The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-10-31
ONE WAY TO VISIT
The Tarahumare Of Mexico Has
a Style All His Own.
NEVER STARTLES HIS HOST.

He is Too Politely Deliberate For That
and the Compliment Is Faithfully
Returned-ceremonie In the House
Have a Rather Abrupt Ending.
For a barbarian the Tarahhmare Is
very polite parsonage In his language
he even has word "rekc," which
Is the equivalent Of the English
please" and which he uses constant
~. when speaking to n stranger or
leaving person. he draws attention
TO his action by saying, 81 am going"
As he grows civilized. however. he
loses his good manners.
In spite Of this he Is not hospitable;
the guest gets food. but there is no
room for hite I'm the house Of a Tara
humare. a visitor never thinks OF en-
tering n house without first giving the
family ample time 10 get ready 10 re-
ceive him. When he approaches a
friends home good manners require
him TO stop sometimes as far as TWEEN
ty or thirty 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. selecting some little knoll
from which he can be readily seen.
In order not 10 cmbarrass 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 couple Of hours; then he viii
rise and go slowly away again. Int
under no circumstances will he enter
the home, unless formally invited, "bc-
cause" he says, "only the dogs enter
houses uninvilcd."
Never will the woman Of the house
commit such n gross breach OF eti-
quettc MS 10 go ont and inform him Of
her husbands absence. to save the
caller the trouble OF waiting, nor viii
she. If alone at home, make any state
mcnts rs 10 his whereabouts.
The Tarahumnrc never docs any
thing without due dcllbcraiion: thcrc-
fore no may for quarter Of am hour
discuss with his wife the possible uur-
port Of the visit before he goes ont TO
see the man. They peep through the
cracks I'm the wall ut him, and If they
happen 10 be eating or doing anything
they may keep the visitor waiting for
half an hour.
Finally the host shakes out the blan-
kct on which ne has been sitting.
throws II around himself and, casting
n rapid glance to the right ana left as
he goes through the door, goes 10 take
seat Il few yards distant from the
caller. After some meditation on
either side the conversation. rs I'm more
civilized society. opens with remarks
about the weather and the prospects
for rain
When this subject Is exhausted and
the hosts curiosity as 10 where the
man came from, what ne is doing and
where he Is going Is satisfied, the for
mcr may 80 back TO the house and
fetch some meat aud plnolc FOR the
traveller The object Of the visit not
infrcqucntly is an invitation TO take
part I'm some game or foot race. and rs
the men are sure TO remain undis-
turbcd they generally reach some un-
dcrstandlng.
A friend Of the family is, Of course,
finally invited TO enter the house, and
the customary sulutation is "Assag0r'
C"Sit down. I'm this connection it may
be noted that the Tarahumarcs I'm con-
versntion look sidewisc, or even turn
their backs toward the person they
speak to-
After having eaten. the guest viii
carefully return every vessel I'm which
the food was given to him, and when hg
rises he hauds bacl, the skin ON which
he was seated. Should occasion re
quire the host will say; 1T is getting
late and YOU cannot return to your
homo tonight. Where are you going to
sleep? There is good cave over Won
der"
with this ne may indicate where the
visitor may remain overnight He will
also tell him where he may find wood
for the fire, ana hr viii bring him food
but not unless the weather is very
tempcsmous will he invite an outsider
20 sleep i'm the house From Carl Lum
holtz's unknown Mexico