The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-07
Manners and Customs Of the Indians in
Mexico.

dian is generally very simple. Indian
corn is the principal food in the temper
ate zone, while the banana is eaten by
those who inhabit the hot zone. Mais
and bananas grow without any exertion
on the part of the consumer, and we
generally find both fruits growing in
abundance around the Indian huts. Next
to mails and bananas, friioles (beans) are
cherished by the redskins. Meat is sell
dom eaten, and only that which is dried
and cut up into long strips, Eggs, how
ever, are much liked, and we seldom
find hut without chickens. Tortillas,
kind of hoecake, are served" on holt
days or consumed in the town after the
Indian has disposed of his fruits in the
market. The favorite beverage is
pulque, an extract of the agave plant.
Pulque, taken in moderate portions, is
wholesome; but taken in large quanti-
ties it is rather intoxicating. On holt
days we find many Indians drunk, after
having invested their last cent in the ia
vorite beverage. In former times it was
the exclusive right of the aristocracy to
get intoxicated. In these days of mod
ern progress the privilege is shared by
the vulgar as well. The common In
dian regards intoxicaticn not as vice,
but as the ne plus ultra of all earthly en-
joyments. Yet the authorities seem not
always to share the redskins singular
views, as the drunkards are often arrest
ed and locked up.
AS simple as his manner of living
is the Indians clothing. The materials
are usually cotton or leather, and are
manufactured by the wearers them
selves. The shirt, if such is worn, is
roughly made of cotton. The men wear
wide trousers, which seldom reach be-
low the knee, and which are fastened
with sash in the same manner as the
trousers worn by the inhabitants of the
Eastern countries. - Leather trousers,
adorned with silver buttons or coins, are
only worn by those who can boast of
small fortune, and the happy owners are
as proud Of. their property as the Alba
nese or the Cheibek of Asia Minor
Many Indians wear but a single print
tive shirt with blue and white stripes,
holes being made in the garment for the
entrance of the head and arms. An In
dian wearing this single shirt reminds
traveller of the wandering Bedouins and
esquc head peace. adorned with beauti-
full feathers, has given away to the pro-
sale felt or straw hat. The brims of
these hats are frequently ten inches
wide, and the part that covers the head
is covered with colored ribbons and
glass pearls. A faithful Moslem would
at once recognize in these Indian hats
degenerate offspring of the sacred tur-
ban. Shoes are not worn by the In
dian; he usually travels barefoot, or uses
a pair of sandals, oorrespon ding exactly
to those worn by the hospitable sons of
the Arabian desert. A wooden blanket,
with hole in the center, is owned by
nearly all Indians inhabiting the temper
ate zone. This protects the bearer
against stormy and cold weather and
keeps him warm in the night A very
light portable mat and the blanket form
the Indians bed, on which he rests his
tired limbs, while his brothers in the far
East is kneeling on mat formed exact
ly like his, his face turned to Mecca and
offering his morning prayer to Allah, the
ruler of the rising sun. The women
wear a blue or white cotton shirt and a
blanket, frequently interviewer with
beautiful arabesques, is tied around the
hip. In the hot regions the Indian wom-
en- generally wear no shirt at all, but
only the blanket or blue petticoat. The
hair is hanging down the back
or is twisted into cues, whose
ends are tied to the sash that holds the
petticoat. Both sexes wear rosaries, on
which a cross or an image of some saint
is fastened around their necks and hang
ing down on the breast. The Indian
women of Tehuantepec wear necklaces
of small gold coins and are as proud of
their treasure as the Bedouin maiden is
of hers. -..,.
The Indians dwelling- place is prinri-
tive and has the appearance of an i'm
mense bird-cage, as it is usually con-
structed of reeds, the roof consisting of
palm leaves or leaves of the agave. Win
dows are wanting, and the fresh air may
easily penetrate into the lightly con-
.strueted edifice, whose door is generally
constantly open, without latch or lock.
In the mountain districts the Indian con-
structs his house of wood, and it resem-
bles exactly the blockhouse in Canada or
the far West. The interior of those huts
consists generally of but one room, whose
only decoration is kind of family altar,
above which we are sure to find an image
of one of the Holy Virgins, gener-
ally that of the Virgin of Mount Carmel
The wall is often decorated with martyrs
and saints, The table, if such luxurious
piece of furniture exists, is generally
covered with pretty nosegays and other
artistic arrangements of flowers. On the
eve of great holidays tallow candle is
put on the altar and takes the place of
the kitchen fire, that on common week
days furnishes light for the family when
the visit of some friend or tale-telling
stranger keeps its members from seeking
their couch at an early hour. The kitchen
utensils are the metate and the comal. |
The metate is smooth stone about
eighteen inches long, and serves to grind
the Indian corn and the cacao nut. The
comal is an earthen vessel that serves to
prepare the favorite tortillas. A gourd
bottle for water completes the Indians
movable property ~ Y Evening
Post.