OTOMI INDIANS IN MEXICO

OTOMI LIVE IN MEXICO IN THE CENTRAL PLATEAU REGION. THERE ARE ABOUT 250,000 OTOMI. THEY SPEAK AT LEAST FOUR RELATED LANGUAGES. A LARGE NUMBER OF MODERN OTONOMI NO LONGER SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. THERE ARE FIVE TO TWELVE OTONOMI LANGUAGE.

THEY ARE FARMERS AND RAISE LIVESTOCK. THEY EAT CORN, BEANS AND SQUASH. THEIR WORK IS DONE WITH A SORT OF COMBINATION OF A HOE AND DIGGING STICK. THEY PLANTED WHEAT WHEAT BARBEQUE USING PLOUGH AND OXEN.!THE MAGUEY IS ALSO CULTIVATED USING A VARIETY OF ISSUES. THEY RAISE SHEEP, GOATS, CHICKENS, TURKEYS, AND HOGS. THEIR CRAFTS INCLUDE SPINNING, WEAVING, POTTERY, BASKETRY, AND ROPE MAKING. DRESSES VARY FROM TRADITIONAL TO MODERN. THEY USUALLY HAVE WHITE COTTON SHIRTS AND PANTS, A SERAPE AND SANDALS AND HAT FOR MEN. THE WOMEN WEAR EMBRIODERED COTTON BLOUSE AND REBOSO FOR WOMEN.

RITUAL KINSHIP REQUIRED A GODPARENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADULTS OF A FAMILY AND A CHILD OF ANOTHER. THEIR MAJOR RITUALS AND MYTHS ARE BASICALLY CHRISTIAN. THE OTAMI, MIXTEC, NAHUA, AND TARASCO EMPHASIZE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC. MOST MUSIC IS TRADITIONAL WITH SINGING. SOME OF THEIR DANCES INCLUDE FLYING ACROBATS. THE FLYERS DANCE AROUND A POLE WITH THEIR MUSICIAN AND ACROBATS. THEIR ARE FOUR DANCERS, AND THE OTOMI HAVE SIX. THEY CLIMB UP A ROPE LADDER AND SEAT THEMSELVES ON A FRAMEWORK. UNDER SPANISH CENTRAL. EACH DANCES ON A TWO FOOT PLATFORM.

QUERETARA WAS FOUNDED BY OTAMI INDIANS IN 1446. BY 1531 THE SPANISH CONTROLLED IT. IT IS NOTED FOR ITS MULTI-ETHNIC BLEND.

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