el considerable aumento 
de 38,449 vecinos . . . pero debe advertirse que este segun las noticias comunicadas 
por los subdelegados, é informes recevidos en el asunto, es de espanoles, mulatos, 
y demas castas, pues en la de los Indios se experimenta mucha decadencia o 
diminucién originada en unos pueblos de la mescla de estos con distintas cali- 
dades; en otros de las graves y continuas enfermedades, que han padecido; en otras 
de las pensiones, que cargan insorportables a su felicidad, quando es corto el 
numero de los obligados a ellos; y en otros finalmente a la exrcasez de tierras para 
su precisa subsistencia, sobre lo qual para no confundir el estado antecedente se 
acomparia uno, que manifiesta los Pueblos, a quienes faltan aun de 600 varas, 
que por cada viento les asigna la ley .. .”. (AGN Historia, vol. 72, exped. 1 
(1793)). 
