IF 1219 1.1 .on |B45 1902 1+ TNDIAiT TRIBES OP THE STATE OJ' OAXACA AND THEIR LAITGUAGES By Prancisco Belmar Huntington Free Library Native American Collection MARSHALL H.SAVILLE COLLECTION CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 101 548 448 •^; u .SX^v^^, a ^-v> <>--;<^<-» ; ^AAA -4-^ I— c^s Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924101548448 ;^c Regr^nted from the TransBttions '' of the ':-'■•" International Coi)gress of Anjericanists 1902. V Indian Tribesf of tHe State of Oaxaca and Their languages. By FRANCISCO BELMAR. Indian Tribes of the State of Oaxaca and Their Languages. BY FRANCISCO BEI/MAR. I am not a stranger to the fear of those who know and meas- ure their strength, before undert^ing works of a high degree. Therefore, in appearing before this honorable body, where the principles that rule and govern are the love of investigation, which covers with a mantle of charity all ambition and envy, to contribute, with my feeble elements, what, it is to be hoped, will be for the information of this great Congress, which is to-day assembled in the greatest city on the American Continent. Science is not formed by separated facts, but it consists of a chain whose links form a complete harmony. When these links have been broken and scattered by time, or the vandalism of man, it becomes necessary to gather them again, and reconstruct the chain. In the grand Continent of Columbus, where the waters of the sea bathe the coast on either side, there lived and flourished, for many centuries, a prosperous and numerous people, of whose civilization and existence the human race were ignorant at that time, which was before the discovery of this continent; these people, shut in and surrounded by their rich and varied country, formed links which have contributed to science, and the genera- tions which have followed them. These people left monuments and colossal edifices which have been destroyed, as well as crypts, which have contained objects of inestimable value, as well as fragments of sculpture, or hiero- glyphics, nearly all of which have been given over to destruction. These would have been of inestimable value to science, and to the investigation of those who are interested in this science. Fortunately, there has not been destroyed all of the remains of these human races, and their remains are to be found scattered all over the American continent, in the study of whose life, civilization, modes of government, and advancement in the arts and sciences as represented by their remains, the men of science 194 INTERNATIONAI, CONGRESS OF AMERICANISTS have taken a great interest, not only those of Europe and America, but as well as those of the United States. It would seem to be that those prehistoric tribes, whose ancient principal original home, was in the cold north and south, and whose current of immigration, overflowing, reached at length the fertile and beautiful valleys, which are contained between the broken and precipitous mountain ranges, which now form the territory of Oaxaca, under whose blue sky, and from whose rich soil they found protection and sufficient substance, not only to conserve and defend the rights and liberties of the race, but also giving, in the course of time and centuries, origin to the different and numerous tribes which now people said State. Mute testimony of their grandeur are the beautiful ruins of Mitla, the extensive monuments which cover the mountain of Monte Alban, and many other monuments of gigantic proportions which are scattered through the territory of the State. What races of people were these whose architects and designers have left such great monulithic sculptures which record their his- tory and religion? Whose language has been formed into so many others that it causes our admiration and surprise? / From the boundary which forms the State of Puebl<^ to the limits which form those of Guerrero, there is contained a large extension of country over whose hills and valleys the Mixteca race has spread out, making this their tribal home, their history and origin being involved in the obscurity of mythological time, being at first a weak and feeble people, they, yet through adversity and through strife with the other races which surrounded them, arose to be a vigorous and prosperous people in pre-Columbian times, leaving for our admiration the remains of such powerful and prosperous cities as Tututepec, Achiutla, Tilantongo, and many others. From the fertile lands of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to and through the valleys of Oaxaca, the Zapoteca race extended and occupied a grand extension of land, surrounding and enclosing the tribes of the Chontales, Zoques, Ayookes and Huaves. Estab- lishing and fixing