Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-02-05
FIND CURIOUS
RACE IN MEXICO
Tribe Numbering 10000 Is Said
tc Be Descended From
the Germans.
OPPOSITE TRUE, SAY NATIVES
They Tell Berlin Ethnologist That the
Germans Are Descended From
ThsmEWership Old Code and
Offer Up Sacrifices.

Monterey, Next Is a fact not
generally known even to many eth
biologists that there Is a tribe or ma
ton Of about 10000 people in Mexico
who are said to be descendants of the
Germans. According to the legends
of these aborigines, however, the Ger
mans are descendants of the Misses,
which is the name Of the tribe. They
inhabit several districts of the 18TH
mus of Tehuantepec. An investiga-
ton of the Misses was made some
years ago by DR.. William Bauer. a no.
| ted ethnelogist of Berlin. He lived
| for several years among the different
Indian tribes Of Mexico and studied
their history, habits and customs.
THE Misecs are rather low in stat
ure. and besides this they are some
what defOrmed," said Doctor Bauer
on the occasion of his recent visit to
Monterey. 1.-The hips are broad. the
faces fiat and their movements are
very awkward. Their hair is black,
falling over their shoulders. The men
wear their hair as did the Spanish
priests, with Shayen crown and as
, long as possible on the sides. 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
disagreeable to hear.
"Some of these people are fair
haired and have light skin. For this
reason they were said to be the de-
scendants of the Germans. In nearly
every Mexican history is found this
tale. hut when / asked them of their
origin. they said that they were abo-
rhymes of this country. Several Of
the more Intelligent said that on the
contrary. the Germans were descend
ants of the Misses. ..5
Worship Their Old Gods.
Like all other tribes they are very
supersttious. They still worship their
old gods and offer them up To this day
sacrifices in the fields, on the hills and
on the rivers. / visited several places
where 1 found the remains of sacri-
fees, such as fowls, small dogs, bread,
chocolate, eggs and fruit. Certain vii
lagos have their idols hidden in places
hIlON II Only ~ Inc OIUcSt IlcI VI luc
tribe
But the most interesting of the
tribes in Mexico are the. Zapotecas,
who are at present situated in nearly
the whole south Of the country and
especially in the State of OaXaca.
They number about 100000 people
These people are strong, of large pro-
portions physically, are very hand
some, generally good laborers, and in
telligent. They live in small straw
huts, each having one room.
If any nation of Indians in Mexico
has a social and political future it
will be the nation Of ZapOtecaS. Be-
nito Juarez, the famous Mexican re-
former, was Zapotecan and was born
in Zuelotao, near Italian, in the noun
tains of Oaxaca. -
1.-THE question Of the MaZatecas tribe
is one of the most interesting and diff
fcult problems. I find that, for, in
stance, when questioned. they say that
In olden times. they came from the
North, but they were unable to tell
from what part Of the great North they
first marched. They have legends
which. are to the effect that they
passed over the Colorado river and
when they came to Mexico City they
settled first in the state of Vera Cruz,
where they. had repeated battles with
the AZtecs, the founders of Mexico
City. In these battles the Mazatecas
were driven over toward the eastern
coast in the state of Vera Cruz This
country has been held by the once
powerful nation until this day.
They Are Wary Of Strangers.
1T is difficult for a stranger to trav-
ell through their country owing to their
extremely superstitiOus and suspicious
ideas. They worship idols, but these
they keep buried, and new ones are
made each year. This nation in par
ticular has one old custom In connec-
ton with it's idols. The shell of an
egg is taken and, being broken into
seven pieces. 1t is wrapped in seven
pieces of cotton cloth. Along with
this are seven pieces of bark, red. and
blue feathers. and seven grains Of
corn. These charms, bound together.
are placed one at each corner of ev-
cry persons tract Of land. This will
assure a bOuntiful harvest and will
also secure the Indians from injury
from personal enemies.
There are seven gods worshiped,
and the eagle. tiger, crocodile, parrot,
and serpent are among them. The
live animals are wershiped, and the
images made are buried, as the peO-
pie Of the tribe are, ashamed to have
strangers know of this form of wor-
ship. I was shown a number of the
affairs upon which sacrifices to the
seven gods were offered. Every village
has the seven gods. but each village
has In addition one as special god.
It Is said il Chiehotla that In the
church there IL q trained serpent and
this is the chief god Of the village.
The people who constitute the naticu
have a reverence for the serpent,
yDhfGh = not r1hoStA st6Ggaxd ,anH .ok tho