When I arrived at Romin's house he and the midwife were standing at the front door, about to enter. After the appropriate greetings, his wife, Matal, urged me to have supper now because soon she would not be able to feed me! Clearly in some pain she prepared the meal and offered a snack to the midwife. Then she lay down on her bed while the midwife half knelt and half sat on the edge of her bed. Romin offered the midwife a drink which she refused until he urged her to do so "to warm her hands." She then accepted the cane liquor, but poured most of it into a cup for safe keeping. Matal undid her sash, but did not remove her skirt. The midwife massaged her stomach, pushing from the sides to the center to "gather the blood."
Some blankets were laid on the ground next to the fire. Matal knelt on these and rested her arms on the seat of a chair that was set in front of her.
Romin sat down on a chair next to it, leaning his elbow on the back of her chair. His three year old son, Chep, complained that he only had two blan- kets on top of him instead of three. Matal, kneeling, with labor pains coming now at very short inter- vals, angrily called out, "Go to shit!" When Chep began crying his father went over and looked.
Romin reported that Chep in fact, had four blan- kets! Then Chep complained that no one had given him his coffee. After scolding him for being such a pest Romin poured some coffee for him.
Romin gave Matal a capsule "to heat her." The midwife instructed Romin to have some rags ready to wrap the baby in. When Romin asked Matal where they were she couldn't remember where she had put them. He scolded her harshly. Finally he found them and began tearing his old shirts and pants into strips about eight inches square. As the pains became more severe Matal asked for a flannel blanket that had been draped over the chair back.
Matal stuffed it in her mouth. Drops of sweat rolled down her nose as she gasped and bit into the blanket. She was fully dressed. A woolen shawl was draped around her shoulders.
Within perhaps a half an hour after kneeling the pains became nearly constant. The midwife pressed down on both sides of her stomach. Matal asked Romin to help. He stood to her left, crouching like a football lineman, with one hand on either side of her waist, his knees pressed against her side. When she felt the pains he pressed down as hard as he could. The midwife was sitting to the right and behind Matal. Suddenly a baby's sharp wail broke the silence; a voice beneath the skirt. But nearly five minutes passed while the baby cried and Matal protested that the baby was still attached to her.
She asked Romin for a raw egg. She swallowed it, but it did not produce the desired effect. Then she stuck her fingers down her throat, trying to gag.
At last the afterbirth came. Matal's face showed only relief from the ending of the pain. No joy.
The midwife cradled the baby in her arms. Matal stood up and we hurriedly arranged a board bed with blankets on it at the fireside. She lay down.
The midwife asked for needle and thread. She had Romin tie the cord. Then she pricked and pricked the far end of the cord, carefully squeezing out all the blood from it. She felt it to see how many bumps there were—to see how many more children would be born. I never heard her discuss the sub- ject though. Then Romin cut the cord one hand- span from the body with a razor blade. An old ma- chete was put in the fire and heated red hot. The stub of the cord was aligned on top of an old piece of pot which was rested on a hearthstone. The red hot machete blade was pressed down on it as the cord squirmed and squealed horribly. After several applications of the blade there seemed to be no
162 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY N U M B E R 25
more juice left in the stub and the baby was deemed ready for its bath. It had been quite quiet throughout the whole procedure.
The baby was bathed in warm laurel water. Its body was covered entirely with a very thick layer of vernix that had the appearance of lard. With considerable difficulty the midwife rubbed this off.
For the first time since the child's birth the mother spoke, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
During the bathing Romin offered the midwife three rounds of cane liquor, in which Romin and I, but not Matal, shared.
The midwife prepared the baby for dressing by first wrapping the umbilicus in cotton and then pressing it up against the baby's stomach. Numer- ous rags were put on it diaper fashion and bound
with a sash. On top of its shirt a rag was placed to absorb its drooling. T h e baby was then wrapped in woolen blankets and the bottom of its skirt was tied with string so that its feet could not protrude!
When the baby was dressed it was censed and then offered to Romin, me, and Matal to greet with the appropriate touch of the back of our hands on the top of its head. The midwife rubbed its lips with salt and then chili. Then she had Romin put chilis, a digging stick, billhook, axe, and a strip of palm in its hand, advising it to learn how to work.
She put a bit of pine in its hand and urged it to light the way home for its father when he got drunk. Then the baby was slipped under its moth- er's blankets and disappeared from sight.
