The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-29
Mexicos Indians Number Millions and Millions

made of stone with thatched roofs Tha
idols are kept in caves in the hills.
These people make beautiful blankets
and they do fine embroidery. They have
many queer customs. Marriages are
made by the parents The babies do nor
creep, but they crawl about on all fours
like a monkey until they are able to
stand
Not far from the Huicholes live the
Coras, of whom only about 2500 remas..
These Indians claim to have come from
the east and they look not unlike Co.
reans They have features much like
the Anglo-Saxons and they consider
themselves better than the other tribes
about
The Coras marry at 10 and the wom-
en- Keep their beauty a long time, al
though their lives are very insanitary.
Their houses have no ventilation and
they bury their dead in caves
Among the Tarascans
FREDERICK Starr estimates that there
are sun quarter of a million of pure
Tarascan Indians in Mexico Many of
these people are found about Lake PATTI
cuaro, in the state of Michoacan where
was once situated Tzuntzinzoon, a great
Tarascan city The name sounds like
Chinese. This town was visited by the
Spaniards in 1922 and they wrote of its
civilization and arts. They told of the
wonderful feather work, for which the
people are noted today; of their MOTH
er-of-pearl and bone carvings, and of
their skill in enameling.
Here we again see a similarity be-
tween the Mexican Indian and the Chi
nese. In southern China is produced i
kind of bird wing enamel in which the
wings of the bluejay and humming bird
are employed. The Tarascans do much
the same work, getting their materials
from the humming birds of Mexico, or
which there are 90 different kinds, hav-
ing feathers of every shape and color,
running from sea green to emerald and
from straw color to fiery red.
The Tarascans have a tradition which
corresponds to our deluge. Their Noah
was called Tespi, and when the floods
came he made great boat and filled it
with animals and birds. As the waters
subsided he sent forth vulture, but
it remained away, feeding on the dead
bodies which then covered the high
lands. Finally humming bird was
sent forth, and it came back with a leaf
in its mouth
| am told that most of the Tarascans
still worship idols, and that every
farmer has one buried in each field.
with the idea that it will keep the
birds and other thieves away from the
crops. Others of the Indians are Cath
olies and they make long pilgrimagos
to the various shrines. Many of them
come to Guadalupe to worship Ac-
cording to their old religion they
prayed to the southern cross. and
looked upon the sun as their father.
Today they object to doing business
after sunset and are terrified at the
time of an eclipse, which, they say,
will give one the harelip.
The Tarascans believe in the evil eye,
and they carry charms to ward off its
effects. They do not like to be photo
graphed, and would rather have strang-
ers say evil things about their children
than good things. The same is true of
some of the people of Palestine.
Queer Customs of Love and Marriage
| hear strange stories about the mar
are said to believe in love charms, and
think the dried little finger of a dead
man will surely bring luck 1t takes
the place of the rabbit foot of the
south. Near Lake Patzcuaro the chief
place of courtship, is at the spring, and
the lover watches for his sweetheart
to go there to bring water. When he
sees her he catches hold of her rebosa
or shawl, and refuses to let go until
she says yes. If she does So he smashes
the jar of water which she has on her
head, so that it falls over her. and
her girl friends thereupon give her
new jar with which she can carry the
water home. The next day the man
takes load of wood to the door of his
sweetheart's home, and If this is ac-
cepted the match is complete She then
comes to his house, and he gives her a
bouquet of yellow flowers, which color
is supposed to bring luck.