The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1920-10-22
Tribe on Tehuantspec lsthmus
Is Of Teuton Origin, Say
the Mexicans.
HAIR and SKINS ARE FAIR
Berlin Ethno!ogist. Who Lived Among
These People Several Years, De.
scribes Their Appearance and
Habits and Their Language.

MOnterey.-1t Is not generally known
even to many ethnologists that there
Is Il tribe or nation of about 10000
people in Mexico who are said to be
descendants Of Germans.
According to me legends of these
abOrigines, however. the Germans are
descendants Of the Misecs. which Is
the name Of the tribe. They inhahit
several districts of the lsthmus of
Tehuantepec. An investigation Of the
Misecs was made some years ago by
DR.. William Bauer. ii noted ethnolOgst
Of Berlin. He lived for several years
among Indian tribes Of Mexico and
studied their history. habits and Gus
toms. On the occasion of his last visit
to this country he spoke of the Misecs
as follows:
'They are rather low in stature.
and besides this they are somewhat
deformed. The hips are broad. the
faces flat. and their movements are
very awkward. Their hair is black.
falling over their shoulders. The men
wear their hair as did tho Spanish
tp 'CS1S-~NitU SlitNtll tI'S II uliu dS
long as possible on the sides.
Always Return Home.
"The MiSecS are very fond Of roam
Ing about but. although they often
go to the gulf coast, they always re-
turn to their poor villages. More than
their neighbors. they are conservative
In their customs, manners of living
and. above all. their language. This
is still extraordinarily pure. although
very hard to learn and very disagree
able to hear. During three months of
1902 studied this language and wrote
as possible.
"Some Of these people are fair
haired and have light skin. For
this reason they were said to be de-
scendants of the Germans. In nearly
every Mexican history is found this
tale. asked them of their origin.
and they said that they were abo-
rigines of this country. Several Of the
more intelligent said that, on the con.
trnry, the Germans We're descendants
Of the Misecs. The joke was not bad
However. the Misecs form evidently
very particular race worthy of a
large amount Of study.
'.They are famous for their
strength. They carry easily from six
to eight arrobas (from $50 to 2N
pounds) for many miles, and over the
steepest hills.
Need Ballast in Walking
"It is said that the Misecs, on theil
return from carrying a load to some
point. pack load of stones, as the!
find 1t difficult work to walk withou
some sort of ballast.
'Ths nation. like all the othel
tlihes. is very superstitious. The!
sill worship their old gods and offel
them up To this day sacrifices in thu
fields. on the hills and on the rivers
l visited several places where | fount
the remains of sacrifices. such II:
fowls. small dogs, bread, chocolate
eggs and fruit. Certain villages have
their idols hidden in places knowl
only to the oldest men of the tribe"
Another strange fact brought tC
HEilt ny Ut. I'duel was li'a' 'iit TX"
est nation of Indians in Mexico is tn
Zapotecas, and it is from them. he be
Iieves that the future greatness of III
country will come. He said:
II have visited ChiapaS. OaXaca
Guerrero. Vera Cruz and other state
and have studied the nations caI!e'
Misses. Zapoteca, Misetcia. Mazateca
Mazahua and the Othumi. The mos
Interesting of all these, however. an
perhaps Of all the Indian races o
Mexico. are the Zapotecas. who are
present situated in nearly the who!
south Of the country. and especia!i
N the state Of Oaxaca. They numt
shout 3OOO0O persons.
THE Zapotecas are a strong peG