Request for Baptismal Godparents
Every Zinacantec baby w h o survives the first weeks of life is baptized, either at a fiesta in a Zina- cantec church or in San Cristobal. Romin Teratol, imagining a visit to request that a couple become godparents of his child, presents here the appropri- ate dialogue.
Typical of Zinacantec speech is the lengthening Romin
7Antun and his wife ROMIN: Are you there, ma'am?
7 A N T U N ' S W I F E : I'm here.
R O M I N : Could Father 7Antun be there?
7 A N T U N ' S W I F E : He's here. What do you want of him?
R O M I N : I wanted to speak to him.
7 A N T U N ' S W I F E : Ah!
ROMIN: Are you there, Father 7Antun?
7ANTUN: I'm here.
R O M I N : Are you still at home?
7 A N T U N : I'm still at home, for a while, it seems.
R O M I N : Ah, God, I've come now, Father 7Antun.
Could I just visit you a little while?
7ANTUN: What do you want?
R O M I N : I'm ju—st visiting you a li—ttle while. I don't want anything of you. I was just going to speak to you for a little while if I could come in.
7 A N T U N : Come in! What do you want?
R O M I N : All right, then, sir, ma'am.
7 A N T U N : Come here!
ROMIN: Sir!
7ANTUN: Come here!
R O M I N [bowing]: Sir, sir!
7ANTUN: Come here, at ease!
R O M I N [bowing]: Ma'am!
of vowels for dramatic effect. Except in the ac- counts of Romin Teratol and 7Anselmo Peres that were recorded directly by them in writing without the use of a tape recorder, I have indicated this speech device in English by a dash following the vowel or vowels, as in "lo—ng ago," or "soo—n he left."
Father of the child Prospective godparents
Mi H7ote, me7tik?
Li7one.
Mi H7 van jtot 7Antune?
Li7e, k'u chavalbe?
Yu7n ta jk'opon 7ox.
7Aa!
Mi H7ote, tot 7Antun?
Li7one.
Mi nakalot to?
Nakalon to ya7el j-likeluk.
7Aa, yos, yu7 me H7 litale, tot 7Antun, mi ja7 nox mu xu7 xajvula7an j-likeluk?
K'usi chaval 7un?
Ye—ch nox chajvula7an j-likeluk mu k'usi chakalbe yech nox chajk'opon 7ox j-likelu—k mi xu7 van xi7och tal.
Ochan tal k'usi chaval?
Yechuk che7e, tottik, me7tik.
La7!
Tottik!
La7!
Tottik, tottik!
La7 chabot!
Me7tik!
7ANTUN'S WIFE: Come here, at ease!
7ANTUN: Sit down. See, there's a chair.
ROMIN: All right, sir. Are you still at home, Father 7Antun?
7ANTUN: I'm still here for a while, it seems.
ROMIN: Ah, you haven't gone yet to the lowlands?
7ANTUN: Not yet, I'm still sitting around here.
ROMIN: Ah, the work is probably over for a while.
7ANTUN: Ah, it's still done for a day or two.
ROMIN : Eh, it's still done, of course.
7ANTUN: Yes.
ROMIN: Go—d, I've come to speak to you now, Father 7Antu—n. Grant a little pardon for my water, since I've just seen that you are sitting around here.1 [Addressing 7Antun's wife.] Grant a little pardon for my wa—ter. Grant a little pardon, ma'a—m. Won't you all be so ki—nd as to let me borrow your feet and your ha—nds, to sustain for me the soul of God's angel?2
7ANTUN: Ah, could it be true, son? But won't you look for someone else? Isn't there somebody else you would rather have? There are always other men and women.
ROMIN: God, there probably are, sir, but it's you I had decided on. We have decided it. I came thinking of your earth, your mud—[I] and my spouse, my companion, it seems, too.3
7ANTUN: Ah, hell, son, I don't know. Won't you look for somebody else?
ROMIN: No, it's you I decided on, sir. Won't you do the holy fa—vor of embracing my child for me?4
7ANTUN: Ah, when do you want me to?
ROMIN: I really don't know at all. When can you do me the favor? Would you do me the favor this Saturday or Sunday of Holy Week. Would you do the holy favor? The priest always comes [then].
7ANTUN: Ah, of course he will come!
