THE TAJIN TOTONAC PART 1 KELLY AND PALERM 



77 



other things, it is thought that a weapon is ruined 

 if it is aimed at the snake known as cuatro narices 

 (four noses ; kanalu • a) . 



Although hunting is not of the slightest eco- 

 nomic significance and now is largely a matter of 

 diversion, it still is surrounded by a good many 

 magical beliefs. A hunter carries no money, knife, 

 matches, or meat with him, and, theoretically, he 

 should avoid women completely for a full day be- 

 fore going hunting. If these restrictions are not 

 observed, he will kill no game, or he will meet with 

 an accident in the monte. Any woman — young or 



Figure 4. — Bird trap. Boxlike trap for doves, made by 

 the stepson of a Sierra Totonac, now resident in Tajin. 

 The trap may be an intrusive type; it is not in general 

 use locally. Walls of the rectangular enclosure (ca. 

 75X65 cm.) are formed by uprights of odd sticks and 

 split bamboo, secured with liana; the roof is made by 

 laying sticks and bamboo across the top of the walls. 

 The door is a bit of board from an old box, perforated, 

 so that a cord may be attached. The latter is looped 

 over a twig, which is supported by forked poles; the 

 cord passes between the slats of the roof and, inside, 

 presumably is attached to the trigger. Bait is strewn 

 on the ground, within the cage. The trigger arrange- 

 ment was not set at the time of our visit, but apparently 

 is basically similar to that of figure 3. a, A short twig, 

 set upright in the ground, within the enclosure; b, a 

 twig bent to form an arch, both ends stuck in the 

 ground; c, presumably the trigger, lying loose on the 

 ground. With the release of the trigger, the door drops, 

 imprisoning the birds. 



old, virgin or married, menstruating or not, preg- 

 nant or otherwise — may touch a gun; but should 

 she step over it, the weapon is ruined (p. 248). 

 The result is precisely the same as that which 

 comes from shooting at the cuatro narices, as noted 

 in the preceding paragraph. 



Moreover, the forests are the charge of two 

 legendary figures, one male and one female; in 

 order to hunt successfully, their blessing, or at 



least that of "the old man of the monte" is indis- 

 pensable. To this end, a hunter lights a candle 

 made of the wax of the native bee and offers to- 

 bacco to any ancient stone idol he may meet in the 



O 



O 



O 



O 



O 



O 



O 



o 



O 



o 

 o 

 o 

 o 

 o 

 o 

 o 

 . o 



Figure 5. — Deadfall. Model of a type used in former 

 times by Miguel Andres, now deceased; a local resident, 

 but native of the Comalteco area. Two forked posts 

 are planted in the ground and behind, on each side, is 

 set a row of vertical stakes, of progressively diminish- 

 ing height. A substantial log is placed within the lane 

 outlined by the stakes; the rear end rests on the ground, 

 while the front is raised. The latter is held in position 

 by a cord attached to one end of a light pole, the latter 

 resting across a twig laid in the forks of the front posts. 

 At the other end of the light pole, a liana is tied; it drops 

 to the ground, on the outside of the staked wall, where 

 it is attached to the trigger. In principle, the latter is 

 similar to that of figure 3. Height of forked posts, ca. 

 80 cm.; length of lane, ca. 60 cm. 



forest. 11 If no idol is at hand, the offering is stuck 

 in a tree, and the hunter goes complacently 

 forward. 12 



11 A similar belief evidently may have been current in the 

 Huasteea, for in Tapia Zenteno (i>. 107), one finds the following 

 query : "Quando vas a cazar, o a buscar colmenas, hablas primero, 

 o les das de comer a los Ydolos, que estan en los montes?" Of the 

 Maya, we know that "invocaban al demonio y le quemaban 

 incienso . . ." (Landa, p. 104). 



12 One of our Tajfn friends. Antonio Bautista, once went bunt- 

 ing to the west, near the little settlement of Jorge Cerdan. There 

 he found an individual who had a stone idol. lie offered to buy 

 it but was told : "No. When I want to eat venison. I light a 

 candle on the ground in front of the idol. Then I go to the montc 

 and return with a deer." 





