The Yaqui Easter Ceremony at Hermosillo

Author(s): George C. Barker

Source: Western Folklore, Vol. 16, No. 4, "Los Pastores" Number: Folk Plays of Hispanic America
(Oct., 1957), pp. 256-262
Published by: Western States Folklore Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1496019
Accessed: 18-12-2015 12:27 UTC

REFERENCES
Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1496019?seq=1&cid=pdf-reference#references_tab_contents

You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references.

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/
info/about/policies/terms.jsp

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content
in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship.
For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

Western States Folklore Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Western Folklore.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
The YaquiEasterCeremony
at Hermosillo*
GEORGE C. BARKER

IN HERMOSILLO, MODERN CAPITAL Of the northwesternstateof Sonora, Mexico,

townspeople are aware that Yaqui Indians performstrange dances in their

suburbs during Lent and Holy Week. These dances actually are a part of a
deeply religious drama of Christ's Passion improvised three centuries ago
by Spanish Jesuit missionaries as a means of indoctrinating the Yaquis into
the Catholic faith. This class of religious folk dramas is clearly to be dis-
tinguished fromlater plays produced in large urban centersand disseminated
to colonial villages.' Unlike these later and more sophisticated plays, the
earlier representations depended largely upon processions and upon the
effectiveuse of symbols and gestures rather than spoken lines to tell their
story.They are also remarkable forthe way in which theyhave fused aborigi-
nal and Catholic elements of drama, pageantry,and music to produce a type
of presentation differentfromanythingprevious in Europe or the Americas.
Since traditional features of the Yaqui Easter ceremony as presented in
other Yaqui communities of Sonora and Arizona have been detailed else-
where,2I shall limit myselfin this brief paper to a simple narrative review
of those parts of the ceremony witnessed in Barrio Colos, Hermosillo, in
1956 and 1957, togetherwith some background on the presentation. Barrio
Colos is one of two Yaqui neighborhoods in Hermosillo in which the Yaqui
Easter ceremony is presented." The other, known as Barrio Matanzas, is
located in the southeast part of town near the old state penitentiary.Prior to
the 1910 Mexican Revolution, hundreds of Yaquis were lodged temporarily
in this prison during the period of forced dispersal from their Yaqui River
* The
original version of this paper was delivered with accompanyingslides at the sixty-ninth
annual meeting of the American Folklore Society,held at Hotel Miramar, Santa Monica, Cali-
fornia,December 28, 1956. I am gratefulto my parents,George and Olive Barker, and to Edward
V. Moreno and Frank M. Almeida, for their assistance on the two field trips upon which the
presentversionis based.
1For an example of the latter type, see George C. Barker (ed.) The Shepherds' Play of the
Prodigal Son, Folklore Studies, Vol. 2, Universityof California Press, 1953-
2 See Muriel
Thayer Painter, The Yaqui Easter Ceremonyat Pascua (Tucson, 1950); Edward
H. Spicer, Pascua: a Yaqui Village in Arizona (Chicago, 1940), and Potam: a Yaqui Village in
Sonora, American AnthropologicalAssociation,Memoir No. 77 (1954); G. J. Altman, "The Yaqui
Easter Play of Guadalupe, Arizona," Masterkey, XX (1946), 181-189; XXI (1947), 19-23, 67-72.
3 For furtherbackground on the Yaqui communitiesof Mexico and the southwesternUnited
States, see Edward H. Spicer, "Yaqui Villages Past and Present," The Kiva, XIII (1947), 2-12.

[256]

