Zacateco
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|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Unknown | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Mexico (Zacatecas,Durango) | |
| Languages | |
| Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity especiallyRoman Catholic | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Caxcan,Guachichil,Guamare,Tepehuán,Pame,Tecuexe |
TheZacatecos(orZacatecas) is the name of an indigenous group, one of the peoples calledChichimecasby theAztecs.They lived in most of what is now the state ofZacatecasand the northeastern part ofDurango.They have many direct descendants, but most of their culture and traditions have disappeared with time. Large concentrations of modern-day descendants may reside in Zacatecas and Durango, as well as other large cities of Mexico.
Name
[edit]"Zacateco" is aMexican Spanishderivation from the originalNahuatlZacatecatl,pluralized in early Mexican Spanish asZacatecas,the name given to the state and city. The name was given by the Aztecs to the people inhabiting a region in which a grass they called thezacatlwas abundant. The region was thus calledZacatlanby the Aztecs. (Mexica)
History
[edit]The Zacateco united militarily with other Chichimeca nations to form the Chichimeca Confederation to defeat theSpaniardsduring theChichimeca War(1550-90). SeeChichimeca War.
The Chichimeca War
[edit]Geography
[edit]To the east and north they overlapped lands with theGuachichiles.They extended to border theTepehuanesto the west near Durango. To the north their land bordered that of theIrritilasor Laguna tribes, up to wereCuencaméandParrasare located. Their principal population centers were in Malpaís, aroundPeñón Blanco,and around theCerro de la Bufa.They also extended down to what is now Los Altos Jalisco and overlapped territory with theCaxcanes.
Culture
[edit]Way of Life
[edit]Most Zacatecos were nomadic, although a few groups were essentially sedentary. Both men and women wore their hair down to their waist. Some Chichimeca tribes wore their head braided, but it is unspecified if any Zacatec tribes did so. They used body paint and tattoos to distinguish themselves from other tribes. Zacatecos were known to wear skin coverings below their knees and skin headbands on their foreheads. Occasionally they wore leather-soled sandals. They were "graceful, strong, robust and beardless".Juan Bautista de Pomarcommented, "In the opinion of men experienced in foreign lands, the Zacatecos are the best archers in the world."
Religion
[edit]The Zacatecos were a nomadic tribe and others were sedentary which means they lived in one area. Some tribes did in fact have temples dedicated to some kind of worship in the southwestern part of the state of Zacatecas. In a town called El Teul Gonzalez De Ortega there is a hill called El Cerro del Sombrero. And upon this hill there are temples ball courts and also ancient channels where the tribe extracted fresh water from the hill.
Conclusion
[edit]The Zacatecos as a culture have vanished or faded, due to assimilation andmestizajeof the Mexican people. However, many of their direct descendants still live in large concentrations in central Mexico. Taking all this into account, it is extremely difficult to even approximate the population of their descendants. It is equally hard to elaborate on their culture, language, art, and traditions.
References
[edit]- Powell, Philip Wayne.Soldiers, Indians, & Silver: The Northward Advance of New Spain, 1550-1600.Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1969.