Diario las Américas., 1958-07-04
Know thy
Nei9hbofI
Be- RUIZ

MEAlCO- AS everywhere CiSS
in Mexico the State OF Michoacan
has its own special fiestas. During
the first week of February a color
full festival originated by Bishop
Vasco de Quiroga, is held at Tin
zuntzan, and on November 2, THE
day ofthe Dead" is celebrated with
traditional festivities in the island
of Janitzio, in Patzcuaro, and in
the surrounding villages. On
December Is, all Patzcuaro joins
in celebrating with dances, fire
works, etc, the Day of the "Virgen
de la Salud" Virgin of Healthy, t
Patroness Saint of the town.
During the fiestas, many of Mi
choacan's most famous dances r
performed much as the Dance of
the Viejitos', in which young men
and boys, costumed as old men and
wearing masks, join gaily in the
dance which initiates the antics of
their elders. The rhythmic sequin-
ceS, as well as the humor of the
dance, have made it extremely po-
pular. Other indigenous dances are
the "Canacuas'' and the regional
version of "The Moors and the
Christians"
From the summit of a nearby
hill called "Cerro del Estribo", rea-
ched by a good paved road a splen-
did panorama of the lake and the
surrounding countryside may be
had. Among the many islands do
tting Lake Michoacan are Jaracua-
70, the largest and most fertile, Te-
cuen, Yunen, and La Pacanda. Like
the island of Janitzio, they all ha-
We fiestas and can be reached by
launch.
Located in the beautiful and pea
ceful valley of Uruapan, at an alti-
tude of 5,263 feet above sea level,
is the city of Uruapan, with its
picturesque red-tiled roofs and
beautiful gardens. The highway
winds its way into the city, passing
through the beautiful National Park
in which the legendary Cupatitzio
River has its source. Uruapan has
few historic buildings of importan-
ce. Its chief attraction is that the
whole city resembles a garden.
Every patio and public square has
a profusion of flowers and plants.
Many of the old homes are set back
in enormous gardens resembling
parks, with their long and shady
walks and dense foliage.
Uruapan is famous for its exqui-
site lacquerware. In the various
shops exhibiting and selling it, men
women and children may be seen
manufacturing it by hand. Some
will be found carving cedar wood
and other materials into desirable
shapes like bowls, trays, boxes, fl
gurines, ETC., while others prepare
and apply the paste made from Sc
cret fSrmulas, once others have
s~killfally and a~rtistically traced de
licate and beautiful designs. In
between these operations, others
may be seen rubbing in the colo
ring. It is a long and tedious work
to produce lacquerware of such out
standing quality and workmanship
but the results obtained are COM
mesurate with the efforts. The fl.
niSbed products seldom have their
equal anywhere.
An extensive wooded area Dor.
dering the town has been made
into a National Park. Through it
rushes the beautiful Cupatitzio Ri.
YER. In a secluded part of the park,
bubbling spring create the rivers
source. On one of the rocks about
the springs there is a curious i'm.
print called "The Devils Knee.
According to legend, the devil fell
there, leaving an imprint of his
knee, when he met the radian Vir.
gin Mary while walking about the
springs one afternoon.
The water, ~hterarilly boiling out
OF the ground at the rivers source,
is believed to come from subterra.
mean streams. AS it starts to wind
its way through a long ravine, it
is fed by the water of other springs
thus becoming a raging river not
far from its source. AT one point
it forms the magnificent Tzarara.
cua Rails. considered among the
most unusual and most beautiful in
the world.