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
YAQUI EASTER CEREMONY 257
homeland,one hundredmilesto the south.Followingthe Revolution,some
Yaqui familiesestablisheda communityon the rockyhill just behind the
prison,whileothersmovedintotheruggedravinewhichlaterbecameBarrio
Colos. The Mexican governmentgave a strongimpetusto the lattersettle-
mentbymakinga formalgrantof theravineto theYaquis. As thesettlement
continuedto grow,the bottomof theravinegraduallywas filledin, and the
traditionof presentingthe Easterceremonyand itsfiestain thisarea became
well established.Originally,thepopulationof thisbarriowas entirelyYaqui,
but in the past decade Mexicanshave been permittedto settleon theYaqui
grant,and manyMexican familiesnow attendthe ceremonyand operateor
patronizethemanyconcessionboothsalong theedgesof the plaza.
SETTINGANDTHEME
Barrio Colos, the focal communityforabout one hundredYaqui families,
is located between two hills in the northeastern outskirtsof Hermosillo.
The fiftyor moreadobe,wattleand daub, and brickcabinsofthecommunity
are perchedstep-fashion around the aforementioned ravine,whichfacesthe
SouthernPacificRailroad tracksand the man-madechannel of the Sonora
River to the south.The flat,sandyfloorof theravineservesthecommunity
as a plaza and makes a perfectampitheaterfor the Yaqui drama. At the
beginningof Lent a temporary churchof cottonwoodboughsis erectedat
the upper end of the plaza, and a ramada,or lean-toshelterof similarcon-
struction,is built at theoppositeend. Encirclingtheentireplaza is theWay
oftheCross,on whichare placedmesquitecrossesrepresenting thetraditional
fourteenstations.The churchand ramada are dismantledon May 3, Holy
CrossDay, whenYaqui householdcrossesare renewed.
The Yaqui Easter ceremonyhas a double theme.In symbolicactions,
dances,songs,prayersand processionsit dramatizesnot only the Passion of
Christ,but also the struggleof His Churchto convertand redeemHis ene-
mies.The principalcharactersin thedrama-Christ and theVirginMary-
are symbolizedby miniatureimagesand figurinesaround whichthe action
revolves.The supportingcast is composedlargelyof men,women,and chil-
dren of the Yaqui communitywho, eitherin serviceto the churchor as
membersof ceremonialsocieties,act in fulfillment of vows made by or for
themin time of seriousillnessor otherlifecrisis.Exceptionsto the above
statementare the aboriginalpascola (Yaqui: "old man of the fiesta")and
deer dancers,who althoughnot undervow,performas allies of the Church.

SEQUENCE OF THE DRAMA

The following brief report on the ceremony at Barrio Colos includes only
those events taking place from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. We

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
258 WESTERN FOLKLORE

ft8ft-
/f
Ir35ARRA.CXS
? t
to
.ater 1-CHUIMCH

f M+ -CHURCKYAADD
4-
CAIYARr. CROSS
I1JrMWAL IPST"0IS
T"RATIIONA
L-
IAtMoj0 tOPQR.
11%*
s(DN 6 STA'lON
CALVARY.

t 12.

IVI
SYMTBOLIZING
- 3 CL.,.ss

Drawn by Olive Barkerfroma sketchby Frank Almeida

THE WAYOF THECROSS.Diagram of Plaza of Barrio Colos at Hermosillo,Sonora,

Mexico, showing the improvisedchurch,the pascola ramada, and the fourteen
stationsof the cross as theyappeared on Thursday noon of Holy Week, 1957.
Whereas in the traditionalCatholic liturgythe penitentsmove counterclockwise
fromstationto station,theorderof marchin theBarrio Colos ceremonywas clock-
wise. Anotherinterestinglocal deviationis the establishmentof threecalvariesin
addition to the traditionalone at stationeleven.

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
YAQUI EASTER CEREMONY 259
did not have opportunityto see any of the pre-HolyWeek processionsof
Lent,'nordid we see theclosingceremonyon EasterSundaymorning.These
firstnotes are presentedwith the hope that theywill stimulateadditional
fieldworkto roundout thedata on thisvariantof theYaqui drama.