ROMIN: SO I was wondering, since he's coming, if you wouldn't do the holy favor. It seems that it's near right here. San Cristobal seems far away, too, because I don't know if my wife can get there because she is still a little under the weath- er. I would like to have [my baby] baptized or else sickness might come. It might get sick some- how. I would feel badly if it hadn't been bap- tized, so I thought I would do my best. I would like its soul to enter a bit.5
7ANTUN: Ah, I really don't know. [Addressing his wife.] Did you hear what he said? Shall we accept it?
7ANTUN'S WIFE: Ah, do you think you'll accept?
7ANTUN: Probably so. I'll probably accept. You can't refuse such a thing.
La7 chabot!
Chotlan, 7avi te xila.
Yechuk, tottik, mi nakalot to, tot 7Antun?
Li7on to ya7el j-likeluke.
7Aa, mu to bu batemot ta 7olon?
Ch'abal to li7 to xitzunete.
7Aa, lajem to nan j-likeluk ti 7abtele.
7An lajem to ya7el jun chibuk k'ak'al.
7E lajem to 7un bi.
Yu7un me.
Yo—s, yu7 me li7 tal jk'oponote, tot 7Antu—n, 7ak'o pertonal j-set'uk kunin 7a7a—1, ja7uk nox kilot ti 117 tzunulote, 7ak'o pertonal j-set'uk kunin 7a7al. 7Ak'o pertonal j-set'uk, me7ti—k. Ja7 nox mu xa7abolaji—k jch'amuntik 7avok 7ak'obi—k xavikbon xch'ulel 7a li yaj7anjel riox?
7Aa, mi yech van 7un, kere, pero mi muk' bu xasa7 ta yan 7un, mi muk' bu xlok' xak'upin mas lek 7un, 7o 7onox yan jtottik jme7tik.
Yos, pero 7oy nan ka7uktik a7a, tottik, pero yu7n vo7ot jnopojot tal 7un laj jnoptikotik tal jnop tal talumal 7avach'elal xchi7uk ti jnup jchi7il ya7el 7uke.
7Aa karajo, kere, mu jna7 chka7i mi muk' bu xasa7 ta yan?
Yu7n ch'abal 7un yu7n vo7ot jnopojot tal 7un, tottik, mi mu xach'ul-7abola—j xapetbon ya7el ti jk'oxe?
7Aa, k'u 7ora chak'an 7un?
Yu7n batz'i ja7 mu jna7 7un k'u 7ora xa7abolaj 7i vo7ot 7une, mi xa7abolaj lavi ta savaro rominko kuxele mi xach'ul-7abolaj van ta 7onox xtal li palee.
7A ta xtal a7a!
Ja7 me chkal 7une, ta nan xtal mi mu
xach'ul-7abolaj jk'eltik ya7el li nopol nox li7 toe nom to ya7el li Jobel noxtoke yu7 mu jna7 mi sta ech'el li yajval jnae ja7 li tijbil to j-set'e kiluk ko7on 7o xkak'be yich' vo7 ya7el naka me taluk chamel mi 7u k'u cha7al x7ipaje ja7 chopol chka7i ti muk' yich'oj vo7 7une, yech'o chkak' pwersa ti kaloj chak 7ochuk j-set'uk ti xch'ulele.
7Aa, batz'i mu jna7. Va7i, la, k'u la xi mi ta jch'untik taje?
7An mi chach'un chava7ie?
Tana nan ta nan jch'un mu stak' p'ajel le7e.
164 SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO ANTHROPOLOGY NUMBER 25 7ANTUN'S WIFE: No, of course not!
ROMIN: So I was wondering, sir. So I was wonder- ing, ma'am. Grant a little pardon for my water, if it seems you will do the favor, if it seems you will embrace my little child for me.
7ANTUN: Ah, we can probably do it. We can do it.
Don't worry, it can go to be embraced quickly.
That's hardly work. It'll take just a few minutes.
That's not much work!
ROMIN : So I was wondering, so I was wondering, Father 7Antun, if you would do the holy favor, it seems.
7ANTUN: Ah, we can go. God's angel can't be re- fused. That can't be refused.
ROMIN: So I'm wondering, sir, if you will do the holy favor. Grant a little pardon for my water.
Toss a little down your throat, sir. I haven't any- thing to give you at all.
7ANTUN: Ah, all right, then, Romin. Thank you a little. May God repay you. Cane liquor is hardly necessary. That's not much [that you ask]. Then I'll go quickly.
ROMIN: So I'm wondering, sir, if you will do the holy favor to sustain for me the humble soul of God's angel.
