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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY PUBLICATION NO. 13 



One may destroy his companion's luck in hunt- 

 ing by tossing a handful of earth behind him. If 

 the victim realizes what has taken place, he coun- 

 teracts the evil by rolling a cigar. This he deposits 

 in the notch which he cuts with his machete in a 

 cedar or sapote chico tree. "The old man of the 

 m^nte" is said to be inordinately fond of tobacco, 

 and in thanks, he gives the hunter the desired 

 quarry. 



Christian saints also are associated with hunt- 

 ing. One informant thinks that a candle should 

 be burned for St. Lazarus. Others believe that 

 St. Eustace is a better bet ; "he has his deer." A 

 candle is burned to him and a prayer (oracion) 

 recited. 



FISHING 



Papantla and Taj in are too distant from the 

 Gulf and from large streams for fishing to have 

 been of major importance in aboriginal times. 

 Nevertheless, there is a local tradition to the effect 

 that formerly Papantla was located at the arche- 

 ological site of "Tuzapan," and that the popula- 

 tion moved to the present spot so as to be handier 

 to fishing resources. 



The Suma (No. 449) makes no mention of fish, 

 but the sixteenth-century Relacion de Papantla 

 states that the Indians "plant and fish in the rivers, 

 by which they support themselves" — thus placing 

 fishing on an equal basis with agriculture. The 

 same document reports the use of both hooks and 

 nets. Undoubtedly, this part of the account re- 

 fers not to Papantla proper, but to the settlements 

 along the borders and at the mouth of the Eio 

 Tecolutla. The port of the latter name was fa- 

 mous for its fish in colonial times, and by 1610, 

 five Spaniards were exploiting its salt and fish 

 resources (Mota y Escobar, p. 233). 



Fishing possibilities near Tajin are pretty lim- 

 ited ; even so, fishing is popular among the younger 

 men. Some go to the Arroyo de Tlahuanapa, at 

 a point about 2 hours on foot from the fwndo. 

 Others, especially those who live in the north- 

 westerly parcels, go to the Coatzintla area, in the 

 vicinity of old Troncones, now known as Kilo- 

 metro 59. Here there is good fishing in several 

 arroyos which drain to the Rio Cazones, and even 

 in the latter itself. Since all waterways are Fed- 

 eral property, it is not necessary to obtain permis- 

 sion to fish, even though the streams run across 

 private lands. 



Fishing is most common from April to July, 

 when the water in the arroyos is low. It is ad- 

 visable, however, to avoid days dedicated to im- 

 portant saints, and anyone who fishes during Holy 

 Week endangers his life. A fisherman may light 

 a candle to St. Raphael, to insure good luck; or 

 he may place a candle on the family altar, de- 

 signed for any saint who happens to grace the 

 domestic shrine. 



Seldom does one fish alone. Four to ten con- 

 genial young men take their respective lunches and 

 spend a day at the fishing grounds. Sometimes 

 they are accompanied by their young sons, and 

 the small boys learn through observation and prac- 

 tice. Generally, however, they amuse themselves 

 looking for crustaceans, while their fathers con- 

 centrate on larger spoils. 



The following fish are found in the arroyos 

 near Tajin : 



a. guapote, huapote (wapa) ; "similar to a mojarra; all 

 sizes." (Undoubtedly a member of tbe genus Cycfila- 

 soma)™ 



b. guavina, guevina, liuabina (tokoswa, Ifntin ; Totonac 

 names said to be used interchangeably) ; "long, dark; 8 

 to 35 em." (Probably Philypnus dormitor or Eleotris 

 pisonis). 



c. panzoncito, timpu (stlnpun) ; "similar to the preced- 

 ing, but smaller." (Molllenisia sphenops). 



d. solote (sul) ; "similar to the guavina, but larger; 

 horns or whiskers at either side of the head." 



e. churro, trucha (lakakuyu). (Probably Agonostoma 

 monticola). 



f. rdbalo (no Totonac name) ; "one 40 cm. long is large." 

 (One or more species of the genus Centropomus). 



g. sardina, pasandia (paskoyal, paskoyot) ; "small, with 

 a striped belly which glistens (relumbra)." (Astyanax 

 fasciatus mcxicanus). 



In addition, as a byproduct, fresh-water crus- 

 taceans and a shellfish often are collected : 



h. camardn ( iskaqtan ) . (Probably a shrimp pertain- 

 ing to the family Palaemonidae). 



i. acamaya (a fresh-water shrimp of the genus Macro- 

 Irachium). Four different kinds are mentioned : akiicok, 

 which is large, with stripes on the back; makasil?, 

 smaller : makasakat, "a very thin one" ; and makakiwi, 

 with long antennae. These are considered a delicacy. 

 They are placed alive on the flat baking plate, sprinkled 

 with salt, and eaten at once. 



13 Informants' comments are in quotation marks. Suggested 

 identifications of fish and crustaceans appear in parentheses and 

 arc through the kindness of Mr. Milton ,T. Lindner. We collected 

 specimens of c and g which, at Sir. Lindner's request, were deter- 

 mined by Mr. Jos4 Alvarez del Villar. 