Palm Sunday, 1957: At 0o:oo A.M., the deer and pascola dancers, bare to the
waistand stilldancingaftertheirall-nightperformance, headed a procession
fromthe pascola ramada.Accompanyingthemwas a flute-and-drum player,
and immediately followingcamea dozenchapayekas(Yaqui: "slendernoses"),
the ritual clowns of the Fariseo (Pharisee) Society.They wore grotesque
human-and animal-headmasks,coats or blanketson theirbacks,chainsof
rattlesaround theirtrousersat hips and ankles,and bore unhiltedwooden
swordsand daggersemblematicoftheirrole as Christ'sunredeemedenemies.
As thisstrangearmymarched,itsmen beat daggersagainstswordsin perfect
unison withfluteand drum.
Meanwhile,a groupof worshipers, accompaniedby white-robed children
portrayingangels,had come out of the churchcarryingpalm leaves and
imagesof the VirginMaryand of San Ram6n de Nonato,' the latterrepre-
sentingJesusof Nazareth.The two groupsmet at the churchyardcrossin
frontof the churchand formedinto one procession,withthe pascola group
firstbeing in the rear of the churchgroup,and then in frontas the latter
group executedan arc in counterclockwise fashion.Afterall of the dancers
had turnedaround and were facingthe building,the churchgroupentered
and placed the imageson the altar. Then followeda Mass in Latin, after
whichthe previouslyblessedpalm leaves weredistributedto everyone,in-
cluding the chapayekas,who rearedand plunged in protest.Followingthe
benediction,altar women and girlscarriedthe image of San Ram6n in a
processionaround the churchyard cross,preparatoryto the re-enactmentof
thetriumphalentranceofJesusintoJerusalem.The processionhaltedabout
twentyfeetfromthechurchentrance,now coveredby a whitecurtain.
Pontius Pilate, representedby a youngYaqui in western-style sombrero,
shirt,and trousers,"and accompaniedby two,aides, now stood in frontof
the processionfacingthe church.In his righthand Pilate carrieda long
lance toppedby a red-trimmed banner.As he waited,twowomeninsidethe
churchbegan a quavering,antiphonalchantwhichwas answeredby a mae-
4For a description of one of the pre-Holy Week processions of Lent, as witnessed at Pascua
village, Arizona, see George C. Barker, "Some Aspects of Penitential Processions in Spain and
the American Southwest," Journal of American Folklore, LXX (1957), 137-142.
5St. Raymond non natus, so-called because he was delivered alive fromthe womb of his dead
mother,was born in Port Tello, Catalonia, in 1204 and is noted for his martyrdomin having
his lips padlocked as the result of attemptingto preach to the Moors in Africa. Elevated to the
position of cardinal in the Church prior to his death, he became the patron saint of midwives.
6 In the
1956 presentationat Barrio Colos, the role of Pontius Pilate was portrayedby an older
man, Antonio Rosas, who wore a long white cape.

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
260 WESTERN FOLKLORE
stro,or church leader, in the processionoutside. Pilate now approached
thechurchand struckthebuttofhis lance on a piece ofwood just below the
whitecurtain.He repeatedthisaction in threeseparateapproachesto the
curtain.A chapayekarepresentingHerod, wearinga black coat and black
pancakehat overhis whitewool mask,now repeatedtheknockingof Pilate.
With his cabo ("corporal") at his side, he used his wooden swordfirstto
knock,and then-putting his ear to its handle-to listen.This ritualcom-
pleted, the white curtainwas thrownback and the statue of San Ram6n
carriedinsideto signifythatChristhad enteredthe Holy City.

MondayofHoly Week,1957: AlthoughMondayand Tuesday ofHoly Week

traditionallyare days of preparation-ratherthan action-in the Yaqui
drama, our partywitnessedone importantaspect of the ceremonywhich
takesplace on both days.This was the quest forlimosna("alms"), whereby
the membersof the Fariseo Societysustainthemselves while theyare in the
serviceof the fiesta.At ten o'clock Mondaymorning,we saw the chapayekas
of Barrio Matanzasfall into line, clickingtheirwooden swordsand daggers
at the call of theirflutist-drummer.Aftermarchingonce around thestations
of the crosserectedon themud flatthatservedthemas plaza, theyascended
into the maze of narrowlanes behind the old prisonand were quicklylost
to our view.At fiveo'clock thatafternoon, we saw the chapayekasof Barrio
Colos returningto theirbarracksbehind the church,glad to lie down and
removetheirmasksand take out of theirmouthsthe crucifixestheymust
wear over theirtongueswhile portraying the enemiesof Christ.