7ANTUN: Ah, we can go, then. You should ask, you should speak to the sacristans, I think, [to find out] when the baptisms are given, whether on Saturday or Sunday or when.
ROMIN: Who knows. It probably should be on [Easter] Sunday because the world is still dead, as we say, on Saturday.6 But on Sunday the world would have revived, as we say, of course.
7ANTUN: Ah, yes, you're right. Ah, all right. I'll go then. Don't worry. We'll go then to embrace it.
[The priest] will probably give [baptisms].
ROMIN: I certainly think so. He'll probably give it then. He won't on this Thursday or Friday of course, since Our Lord is still really dead, it seems.
7ANTUN: He's still dead, indeed. But it will be pos- sible by Sunday, of course. It will be possible by then. You're right, it's time to do it. We'll go then.
ROMIN : Just as I say, then, do the holy favor!
7ANTUN: Ah, all right! Ah, thank you very much then, Romin. Thank you, may God repay you.
ROMIN : Grant a little pardon, sir! Grant a very little pardon! [Addressing 7Antun's wife.] Grant a little pardon, ma'am. Do the holy favor!
7ANTUN: All right. We'll go then. God, may we borrow your hand, then, Romin? Measure out a little!7
ROMIN: All right, sir. Should I measure it out?
Why don't you just pour it off to keep?8 I brought you hardly any.
Mu7yuk a7a!
Ja7 me chkale, tottik, ja7 me chkale, me7tik, 7ak'ik pertonal j-set'uk kunin 7a7al mi xa7abolajik ya7el mi xapetbikon ya7el li kunin k'oxe.
7Aa, 7ana, stak' nan stak' mu k'u xal 7avo7on te xba yich' petel ta 7anil mi7n nox 7abtel xal le7e, j-likel nox le7e mu k'usi mas 7abtel le7e!
Ja7 me chkal 7une ja7 me chkale, tot 7Antun, mi xach'ul-7abolaj ya7el.
7An stak' te xibattik, mu stak' p'ajel 7i yaj7anjel rioxe mu stak' p'ajel le7e.
Ja7 me chkal 7une, tottik, mi xach'ul-7abolaj 7ak'o pertonal j-set'uk kunin 7a7al, teno tave j-set'uk, tottik, mu k'u xakak'be ta j-mek.
7An yechuk che7e, Romin, kol aval jutuk sk'extabot ti rioxe mi7n pwersa trago sk'an mu k'usi mas taje te xibat ta 7anil.
Ja7 me chkale che7e, tottik, mi xach'ul-7abolaj jutuke xavikbon yo xch'ulel ya7el ti yaj7anjel rioxe.
7Ana stak' tey xibattik ja7 xajak' to j-set'uk k'opono to ka7tik i pixkale mi k'u 7ora chak' i 7ich'-vo7e mi savaro mi rominko k'u 7ora.
Mu jna7tik rominko to nan mi yech 7une porke ta savaroe chamem to balamil xkaltik bi 7a yan ti ta rominkoe yu7n xa 7ox 7ikux ti balamil xkaltik bi 7a.
7An yech ka7uktik a7a, 7an teyuk te xibat mu k'u xal 7avo7on te xba jpettik tal no nan xak'.
Tana nan chkal a7a, ta nan xak' xa ja7 mu xak' lavi jweves byernex a7a, ja7 li batz'i chamem to li
kajvaltik ya7ele.
Chamem to a7a, pero xu7 xa 7ox ta rominko a7a, xu7 xa 7ox ta71o xu7 7o 7ava7uk te xibatotikotik.
Ja7 me chkale che7e ch'ul-7abolajan jutuk!
7An, teyuk, 7an batz'i kol aval che7e, Romin, kol aval sk'extabot ti rioxe.
7Ak'o pertonal j-set'uk, tottik, 7ak'o pertonal j-set'uk ta j-mek! 7Ak'ik pertonal j-set'uk, me7tik, ch'ul-7abolajanik jutuk taje!
Teyuk te xibatotikotik, yos, jch'amuntik 7ak'ob che7e, Romin, p'iso j-set'uk.
Yechuk, tottik, mi ta jp'is ya7el 7un k'u mu teuk nox 7ach'ol komele mi7n yepal xa lakich'be tal.
7ANTUN: No, this is as it has always been. We'll drink a tiny bit.
ROMIN : Yes, indeed, sir. Thank you for touching your present, then.
7ANTUN: Serve a little!
ROMIN : All right, will you take some, sir?