their frontier limits with the Mixtecas, Chinan- tecos and Mazatecos, their principal cities being Zaachila, Etla, Huitzo, Tlacochahuaya, Teotitlan del Valle, Tehuantepec, and many others, which were among the largest and most important INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OE AMERICANISTS 1 95 cities of the Zapoteca empire, and whose sciences competed in a high degree with that of the Azteca race. These two races, the Mixteca and Zapoteca, were in pre-Colum- bian times proprietors of the territory of the extensive province of Oaxaca, which extended from the territory of Puebl^ to the neighboring States of Guerrero and Chiapas, they being, without doubt, the first races with tribal relations, and established system of government to invade this territory coming from the north, expelling, overcoming and absorbing the native people of the different and distinct races who they found in possession of the country and whose remains appears to be the grand ruins of Monte Alban. By the side of the Mixteca and of as ancient a character as they are to be found the Chochos, a vigorous and well-civilized tribe, whose home was the rich and extensive city of Coixtlahuaca. Also the Cuicatecas, whose principal city was the powerful and prosperous city of Cuicatlan, as well as the Mazatecas, who occu- pied the extensive territory which is now included in the actual Districts of Teotitlan and Tuxtepec. In the midst of the populous tribe of the Mixtecas are to be found the Triques, who have been reduced to the villages of Itunyoso, Copala and Chicahuaxtla, which now form the Parish of San Andres Chicahuaxtla. This tribe, in my opinion, has been formed from the Chochi race, which became scattered for some unknown cause from their original territory, and who have es- tablished their pueblos and ranches in the mountainous regions which they now occupy, and whose existence has been confounded with that of the Mixteca, or else completely ignored by the chroniclers of the State of Oaxaca. Mr. Orosco y Berra, in his writing, placed the Triques by the side of the Chontales, which error was rectified by me in a small pamphlet referring to the Trique language, and published in 1897. In the district of Jamiltepec the Amuzgos tribe has spread out and extended from their principal homes, which are to be found in the State of Guerrero. Limited by the Zapotecas on the north, on the west by the Mixtecas and the Pacific Ocean ; on the south are to be found the Chati^^race, whose principal population ex- tends through the District of Juquila. In the present limits of the district of Zimatlan, occupying a small extension of territory, and limited in the west by the Mix- 196 INTERNATIONAI, CONGRESS OP AMERICANISTS tecas, are to be found a few pueblos, which were formerly known by the name of Papabucos, and which are now confounded with the Zapotecas, to which race they properly belong. To the north, and limited by the state of Veracruz, are to be found spread out and extended the Chinanteca tribe, occupying a considerable section of territory, which comprises parts of the districts of Cuicatjan, Teotitlan, Tuxtepec, Ixtlan, Villa Alta and Choapam. The six tribes comprising the Mixtecas, Triques, Amuzgos, Chochis, Cuicatecas and Mazatecas present a common ethno- graphic type, notwithstanding the frequent accidental differences, due to climatic influences, and other modifications which the tribes have suffered during the lapse of centuries. The other four tribes, comprising the Zapoteca, Chatina, Papab- uca and Chinanteca, form another distinct ethnographic group, with many characteristics in common. In the midst of and surrounded by the extensive and populous tribe of the Zapotecas are to be found the tribe of the Ayooques, or Mixes, whose principal nucleus are to be found in the districts of Yautepec, Villa Alta and Choapam. Farther to the east, in the district of Juchitan, are to be found two pueblos of the Zoque race, which have become separated from the principal parent tribe, which race populate and occupy exten- sive tracts of land in the state of Chiapas, and from where they have emigrated to their present home. In the southern part of the district of Yautepec, and limited by the Zapoteca tribe, we find the Chontal race, whose principal pueblos are Ecatepecs and whose lands border on the Pacific Coast. Along the same coast, and on the borders of the lakes which have been formed by the waters of the sea and in the dis- trict of Juchitan we find also the pueblos of Santa Maria, San Dionisio, San Francisco del mar and Ixhuatan, which belong to the once powerful tribe of the Huaves. In the northern part of the districts of Teotitlan and Tuxtepec several pueblos of the Azteca race have been introduced. These