Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-11-22
ONE way TO VISIT
The Tarahumare OF Mexico Has
a Style IN His Own.
NEVER STkRTLES HIS HOST
He Is Too Politely Deliberate For Tina,
and the Compliment Is Faithfully
Acknowledgement In the House
Have a Rather Abrupt Ending.

acknowledgements In the House
Have Rather Abrupt Ending.
For barbarian the Tarahumare Is
a very polite parsonage In his language
he even has a word "rckc," which
IL the equivalent OF the English
"plcasc and which he uses constant
IS. when speaking To- a stranger or
leaving person he draws attention
TO his action by saying. Il am going
As he grows civilized however. h.
loses his good manners.
In spite Of this lie IS not hospitablc.
the guest ects food hut there is no
room for him IN the house of Il Tara
hGmarc \ visitor never thinks Of ~
tering u house without first giving the
family ample time TO get ready to re.
ceive him When he approaches q
friends home good manners require
him 10 stop sometimes as far as TWEEN
~ or thirty yards on II lie is on
more Intimate terms with the family.
he may come nearer. and make his
presence known 10y coughing; then he
sits down selecting some little knoll
from which he can be readily seen
In order not to embariass his friends
he does not avcn look ut 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
o. -
rise and 20 slowly away again But
under no circumstances will he enter
the home. unless formally invited. BE
cause" he SAYS. only tho dogs enter
houses uninvited"
Never will the woman Of the house
commit such "a gross breach OF cti
qncttc rs to - ont and inform him "
her husbands absence to save the
caller the trouble OF waiting. nor Viii
She. II alone nj home. make any state.
mcntS rs To- his whereabouts
The Tarahumarc never does any
thing without due deliberation. there
fore he may for n quarter Of M hour
discuss with his wife the possible pur
port of the visit before he goes out 10
see the man. They peep through the
cracks In the wall AZ him. and II they
happen TO i" eating or doing anything
they may keep the visitor waiting FOR
half an hour
Finally the host shakes ont the blan.
ket on which he has been sitting
throws ii around himself. aud. casting
u A 4. -
he goes through the door. goes TO take
= seat a few yards distant from the
caller After some meditation on
either side the conversation, as in more
civilized society opens with remarks
about the weather and the prospects
for rain
When this subject Il exhausted and
the hosts curiosity rs 10 whore the
man came from. what he is doing aud
where he is going IS satisfied. the for
mcr may 80 back Ia the house ard
fetch some meat and pinoc for the
traveller The object of the visit nor
infrcquently is an invitation TO take
part In some game or foot race aud Us
the men are sure 10 remain undis
turbed they generally reach some IN.
dcrstandng
4 friend of the family is. of course.
finally invited To enter the house. and
the customary saluiation is "Assaga"
c'Sit down. In this connection II may
be noted that the Tarahumares in con
vcrsation hook sidcwise. or even turn
their backs toward 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 r.
qurc the host will say 1T is getting
late and you cannot return 10 your
home tonight Where are you going To
sleep? There Is good cave over yon
der"
With this he may Indicate where the
visitor may remain overnight. He win
also tell him where he may find wood
for the fire. and he Will bring him food
hut not unless the weather is very
fempeStuouS will he invite an outsider
TO sleep in the house From Carl Ium
holtz's Unknown Mexico"