The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-06
STRANGE INDIAN TRIBE.
MODE or LIFE or THE TARA.
HUMARAS OF MEXICO.

Women Do Most Of the week-Tribe Has
Its Own Language and Govern
ment - Snakes &c Feed - Marriage
and Divorce-Religious Obsorvances.
Most curious information comes from
Chihuahua relative to the customs and
practises Of the Tarahumara Indians. q
savage tribe of that State. The inform
ant is Trinidad Pereyra, who spent some
time among the Indians, commissioned by
Gov. Creel to study the most appropriate
means to oivilize them.
The Tarahumara Indians says the Meri-
can Herald, are descendants Of the Nahoas,
who lived many years In the Sierras OF
Chihuahua According to the latest oen-
sls the tribe lie composed Of about 1900
individuals.
At the home Of Tarahumars tho woman
works more than the man, who does almost
nothing. The women spin the wool and
cotton make thread, cloth. xarapes. hats,
baskets, &c. At night all members Of the
family sleep on the floor. grouped together
around big fire II it Is GOLD.
The Tarahumara men. with fow excep-
tons, wear long hair, which they braid into
cues as do tho Chinese.
During the rainy season corn and
beans are planted, but on q small scale.
Only what is needed for tho family CON-
sumption is raised. When tho crops are
gathered the men spend their time smoking
and drinking 4tezguino, kind Of sguardi-
ente which they make Of corn, and the
women do the work. They do not cultivate
wheat, but after the crops are gathered In the
neighboring districts they pick up what
Is left by the reapers. All members Of
family 20 together to the Hidalgo district,
and pick up sometimes as much A. 200
pounds.
Children are taught to take care Of sheep.
They have no cattle and live on sheep milk.
pinole, tortillas, frijoles, birds, rats, mice
and snakes. The pinole u cooked corn
mixed with sugar or piloncillo and pounded
into powder When the pinole is mixed
with water or milk and boiled II Ia called
champurrado. Birds, rats, snakes and the
other animals used for food arc hunted
by the children, who early arc taught TO
use tho bow and arrow. Some Of them
are very good marlzsmsn.
The Tarahumaras have their own ian
guage and only few Of them speak Spanish
well. Their dress 10 something that sur
prises one who has never seen . tribe Of
savage Indians. Only very few men, not
more than per cent. wear cotton brooches;
the balance wear breech clouts. None Of
them wears shirt or shoes and there are
many who have no hats. When there Is Q
fiesta, funeral or such occasion the gala
attire consists Of brooches shirt. hat and
huarachee. The women wear blouses
and skirts and sometimes . rebozo
These are homeepun. The women also
make zarapes for, their husbands and
brothers, to be used during tho cold season.
Children are naked until the ago Of four
or Ave, when they begin to wear breeoh
clouts.
The Tarahumaras have their own gov
eminent and legislature, although these
a re appointed by and subject to the Mexican
authorities Of the neighboring towns In
each Tarahumara town there Il = .gobern-
adorcillo." or little governor, and chief Of
police. All gobernadorcillos and chiefs
of police are subject to q Captain General
or superior jefe, who Is also appointed by
the Me xican authorities. II Ia only seldom
that the latter have occasion to intervene,
ss tho Terahumaras have become rather
law abiding. The most frequent crime
within their tertiary y drunk