Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-10-02
HOW INDIANS CALL.
Tarahumares Make Visitors Wait Out
side While Discussing Them.

| For a barbarian, the Tarahumare Is
a very polite parsonage. In his Ian
guage he even has a word "reke,
which is the equivalent of the English
please and which he used constant
ly. When speaking to a stranger. or
leaving "a person, he draws attention
to his action by saying Il am going
As he grows civilized, however, nu
loses his good manners.
In spite of this he is not hosptable.
the guest gets food, but there is no
room for him in the house of a Tara
humare. A visitor never thinks of en-
tering a house without first giving the
family ample time to get ready to re-
ceive him. When he approaches a
friends home good manners require
him to stop sometimes as far as 20 or
80 yards off. If he is on more intimate
terms with the family, he may come
nearer, and make his presence known
by coughing; then he sits down, Sc
lecting some little knoll from which he
can be readily seen. In order not to
embarrass his friends he does not even
look at the house, but remains sitting
there gazing into vacancy, his back or
side turned toward the homestead
Should the host be absent the visitor
may thus sit for a couple of hours;
then he will rise and go slowly away
again. But under no circumstances
will he enter the home, unless formally
invited. because" he says, "only the
dogs enter houses unlimited" Never
will the woman of the house commit
such gross breach of etiquette as to
go out and inform him of her hus
bands absence, to save the caller the
trouble of waiting, nor will she. if
alone at home, make any statements
as to his whereabouts.
The Tarahumare never does any
thing without due elaboration; there
fore, he may, for quarter of an hour,
discuss with his wife the possible pur-
port of the visit. before he goes out to
see the man. They peep through the
cracks in the wall at him. and If they
happen to be eating or doing anything
they may keep the visitor waiting half
an hour Finally the host shakes out
the blanket on which he has been sit
ting, throws it around himself, and.
casting rapid glance to the right and
left as he goes through the door. goes
to take a seat a few yards distant
from the caller After some medita-
ton on either side, the converse ton,
as in more civilized society. opens with
remarks about the weather and the
prospects for rain. When this subjec.
is exhausted, and the hosts curiosity
as to where the man came from, what
he is doing. and where he is going, is
satisfied, the former may go back to
the house and fetch some meat and
pinole for the traveller. The object of
the visit not infrequently is an invita-
ton to take part in some game or foot
race: and as the men are sure to re-
main undisturbed, they generally reach
some understanding. A friend of the
family is of course, finally invited to
enter the house. and the customary
salutation is "Assaga!'' (Sit DOWN. In
this connection it may be noted that
the Tarahumares in conversation look
sidewise. or even turn their back to-
wards the person they speak to.
After having eaten, the guest will;
carefully return every vessel in which
the food was given to him. and when
he rises he hands back the skin on
(which he was seated Should occasion
require, the host will say: 1T is get
ting late and you cannot return tc
your home tonight. Where are you
going to Sleep There is a good cave
over yonder." With this he may in
dictate where the visitor may remain
overnight. He will also tell him where
he may find wood for the fire, and he
will bring him food; but not unless the
weather is very tempestuous will he
invite an outsider to sleep in the house.
Unknown Mexico.