7ANTUN: All right, I take it first, then, Romin!
ROMIN: Take it sir!
7ANTUN [addressing his wife]: I take it first!
7ANTUN'S WIFE: Take it!
7ANTUN: Here is your shot glass.
ROMIN: Fine, will you take some, ma'am?
7ANTUN'S WIFE: All right, I take it first, then, Romin!
ROMIN: Take it, ma'am!
7ANTUN'S WIFE [addressing 7Antun]: I take it!
7ANTUN: Take it!
7ANTUN'S WIFE: Here is your shot glass.
ROMIN: All right. It's complete, Father 7Antun.
7ANTUN: Take some yourself!
ROMIN : Fine, God, I take it first, then, sir!
7ANTUN: Take it!
ROMIN: I take it first, ma'am!
7ANTUN'S WIFE: Take it!
ROMIN: God, here it is, Father 7Antun. It's com- plete.
7ANTUN: Ah, let it be for a while.
ROMIN: All right.
7ANTUN: Is your little child a boy or a girl?
ROMIN: Just a little boy.
7ANTUN: Ah, hell, so you are having him baptized!
ROMIN: That's what I had thought.
7ANTUN: When was he born?
ROMIN: It's almost five weeks ago.
7ANTUN: Ah so that's when it was!
ROMIN: That's when it was indeed!
7ANTUN: Ah, hell, serve a little now, Romin!
ROMIN: Really, sir? Why don't you leave it at that?
7ANTUN: Serve a little. We'll drink a tiny bit now.
ROMIN: D O you mean it? Will you take some, then, sir?
7ANTUN: All right. I take it first, then, Romin!
ROMIN: Take it, sir!
7ANTUN: God, but this is as it has always been, it seems, Romin, now it is probably time for us to become compadres, as we say.9 Because now we should probably become [compadres] right away, once and for all.
ROMIN: Ah, all right, compadre, why not? Just so long as you do the favor, it seems. Just so long as it is for certain, it seems. I can do whatever you want.
7ANTUN: All right, so that's the way it is. We will become compadres right away.
ROMIN: Ah, all right, compadre.
Mo7oj, yu7 nox stalel slikel 7onox ta xkich'tik 7unin j-tz'ujuke.
Yech a7a, tottik, kol aval chapik 7amotone che7e.
7Ak'o j-set'uk!
Yechuk mi chavich' 7un, tottik?
Yechuk kich'ban che7e, Romin!
7Ich'o, tottik!
Kich'ban, la!
7Ich'o!
7A 117 me lap'is 7une.
Bweno, mi chavich', me7tik?
Yechuk, la7 kich'ban che7e, Romin!
7Ich'o, me7tik!
Kich'ban la.
7Ich'o!
7A li7 me lap'is 7une.
Yechuk tz'aki me 7un, tot 7Antun.
7Ich'o li vo7ot 7une.
Bweno, yos, la7 kich'ban che7e, tottik!
7Ich'o!
Kich'ban, me7tik!
7Ich'o!
Yos 7a li7 me 7une, tot 7Antun, 7itz'aki me 7un.
7Aa, teuk to j-likeluk.
Yechuk.
K'usi 7unenal tavunin k'ox 7une?
7Unin krem smelol.
7A karajo yu7n ja7 chavak'be yich' vo7 7un!
Yu7n ja7 ti kaloj 7une.
K'u xa 7ora yayanel 7un?
Ta xa xlok' vo7ob xemana.
7Aa va7i xa k'u 7ora!
Ja7 xa yech a7a!
7A karajo, 7ak'o xa j-set'uk, Romin!
Mi yech 7un, tottik, k'u mu teuk xa noxe?
7Ak'o xa j-set'uk kuch'tik xa 7unin j-tz'ujuk.
Mi yech 7un, mi chavich' che7e, tottik?
Yechuk kich'ban che7e, Romin!
7Ich'o, tottik!
Yos, pero stalel slikel 7o no nan ya7el, Romin, te xa nox k'alal 7un ta jtzaktik nan kumpare xkaltik 7un, yu7n xa 7onox nan ta jtzaktik 7o xch'a ta j-moj 7un.
7An, stak', kumpare, k'usi xal 7un yu7 nox cha7abolajik ya7el 7une, yu7 nox j-moj ya7el 7une, stak' ti k'u xi chava7ie.
Stak' yu7 nox ja7 yech ya7el jtzaktik jch'a kumpare 7un.
7Ana stak', kumpare.