The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-01-26
Manners and Customs Of the Indians In
Mexico,

corn is the principal food in the temper
ate zone, while the banana is eaten by
those who inhabt the hot zone. Mais
and bananas grow without any exertion
zys On the part of the consumer and we
" - generally find both fruits growing in
abundance around the Indian huts Next
to mails and bananas, frijoles (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,
RI a kind of hoecake, are served on holi-
ss days or consumed in the town after the
Indian has disposed of his fruits in the
1s33 as market The fayorite beverage is
sse.sE l!pulque, an extract of the agaye plant.
$50 Pulque, taken in moderate portions, is
wholesome; but taken in large quanti-
ties it is rather intoxicating. On holi-
days we find many Indians drunk, after
having invested their last cent in the IA
= yorite beverage. In former times it was
the exclusive right of the aristocracy to
s~ get intoxicated. In these DAYS of mod
ern progress the privilege is shared by
the vulgar as well. The common In
dian regards intoxication not as a vice,
but as the ne plus ultra of all earthly en-
joyments Yet the authorities seem not
-. always to share the redskins singular
SO views, as theidrunkards are often arrest
80 edand locked up.
- As simple as his manner of living
-. is the Indian S clothing. The materials
are usually cotton or leather and are
a manufactured by the wearers them
g. sgSsSselFes. The shirt if such is worn, is
roughly made Of cotton. The men wear
sssssss wide trousers, which seldom reach be-
- low the knee, and which are fastened
sssEas with q sash in the same manner as the
Z "a trousers worn by the inhabitants lof the
-. = Eastern Countries Leather trousers,
s adorned with silver buttons or coins, are
only worn by those who can boast of a
senp small fortune, and the happy owners are
$500 as proud of their property as the Alba
$3.50 nese or the ~Cheibeesef Asia Minor
az = Many Indians wear but single primi-
- 8. tive shirt with blue and white Stripes.
IS ssss holes being made in the garment for the
.@e1 3 entrance of the head and arms. An In
szsT !. dian wearing this single shirtreminds
sa sasazs traveller of the wandering Bedouns and
2''0a :" the Inhabitants of India The pictur-
esque, head peace, adorned with beauti-
g. full feathers, has given away to the pro-
gafc felt or straw hat The brims of
s,,,sa these hats are frequently ten inches
'sl@ wide, and the part that covers the head
Agssile is covered with colored ribbons and
= glass pearls. A faithful Moslem would
- 80 at once recognize in these Indian hats
sis degenerate offspring of the sacred tur-
SO st ban.a Shoes are not worn by the In
81 ass dian; he usually travels barefoot, or uses
80 -. a pair of sandals, correspon 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
81 keeps him warm in the night. very
fright portable mat and the blanket form
fhe Indians bed, on which he rests his
Sac Tired limbs while his brothers in the far
sas East is kneeling on a mat formed exact
" like his, his face turned to Mecca and
offering his morning prayer to Allah, the
ruler OF the rising sun. The women
wear blue or white cotton shirt and a
blanket. frequently interviewer with
.z beautiful arabesques, is tied around the
hip. In the hotregions the Indian wom-
.gSE EN- generally wear no shirt atall, but
only the blanket or blue petticoatI The
HAIR IS hanging down. the back
z or is twisted into cues, whose
ends are tied to the sash that holds the
petncoat Both sexes wear rosaries, ON
%sszs winch 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 prini-
$3.50 tive and has the appearance of an inn
- mense bixd-cage, as it is usually con-
structed of reeds, the roof consisting of
palm leaves or leaves of the agave VIM
dows are wanting, and the fresh air may
as easily penetrate into the lightly con-
- structed 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-
.r bles exactly the blockhorse in Canada or
tEs 3 the far West. The interior of those huts
consists generally of but one room whose
..l only decoration is a kind of family altar,
9sssl 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 oftnN decorated with martyrs
81 and saints, Th~sable, if such a luxurious
- piece OF furniture exists, is generally
covered with pretty nosegays and other
& artistic arrangements of flowers. On the
eve of great holidays ta1low candle is
put on the altar and takes the place of
4 the kitchen fire, that on common week
days furnishes light for the family when
the visit of some friend or tale-telline
s stranger keeps its members from seeking
8 their couch at an early hour. The kitchen
3 utensils are the metate and the eomal. |
The metate is a 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 |
8 prepare the favorite tortillas. pourd
s. bottle for water completes the Indians
s movable property NJ T. Ereni,sq
Post.
- - Fashions for Gentlemen.
rH