POPOLUCA INDIAN IN MEXICO

POPOLUCA IS A NAHUALE TERM FOR PEOPLES OF THE SOUTHEASTERN VERA CRUZ AND OAXACA. 30,000 PEOPLE SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF MIXE ZOQUE. OTHERS SPEAK MAZATECAN WHICH IS POPOLOCAN.

THEY LIVE IN TWO DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS. THE SIERRA GROUP LIVES AT 100 - 800 M WITH MUCH RAIN FORESTS. THE OLIVITA ARE NEAR SEA LEVEL AND IT IS VERY DRY AND DUSTY, LIKE A SAVANAH. DESPITE EARLY CONQUESTS BY NAHUA AND SPANISH THEY HAD LITTLE OTHER CONTACT. WHEN THE SOCIAL AGITATION CAUSED BY THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION, THEY WERE FORCED TO GROUP WITH OTHER FOLKS.

THEY HAVE BEEN FARMERS OF CORN, BEANS, AND SQUASH, TOMATOES, PINEAPPLES, CHAYOTES, YAMS, MANIOC, AND OTHER FRUITS, AND VEGETABLES. THEY ALSO GROW COFFEE TO SELL FOR CASH. THEY USE SWIDDEN AGRICULTURE. THEY ALSO GROW COFFEE TO SELL FOR CASH. THEY USE SWIDDEN AGRICULTURE AND TWO CROPS ARE PLANTED PLANTED ANNUALLY. FIELDS ARE USUALLY PLANTED WITH DIGGING STICKS, AND A FEW PLOWS. THEY HAVE PIGS, POULTRY. SOME MEN HUNT WITH ARROWS TAKING DEER, BOARS, RABBITTS. SOME MEN HUNT WITH ARROWS TAKING DEER, BOARS, RABBITS, AND FISH. FISH ARE CAUGHT. THEY HAVE NO MARKETS BUT BUY AND SELL TO ITINERANT TRADERS FROM OUTSIDE THEIR SOCIETY. SOME TOWNS HAVE ZAPOTEC TRADERS THAT SELL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES. THERE IS USUALLY VERY LITTLE WEALTH LEFT WHEN THE EXPENSES OF LIVING HAVE BEEN MET, SO LITTLE IS SPENT ON FIESTAS.

THE SUPERNATURAL WORLD IS PRECOLUMBIAN AND VERY SIMILAR TO THE AZTECS, ZAPOTEC, AND MAYA. A SACRED MAYAN TEXT HAS PRESERVED THE THEIR BELIEFS. SOME INCLUDE MAIZE GODS, HURRICANE GODS, AND DANGEROUS SPIRITS WHO LIVE IN SPECIFIC PLACES. THE NAGUAL OR WITCH MAY BE SUPERNATURAL AND TRANSFORM HIMSELF INTO AN ANIMAL. THEY MAKE OFFERINGS TO SUPERNATURAL BEINGS SO THAT MAIZE WILL GROW WELL OR THEIR HUNTING AND FISHING EXPEDITIONS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. ILLNESS IS CAUSED BY SUPERNATURAL INTRUSION OF OBJECTS INTO THE BODY AND LOS OF SOUL. WOMEN DELIVER BABIES OUTIDE OF HOSPITALS.A GROOM ASKS A PROSPECTIVE BRIDE FOR HER HUSBAND FOR HER HAND IN MARRIAGE. ONCE ACCEPTED THEY HAVE A FEAST.

THEY BURY PEOPLE WITH GRAVE GOODS FOR THE JOURNEY TO THEIR FINAL DESTINATION.

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