

THE TAJIN TOTONAC PART 1 KELLY AND PALERM 



137 



form. "Unless someone remembers what kind of seed he 

 planted, he does not recognize the li-sut? until it is 

 cooked." 



Pipidn has a larger seed than the calabaza, and 

 it is rimmed with gray. It has been identified by 

 Dr. Cutler as Cuewrbita argyrospermu Hort., a 

 new species, closely related to C. moschata. 



Gourds are planted in the maize field the Day of 

 St. Bartholomew (August 24). Three forms are 

 common: globular {jicara, kasi) ; elongated, 

 necked (guaje, or de pescueso, akstuntu), and 

 banjo-shaped (cuvhara, spoon; no Totonac name). 

 All have been identified by Dr. Cutler as Lage- 

 naria siceraria (Molina) Standley. 62 Gourds are 

 not eaten, but the dry fruits are used as household 

 receptables — bowls, plates, water bottles, dippers, 

 and so on. 



Other cucurbits are of slight importance. The 

 chayote — both smooth-skinned and whiskered — 

 is grown by a few families, but the fruit is not 

 tasty. A sweet melon (Cucumis melo L. var. chito 

 Naud., No. 361), is planted in December or Janu- 

 ary and is harvested in summer. It is eaten raw, 

 but seems to be little grown. Watermelons (san- 

 dias) of three kinds are described: one with red 

 flesh and reddish seeds; another, red with black 

 seeds ; and still another, "white," with black seeds. 

 The latter form is said to be "half bitter," but 

 edible. As usual, it is grown in the maize field, 

 allowing about 5 m. between plants "because they 

 spread." One informant plants the Day of St. 

 Anthony (January 17) ; another, some time be- 

 tween February and May, for August harvest. 

 Watermelon is not grown for sale, and production 

 is slight. 



Another member of the same family — which, 

 from description, Dr. Cutler believes to be "Sicana 

 odorifera, probably a native of Brazil" — is sold in 

 the markets of Jalapa and Huauchinango as cala- 

 baza de melon. It has not penetrated Taj in very 

 thoroughly, but one family planted it in consider- 

 able quantity a few years ago; another tried the 

 plant for the first time this year. In time, it 

 may become more general. 



02 Concerning the jicara, Dr. Cutler writes that this "is the most 

 interesting of the gourd material . . . for the seeds are very 

 similar to a few that Dr. Carl Sauer showed me from Pueblo 

 sites in Arizona and which I have seen in another collection of 

 about 800 A. D. from Arizona, but nowhere else. The more corky 

 ridges or shoulders are typical of African and Asiatic gourds 

 but are not pronounced in pre-Colombian gourds of America." 



The Momordica charantia L. (No. 197) re- 

 ceives the touching Spanish name of amor (love). 

 Occasionally someone plants and later sucks the 

 seed of the ripe fruit, but this custom is very 

 limited. 



STARCHY ROOTS AND TUBERS 



The Totonac are well supplied with starchy 

 foods produced beneath the ground. Of these, the 

 sweetpotato and manioc are of most importance, 

 the yam less so. In addition, local cultivates in- 

 clude an arum and the Bermuda arrowroot. 



MANIOC 



Sweet manioc (yuca) is planted in late fall, 

 into February. The Day of St. Lucas (October 

 18) and Kings' Day (January 6) are mentioned 

 particularly. 



The bitter form is unknown, but two kinds of 

 sweet manioc are recognized — both edible and 

 both bearing the same native name. One {Mani- 

 hot esculenta, No. 240) is narrow-leaved, with the 

 root white-fleshed ; the other has a wider leaf and 

 yellow flesh. The former is considered the more 

 tasty and sometimes is sold in Papantla, reputedly 

 to be used in the manufacture of starch. 



It is claimed that animals — such as pigs and 

 turkeys — eat the raw root with fatal results : "they 

 eat it 1 day and 2 days later they are dead."" 

 The flesh of such animals is considered inedible. 

 However, if the root is cooked, animals may eat 

 it without ill effect. 



When the leaf is shed — generally "about All 

 Souls' Day" — the manioc is ready to be harvested. 

 The stems are hacked off with a machete, and with 

 the digging stick the soil is loosened about the 

 roots and the latter removed from the ground. 

 The stems are cut in short lengths and used as 

 cuttings. Either men or women plant. A hole 

 is made with the digging stick, the cutting is laid 

 flat within it, and is covered completely with 

 soil. 



Most families have a few plants of manioc. 

 They may be in the house clearing but more often 

 are in the maize field. If the plants are few, they 

 may be scattered; but it is said that an effort is 

 made to plant in rows if there are as many as 

 20 cuttings. We have seen no field with more 

 than a sprinkling of plants. It is necessary to 



