The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-06
STRANGE INDIAN TRIBE.
Mode Of Life of the Tarahumara of
Mexico.
(AIexican Herald.)

Most curious Information comes from
Chihuahua relative TO the customs and
practices of the Tarahumara Indians, a
savage tribe of that state. The in
formant is Trinidad PereyTa, who spent
some time among the Indians, COM
missioned by Governor Creel to study
the most appropriate means to civiliZe
them. The Tarahumara Indians are
descendants of the NahOas. who lived
many years in the Sierra of Chihuahua.
According to the latest census the tribe
is composed of about $4,000 individuals.
At the home of Tarahumara the
woman works more than the man, who
does almost nothing. The women spin
the wool and cotton. make bread.
cloth. ZarapeS hats. blankets. etc. At
night ali members OF the family sleep
on the floor, grouped together around
d big fire if it is cold.
The Tarahumara men, with few eX-
ceptions, wear long hair. which they
braid into queues as do the Chinese.
Planting Season.
During the rainy season corn and
beans are planted. but on a small scale.
Only what is needed for the family
consumption is raised. When the
time smoking and drinking ''teZguino,"
a kind of aguardients which they make
of corn. and the women do the work.
They do not cultivate wheat, but after
the crops are gathered by the neigh
boring districts they pick up what is
left by the reapers. All members of a
family go together to the HidalgO dis
trict. and pick up sometimes as much
as 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 pi-
mole IS cooked corn mixed with sugar
or piloncillo and pounded into powder.
When the pinole is mixed with water
or milk and boiled it is called cham
purrado. Birds, rats, snakes and the
other animals used for food are hunted
by the children, who early are taught
10 use the bow and arrow. Some of
them are very good marksmen.
The Tarahumaras have their own
language and only a few of them speak
Spanish We'll Their dress is something
that surprises one who has never seen
a tribe of savage Indians Only a very
few men, not more than I uer cent,
wear cotton breaches; the balance wear
bTeech ciOuts. None Of them wear
have no hats. When there is a fiesta,
funeral or such occasion. the gala at
tire consists of breecheS shirt, hat and
huaracheS. The women wear blOuses
and skirts and sometimes a rebozo.
These are hOmespun. The women also
make Zarapes for their husbands and
brothers. 10 he used during the cold
season. Children are naked until the
age of four or five, when they begin
TO wear breech clouts.
SER Governing.
The Tarahumaras have their own
government and legislature, although
these are appointed by and subject to
the Mexican authorities oe the neigh
boring towns. In each Tarahumara
town there is ''gOberna GCrcillo," or
little governor, and a chief OF police.
All gobernadocillos and chiefs of police
are subject TO a captain general or SUI
peTioT jefe. who is also appointed by
the Mexican authorities. 1t is only sci.
dom that the latter have occasion 10
intervene. as the Tarahumaras have
become rather laW-abiding. The most
frequent crime committed within their
territory is drunkenness and an Occas-
ional murder Drunkenness is not pun.
ished severely.
Tarahumaras like and admire civili-
cation They believe that the Mexican
government is good because it protects
them. This refers only to those who
live near towns of civilized people
Those who live i'm the heart of the
mountains do not know any other ru-
lers than their gobernadorcillo and
captain general, and thew believe that
all the country is just like the coun-
try where thew live.
PTonerty is highly respected among the
Tarahumaras. and robbery is seriously
punished Offenders of I'll kinds are
tried and sentenced by the gObernadCl-
eiios, who usually take advice from the
oldest man Of the town. Marriages. are
also performed by the gobernadorcillo
hut when man get" tired Of 't-ifa oll
he has To do, says Pereyra. is 10 drive
her from the house and bring i'm another
Some marriages. however. are performed
by the Mexican authorities Tarahuma-
ras usually marry when still very young.
between Is and % years When a young
Farahumara wants TO marry a woman
he locates the hut, iacal or cave where
she lives with her family. and drops his
CULVER at the entrance. If the girls par
eIts come and pick il up. il is a sign
that they approve the marriage: If theJ
do not. and the CULVER Is left where !,
was. or is thrown away. il is a sign that
the suit is rejected. Very often, how
ever, when a culver is thrown away the