four races of the Ayook, Zoque, Chontal and Huave are to be found completely isolated from the other tribes who occupy the adjoining territory, holding themselves aloof from all intercourse with the neighboring tribes in the section which they INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OE AMERICANISTS 197 occupy, and whose origin has caused a great deal of discussion by many writers. As it may be seen in the ethnographic plan which accompanies this dissertation at the end, it will be found that the Mixtecas and Zapotecas occupy the greater portion of the territory of the state, while the other tribes occupy more or less smaller areas. In respect to their origin and precedence, the chroniclers and historians claim that they have come from the regions of the north, following the same general route of migration. Authorities, such as Orosco y Berra, claim that the Mixtecas invaded the territory of the state some time after the Zapotecas, and that they en- countered the Chochos already situated in this territory. But as this is not the principal point which we propose to discuss, we will leave to one side of the investigation of their origin and pro- ceed to occupy ourselves with their languages. The ancient historians have noted among the different lan- guages spoken in the territory of the state of Oaxaca those of the Mixteca, Trique, Amuzgo, Papabuca, Chatina, Solteca, Cuicateca, Popoloca or Chocha, Mazateca, Chantaleno, Chontal, Mixe, Zoque, Huave, Zapoteco, Huatiquimane and Ixcateco, without in- cluding the many different dialects which have been formed from these languages. The extensive study of the Zapoteca language, made by Cordova and others during colonial times, presents a characteristic and archaic type specially in the conjugation and prefixes of time and mode, which give to tlie verbs sufficient variations and amplitude •so as to express the modifications of thoughts and form expres- sions in the most ample sense. We therefore find that this lan- guage has four principal prefixes of the present tense: ko, pe, pi, ki, and four of the future : ka, ke, ko, ki. These prefixes having been modified by time, custom and use during the progress of development and the passing of years among the different pueblos, have given origin to the different dialects of the Zapoteca tongue, the principal one of which, be- ing known as those of the Serrano of Ixtldn, Serrano of Cajonos, ■the Villalteco, the Nexicha, the Miahuateco Serrano, the Tehuano and the Papabuca of Etotepec. Following the invariable course of these modifications, some times anifonic, and some times omitive, there has been formed the Chatino language, which is spoken by the tribe of this name 198 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OP AMERICANISTS in the district of Juquila, which tongue presents a great variety of dialects, which go to mark with great clearness and disinction their introduction and formation. The Papabuco, being one of the tongues which does not mark any great separation from that of the Zapoteca, thereby not form- ing a special language. The Chinanteca, whose idioms of expression are very difficult of pronunciation and is only spoken by the tribes of the name, • shows traces of the same formation as that of the Zapoteca lan- guage, and if it is flot derived from this tongue it at least shows that they have a common origin and a near relation. The same can be said of the language of the Amuzgos, whose verbal prefixes are more of the same form and structure as those of the Zapoteca, and which marks a distinct line of separation between these groups of the Zapoteca and the other languages of the eastern part of the State. (See the study of Amuzgo, pub- lished in 1901.) The morphological essence of the Amuzgo's verbs is presented in a form more archaic than that of the Mixteca's verbs, which, through the transcourse of time, have lost some of their prefixes, both of time and mode which goes to indicate the posterior for- mation and establishment of the Mixteca, and is proved and dem- onstrated in the dialects of the same formation which have sprung from the Zapoteca language, and whose tendency is the simplifi- cation of the prefixal system. The Mazateca tongue presents the same morphological char- acteristics as the Amuzgo, while presenting a formation more archaic than the Mixteca, and appears to have been contemporary with the Amuzgo, if not anterior. Following these languages are the Cuicateco, spoken by the tribe of the same name, and the Popoloca, or Chocho of Coixlahu^ aca, whose elemental verbal prefixes present more simple forms. The Trique, in reduced numbers, and, who populate the towns of Copala, Chicahuaxtla and Itunyoso, have a language which appears to be