Wednesdayof Holy Week, z957: On Wednesdaynightin Barrio Colos oc-

curredthe traditionalCatholicceremonyof the tenebrae(Spanish,tinieblas)
symbolizingthe gradual extinguishing of the lightsof the worldduringthe
chaoticperiod of the Crucifixion.As a littleband of kneelingwomen and
girlskept vigil withsongsand prayersto the leftof the churchentrance,a
maestroread the servicein the diminishinglightof a fifteen-branch cande-
labra. Meanwhile,the enemiesof Christhad mobilizedbehind the church-
yardcross,and now the familiarminorcall of the flutist-drummer signaled
the momentforaction.Pairs of chapayekas,each accompaniedby a Fariseo
corporal,stoleup to a roundgreenbowerwhichhad been set up directlyin
frontof the church.As theycircledthe bower in oppositedirections,they
paused each quarter of theirway to triple-clicktheirswordsagainsttheir
daggers.Each time,thestaccatoof theircombinedstrokeswas caughtup and
repeated by the chorus of their fellows. Then, as this pair and their guards
returned in relay to the ranks, another quartet took their places, and as they
did so, one more candle was extinguished. Later in the night, after the last

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
YAQUI EASTER CEREMONY 261

remainingcandle had been carriedbehind thealtar,we wereinformedthat

chapayekasand other penitentsenteredthe darkenedchurchfor a ritual
whipping,in whichchildangelswieldedtheircross-hiltedmesquiteswitches.

Thursday Morning, Holy Week, 1957: At about 11:oo A.M. Mass was held in
the church, followingwhich the church group marched in procession
around the churchyard crossto the accompanimentof a matraca,a wooden
clapper,which is used to replacethechurchbell in religiousservicesduring
the periodwhen the enemiesof Christare in powerin the community. Fol-
lowing the service, mesquite crosseswere placed around the Way of the
Crossby the Fariseosunder the directionof theircaptain.'
At noon,just beforeleaving,we wereinformedbyone of theFariseosthat
theorderof eventsfortheafternoonwas as follows:first, a processionof the
Fariseoscarryingthe matracaaround the stationsof the cross;second,the
ceremonyof El Viejito in whicha chapayekawearinga crownof mesquite
branchesruns around the stationsof the cross,sittingon and whippinghis
prostratefellowsat each station; and third,the capture of Christ in the
Garden of Gethsemane.

ThursdayAfternoon, Holy Week,I956: Arrivingat the plaza at about 4:00

P.M., we saw the Fariseosbuild the Gardenof Gethsemane,a round,basket-
wovenofgreencottonwoodboughsand setup nearthepascola
like structure,
ramada.This was followedby a warlikemarchof theFariseosin preparation
for an attackon the Garden. Afterchapayekaspies had reportedto their
officerson the locationof theirprey,we saw the finalsurroundingand cap-
tureofChrist.As theFariseoarmyapproachedthebower,thereoccurredone
of the few bits of spoken dialogue in the entire presentation."A qui6n
buscas?"a representativeof theChurchasksone of theFariseoofficers."Jes'is
Nazareno," was the tersereply.Then followeda savage attack upon the
Garden,signaledby wild animal criesand climaxedwiththe demolitionof
thebower,thedefeatof theChurchforces,and thecarryingintocaptivityof
a smallimageofJesusof Nazarethby thetriumphant chapayekas.

Good Friday,1956: On thisday occurredprocessionsportraying the Cruci-

fixionand El Encuentro,the meetingof Maryand her Son on the Way of
the Cross.El Encuentrowas symbolizedwhen two processions, one bearing
the crucifiedChristand the otherbearingthreeimagesof the VirginMary,
metas theytraversedtheWay of theCrossin oppositedirections."
On Friday afternoon a beautifully decorated bier of Christ, surmounted
The crossesare removedwhen not in use, to preventtheirbeing stolen forfirewood.
s A second El Encuentro is reported to take place on the Way of the Cross at midnightFriday.

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
262 WESTERN FOLKLORE

by the imageof a whitecock,was carriedfromthehome of one of the altar

womento the churchby a guardof Fariseos.A cottonwoodbower-third of
its kind in the ceremony-was placed in frontof the churchto represent
Christ'ssepulchre,and a chapayekawas stationedoutsideas a Roman sentry.
Sometimeduringthe nightthisbowerwas destroyedto signifythe rolling
awayof the stoneat the tomb'sentrance.

