MICROFILMED BY LIBRARY DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTION UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MICROFILM COLLECTION Of MANUSORIPTS ON MIDDLE AMERICAN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY SIXTH SERIES El ELI) NOTES ON SAN ANI)RES,TUXTLA »Y HETTY STARR MANUSCRIPT NO.33 FIELD NOTES ON SAN ANDRES TUXTLA by Elizabeth Starr MICROFILM COLLECTION OF V MANUSCRIPTS ON MIDDLE AMERICAN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY No. XXXIII UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LIBRARY CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 1950 PREFACE The field study was conducted in the region of Los Tuxtlas, southern Veracruz, Mexico, under the Joint auspices of the Federal Security Agency of the U. S. Government and the Comisión del Papaloapan of the Mexican Government, during a period of five months from October, 19U9 to February, 1950, inclusive. Selection of the area for study was made by Alfonso Villa Rojas, director of the anthropology section of the Papaloapan Commission, on the basis of a preliminary survey of southern Veracruz conducted by him in June, 19U9» The manuscript is arranged in three parts (1) the field diary} (2) field notes, arranged chronologically in the order in which they were taken, and (3) a series of maps. Betty Starr "LOS TUXTLAS" — Field Diary Index Oct. 7, 19k9* Mexico City to Veracruz by train 1 Oct. 8, 19h9. Veracruz to Alvarado by bus ....... 1 Alvarado to Lerdo by launch 1 Lerdo to the Tuxtlas by bus 1 The carretera 1 Santiago Tuxtla . 1 Santiago Tuxtla to San Andre's Tuxtla by coche 2 Getting settled in San Andre's 2 Oct. 9, 19U9. Visit to Lake Catemaco 2 ' virgen del Carmen 2 Life on the lakeshore 3 Oct. 10, 191*9. Visit to municipal building 1* An ingeniero's impression of the people and of the effect of roads. 1* Relationship of Santiago Tuxtla and San Andre's 1* Office of the Presidente Municipal 1* Oct. 11. 19U9. y Working on map of cabecera of San Andres 5 First impressions of San Andres 5-6 Oct. 12, 191*9. "Día de la Raza" Interview with Presidente Municipal: congregaciones, ejidos} crops; industries 6 Schoolboys 7 Tile factory 7 A variety show in the movie theater to celebrate the Día de la Raza . 7 Oct. 13, 191*9. Catemaco; Interview with Presidente Municipal ....... 8 Oct. Ü*. 19l*9. Siguapam 8 Catemaco: Tour of the lake in a launch: Arroyo agrio; Paso de Coyame 9 Coches 10 A criada from Santiago Tuxtla 10 Oct. IS. 191*9. San Andres: Drainage; disposition of garbage .... U Transportation of goods •• 11 Oct. 16, 191*9» Casa de huéspedes ........ i 12-13 0ct7Ty,'T9lgrr Disease and medical services . 13 Communications 13-11* Cases brought before the Presidente Municipal 11* Oct. 18, 191*9. Interview with Caracas: outlying communities; crops ... U* Interview with Prof. Barreiro, Supervisor Escolar ......... 15 "El Jardín" . 15 Oct. 19» 191*9. Disease and medical services ........... 15-16 «LOS TUXTLAS" Index of Field Diary -2- Oct. 19, 19h9»(continued) Barrios, occupational levels, social classes 17 Oct. 20,19h9. Social classes 18 Oct. 21, 19U9. Escuela secundaria 18-19 Judicial agencies 19 Estropajo 19-20 Oct. 22Y1&9. Planting and harvesting times of crops 20 Ejidal bank 20 Birthday fiestat the pifiata 21 Oct. 23, 19jt9. Social classes: gente decente 21 Leading citizens of San Andre's. 21-22 Casino Sanandrescano 22 Definition of an "Indian** 22 Oct. 25. 19U9. Santiago Tuxtla; Visit to presidencia municipal 23 Municipal officers 23 Description of cabecera of Santiago Tuxtla 23 Cases brought before the Presidente municipal ..... 23 Interview with Prof. Poli carpo Mendoza Uorfin 2k Objects of archaeological interest 2U-25 Oct. 26, 19U9. A robbery in the plaza 25 Oct. 27, 19U9. Academia Sanandrescana 25-26 Interview with Prof. Angel F. Torres 25-27 Oct. 28, 19U9. A serenata to collect money for the cathedral 27 Girls and. young men of the middle class 28 Progress of the carretera 28 10.^9 Belén 28-29 Candidates for "Queen" 29 Courting customs in the town 29 Deficiencies of transportation and of electri<±|r .... 29 Oct. 30. 19U9. Laguna encantada 29-30 Cave of the brujos 30 The new house • 30 Water supply 30 A fiesta in the Casino Sanandrescano 30-31 Oct. 31. 19U9. A "Norther"; types of raingear 31 Method of carrying the sick to the doctor . 31 «•LOS TUXTUS" Index of Field Diary -3- Nov. 1. 191*9. Todos Santos. Method of selling caitle for the market ......... 32 Activities in the cemetery on the vesper of the Djfa de Bifuntos .... 32 Candlemaking , . • 33 Nov. 2. 19l*9. Día de Difuntos. A visit to the cemetery . , 33 The market: permanent stalls, types of goods sold 33 Prices of artículos de necesidad 3Ú Marketing of fish 31* Camarones; langostas . 3Ü Market restaurant 3U A birthday party; nanches 3k Attitudes toward death and the Day of the Dead .. 3Ü-35 Ceremonies on the Day of the Dead . 35 11/3, Localization of commodities within the market 35 Official list of prices for artículos de primera necesidad 35 Checking of prices and weights in the market . 36 Templo of the brujos ' 36 Sick woman in the corredor 36 Nov. 5, 19k9. / Fruits and vegetables sold in the San Andres market 36-37 Various types of chile; tamales; bread 37 Types of meat; parts of beef; sausages 37 Totopostes (totopoxtes)j piloncillo 37 Articles in San Andrews market which come from Santiago Tuxtla .... 38 Articles in San Andres market which come from Catemaco 38 Organized sports 38 Sanitary Brigade 38 Fees paid by vendors in the market 39 Number of grades in the primary schools 39 Reliability of informants 39 Tecomate 39 The cine 39 Nov. 6. 19U9. Election Day. Voting places; transportation of voters .......... UO Adelante, the newspaper of the Tuxtlas 1*0 Newspapers and magazines • 1*1 Nov. 7, 191*9» Comidas sold in the market 1*1 A curandera • 1*2 Attitudes of a young man in the upper class 1*2 Nov. 8. 191*9» MuM')er of vendedoras in the street market 1*2-1*3 Commercial house o¿ fittll Emilio Lopez Miranda . 1*3-1*U Sugar warehouse 1*1* Nov. 9. 191*9. Selling units in the market •••• 1*1* Number of vendors within the market ... ........ UU Total number of.vendors .. kk Santiago Tuxtla: Condition of carretera 1*5 Interview with Prof. Mendosa Itorfin 1*5 "LOS TÜXTLAS" Index of field Diary -U- Nov. 9, yl;9. (continued) Methods of collecting money for completion of the cathedral * . • hS Nov. IQ.19Í&. A visit to Calería • . • U6 Change of fortune of the wealthy families ........ •••• 1*6 Nov. 12, 19k9. A visit to the newspaper, Adelante; views of the Editor . U7-U8 Nov. 13, 1.?. Visiting "schoolchildren from Tierra Blanca ....*.... U8 Nov. lit. 19h9. Santiago Tuxtla: The market; fruits and vegetables sold in Tuxtla ..... U8 Churches: Corazón de Jesús; San Diego .. k9 Stories about the churches k9 Interview with Federico Sosa regarding early history of Tuxtla .... 1*9-50 An encampment of gypsies in Tuxtla 50 The fonda of Josefa Gonzalez . 50 Interview with director of the escuela primaria superior 50-51 A visit to the escuela primaria superior 50-51 Agua potable • . 51 Aeturn to San Andres 51 Nov. 15, 19h9. Chichipilco 51 Nov. 16. 191*9. Santiago Tuxtla; EjTdo of Buena Vista 52 A vendedora 52 Interior of house in Buena Vista 52 Workers on the carretera . • 52 Where produce of the region is marketed 53 A visit to other houses in Buena Vista; coffee drying . 53 A first grade examination in the ejidal school 53-5U Interview with Presidente MuniciDal 5U Maíz híbrido 51*-55 Travelling salesman of optical goods 55 Nov. 18, 191*9. Function of committees to raise money for the cathedral .... 55-56 Views of a Sanandrescana who is married to an American .... 56 Nov. 19. 191*9. Mourning customs ....... 57 Nov. 20, 19l*9. DÍa de la Revolución. When the Revolution reached the Tuxtlas ...... 57 Parade of schoolchildren 57 A funeral procession .... 57 Other events of the day 58 Views of older citizens regarding San Andre's, "progress", the carretera,etc. 58-59 A homicide in the barrio of San Francisco • $9 «LOS TUXCLAS» Index of Field Diary -5- Nov. 21, 19U9. Visit to the Ifecienda del Estado 59 Nov. 22, 19U9. / Banco Nacional de Crédito Ejidal 59-60 Nov. 23, 19U9. Interview with Don Luis Carrion, agricultor 60 Tobacco production of the region ......... ... 60 Banana production of the region • 60 The life of an agricultor 61 Nov. 21;, 19U9. Visit of the Governor of the State of Veracruz • • 61 Nov. 26. 19U9. Writing a letter to the U. S. for a Sanandrescano • 61 Dress or costume of the region ......... 62 Nov. 27, 19U9. Recreational activities . 62-63 Nov. 28, 191*9. Plans for tomorrow's fiesta 63 Nov. 29, 19U9. Víspera del Día de San Andres. 5:00 a.m. Drums and rockeTi ami at the ¿anta Rosa church ...... 6k Vagueness of meanings of the costumbres of this day 6I4. Noon. Procession 6I4 Evening. Huapango 6U Serenata in the night ....... 6I4. Nov. 30, 19U9. Día de San Andre's. Vital Statistics: Death's 61* Infant mortality; predominant causes of death . 65 Electrical facilities of the region 65 Dec. 1, 19U9« Catemaco: Progress of work on the carretera ...... 65 Interview with Presidente Municipal . 65 Fishing; agricultural products 65-66 Utilization of land 66 Dec. 2. 19U9. Worked on map of cabecera of Catemaco* ... 66 Dec. 3. 19li9. Catemaco: Jj»jldosI population figures 67 Visit to a Catemaqueno household 67-68 Visit to La Victoria 68-69 Carmelita's family 69 Dec. U, 19U9. Santiago Tuxtla: A meeting of the comisar lado agrario in the ejido of Buena Vista .