of recent formation, and to be derived from the Popoloca tongue. Establishing our reasons from these precedents, which are founded on the investigation of the many different languages which are spoken in the teritory of the state of Oaxaca, logically we can state the order of the formation of the tongues which are INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICANISTS 1 99 related to each other, and the precedence and principles of each, or all of them, the Zapoteca and the Amuzgo, being the principal or parent types of them. With the first are related the language of the Chatino, Papabuco and Chinanteco, and with the second the Mixteca, the Mazateca, the Cuicateca, the Popoloca, the Trique, and as well, also, as the numerous dialects which have sprung from each of them, and which we omit for brevity sake. The Huatiquimane has been considered by Mr. Orosco y Berra as a lost language, but I consider that it is the same as that of the Mazateca, it being my opinion that the pueblo of Mazatlan has given to this language its name, the name of Huatiquimane hav- ing been lost in the course of time. They mention also the Ixcateco, Solteco and Chantaleno as lost languages. The first is spoken actually in the pueblo of Ixcatlan and is a dialect from the Mazateco, approaching in construction that of the Chocho ; the second is Zapoteco and is spoken in the pueblo of Sola ; and the third appears to be the same of the Chon- tal or Chontalino. In the eastern part of the state is to be found the tribe which belong to the Ayook race, completely surrounded by the Zapo- tecas, and whose language has been known by the name of the Mixe, and the study of which I have the pleasure to dedicate to this Congress. This language is greatly separated in its morpho- logical system from the languages before analyzed. Related to the Ayook we find the Zoque tongue, which is spoken in the two small pueblos of Chimalapa, in the actual district of Juchitdn. Yet, in the examination of both languages their morphology presents many identical characteristics, showing their dose relation, as well as indicating that the Zoque is more archaic than the Ayook. Corresponding to the Ayook are the dialects mohtuam, eotum and humah, with very little differences. This tongue presents more established signs and character than those of the groups of the Zapoteca ; therefore, their dialects or idioms are less nu- merous. Bordering on the Pacific coast and surrounded also by the Zapotecas we find the Chontal tribe, whose language has been considered the same as the Maya Quiche, by Hervas, and a dis- tinct family by Balbi. In my study of the Chontal language, which was published in 1900, I lightly compared this language 200 INTERNATIONAI, CONGRESS OF AMBRICANISTS with that of the Mexicans, and, in ray conception, it probably be- longs to the family of this name. It only remains for me to speak of the Huave language, which is entirely separated from all the other languages of the territory, and almost unknown by the authors who have written of this tribe, and have classified its language as belonging to that of the Maya Quiche. In the last year of 1901 I published a study of the idioms of the Huave language, and compared the morphology of the verbs of this tongue with that of the family of the Maya Quijche, making a note of the common precedence of said lan- guage. Consequently I placed the Huave in that of the family of the Maya Quiche. In concluding my study for the formation of the different idioms of the state I have arrived at the following conclusions, which, in my judgment, appear to be the most rational. FIRST. The Zapoteca tongue presents signs of being one of the most archaic languages of the territory of the state, being followed in its antiquity by the other languages of the same family, as will be seen by the table of verbal prefixes, which are herewith pre- sented. secoND. The Ayook language, as well as th^ Chontal, Huave and Zoque, have no relation with the group of languages which appertain to the Zapoteca and Mixteca. THIRD. The languages of the two groups, Zapoteca and Mixteca, have a common origin. FOURTH. The languages of the state of Oaxaca may be classified in the following manner : I. I. The Zapotecan family (Mixteco Zapoteca). This family is comprised of the groups which belong to the Zapoteca and Mix- teca. The Zapoteca group comprises : 1. The Zapoteca language, with the following dialects : Serrano of Sierra Juarez with various sub-dialects; Nexicho, Serrano of Cajonos, Serrano of Miahuatlan, Zapoteca of Tehuantepec. 2. Papabuco (properly a dialect of the Zapoteca). INTBRNATIONAL CONGRESS OP AMERICANISTS. 20I E| ^ S'i c B'S.'S 3 off 2. O" n Si? SRrt-oHOm S-tS o P P- P- S w P ■§ Ef P FP- F «• M ■ - 3