SaturdayMorning,Holy Week,1956: As yetunawareof theirvictim'sresur-

rection,the chapayekasstageda triumphalprocessionwhich traversedthe
stationsofthecrossin reverseorderaroundtheplaza. Witha strawchapayeka
representing theirpatron,Judas,astridea gailydecoratedburroat theirhead,
theymarchedto popular folktunesof a violin and accordion,and were fol-
lowed by a youthwavingan evil-smelling censerin mockeryof churchpro-
cessions.Near the pascola ramada, theymountedthe effigy of Judas on a
"throne," which laterbecame his funeral pyre.
Meanwhile,unnoticedby themerrymakers, theallies of Christwererally-
ing. As spectators lined the route from the pascola ramada to the church,
followersof Christ,singinghymns,marchedup to the frontof the edifice
and preparedto defendit as His laststronghold in thecommunity. At noon,
the Fariseosfinallylaunched theirall-outattack.Twice theychargedupon
the churchand each time were drivenback by a combinationof church
people, child angelsand deer,pascola,and Matachinidancers,all throwing
paper flowers and confettias symbolsof God's grace.!The thirdattackended
in the completevictoryof the Church.Tossing swords,daggers,masks,and
otherparaphernaliaonto theJudaspyre,thevanquishedFariseoscompleted
the drama of conversionby re-entering the churchwith theirgodmothers
to be rededicatedto Christ.
Saturdayafternoonand eveningin thebarrioweregivenoverto thegaiety
of the fiesta.There remainedforEasterSundayonly the briefclosingcere-
mony.Traditionally,in Yaqui communities, thisincludesa re-enactment of
thediscoveryof Christ'sresurrection, a sermonbyone of themaestroson the
meaningof the ceremony,a finalprocessionaround the plaza, and a public
farewell.In thislast event,all of the participantsforminto a double circle
and touchhandsin reciprocalappreciationof each other'sefforts.
9Sewa (Yaqui: "flower") symbolizesgood
in Yaqui religious ritual and is used in the Yaqui
Easter ceremonyto denote grace on earth. See Muriel Thayer Painter, A Yaqui Easter Sermon,
Social Science Bulletin 26, Universityof Arizona (Tucson, 1955), p. 82.

of California,Los Angeles
University

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 AMI
VI vv
To''
-pp I .4am&
I
.ry ZXb
~:'W4
~ ~ ~ ,???I
A7'l'I

Photographby Edward V. Moreno, .956

DESTRUCTION OF THE GARDEN On late Thursday afternoonthe
OF GETHSEMANE.
chapayekas,representingthe enemies of Christ,attack and demolish the bower
erectedto simulateGethsemane.

Mi.

~I I ' -N4nI:::':
z ft
:"no -
:

.::
....
'' '"

Photographby George C. Barker, 1956

PROCESSIONOF THEBIEROF CHRIST.Men of the PhariseeSociety("Fariseos") escort
to thechurcha whitecatafalquedestinedto receivean imageof Christ.This occurs
on Fridayafternoon,followingthe ordeal of Crucifixion.

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 ~4F
.-P.W

oo*

Photographby George C. Barker, 1956

ROMANSENTRY GUARDING THE SEPULCHRE. Here the cihapayeha patrols the entrance
to the bower representing Christ's sepulchre. This ceremony takes place late Friday
afternoon.

y
.. ? .....: ...

?. ,:
.I? .. ... . .... ......
.
? .::,.:,:........ .. ? ..? :...... ... ? " ,.... ... ... .
?
...
,,:....:.. ? ..... ... .. . :."...: ; : : : ::. ::"> .. ?:?. .. ? ?
??: ??: :????:';:i
?:??
??? ?.,: : ?:?

~ ~ ~ .z.??
;
' ... B . ....:?
. [-
.
.
,.

o.~l:....
,:.:-. ...... .. .. ... ~..%

Photographby Edward V. Mloreno,1956

CHILDANGEL PREPARINGTO DEFEND THE CHURCH.As spectatorsline the route be-

tween the churchand the pascola ramada, Saturdayat high noon, a child angel
preparesto take her place among the defendersof the church.

This content downloaded from 132.174.254.159 on Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:52 UTC
All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions