The jaguar s hunters (Tecuanes)

By Oscar Cortes Palma

Some of the characters in the comic theatrical dance Tecuan Coatetelco are a group of characters who have called together as "hunters".

These are usually six:

1. The Lancer

2. Flechero

3. The Trapper

4. Yerbero

5. The Creeping

6. The Marksman

And these hunters face the Tecuani, while pretending to fight, dance between the two parallel rows formed by the other characters who observe and after a few minutes the hunter is pulled down, implying that fell wounded and that's when doctors appear with an injection cure, which is obviously feigned or if they can not cure a lot of fun using other methods.

DRESS

The hunters wear varies in the different towns, for example in Tetelpa, characterized hunters are dressed in shirt and jeans, both full of patches, this is done to make it look hunters who are really walking in the saws and sometimes clothes breaks, while in other villages as Coatetelco, Tetecala, El Higuerón, hunters go with long sleeves and trouser color you want if they are bright and bold, the trouser usually carry hanging pombones and bells that sound to dance. In other towns like Alpuyeca, clothing colors are clear and traditionally defined. Usually the hunters usually wear sandals or hats.

Then I describe the characteristics of each of the six hunters Tecuan.

Hunter 1. The Lancer

The weapon is a spear Lancer 30 centimeters. Lancer clothing vary across villages, all dressed in Tetelpa of Mesclilla, and Alpuyeca Lancer is dressed in blue shirt and pants and lancita sky is painted colors.

REPRESENTATION

The Lancer is an expert on hunting with his "spear." Currently trying to hunt with a spear seems a very old way of hunting but in ancient times, the spear was a weapon used not only in hunting animals but even in war.

Undoubtedly the spear is an ancient weapon, but was still used in the struggle for independence from Mexico by insurgents.

One hundred years after the Mexican Revolution of 1910 and the launch was not used as a weapon, and preferably machetes and firearms were used. That is "The Spear" is a weapon that shows ancient dance Tecuan.

FUNCTION

The Lancer is the first of the hired hunters face the Tecuani but is defeated.

Hunter 2. Flechero

DRESS

The armament of Flechero is a bow and arrow. His clothing varies in different villages Tetelpa is dressed all in denim and Alpuyeca The Flechero is dressed in purple shirt and yellow trousers and wearing a colorful hat.

REPRESENTATION

The Flechero also called Archer or Tlaminque (Nahuatl word meaning Archer)

The Flechero is an expert hunter, who masterfully handles the "bow and arrow", so Mayeso, assistant Squire, come to hire him to hunt the mighty Jaguar Tecuani.

The Flechero go very lively but is defeated and doctors tend their wounds comically.

Currently trying to hunt with "Bow and Arrow" is a very efficient way to hunt, but in ancient times, "Bow and Arrow" were the most advanced and lethal weapons that were used in the hunt and in the war.

And they continued to use until 300 years later, since according to the chronicles of the Independence of Mexico, the insurgents had the support of many contingents of "Indian archers."

But the bow and arrow were already obsolete hundred years later, because during the Mexican Revolution of 1910, the bow and arrow are no longer registered as weapons Zapatista peasants, whose descendants now dance this dance Tecuan.

That is, the Arc gives us further evidence that Tecuan dance comes from very ancient times, or at least many decades before the Mexican Revolution.

FUNCTION

The Flechero is the second hired hunters face the Tecuani, but like the Lancer, the Flechero is defeated.

Hunter 3: Yerbero

DRESS

Yerbero armament consists of a bunch of herbs. The Yerbero also known as "Pascasio", dress varies in different villages.

Alpuyeca The Yerbero not appear but instead a new character who takes his place called "The Monterrey" who is dressed in trousers and pistachio green colored shirt, and is likely to do the same function Yerbero appears.

REPRESENTATION

The Yerbero also known as "Pascasio" is interesting because this is one of the five characters in this dance with personal name, the other 4 are Salvadorchi, Mayeso, John Shooter and Gervacio.

Instead the eleven remaining characters are unnamed person and these are: The Lancer, The Flechero, the trapper, deer, vultures, dogs and the Tecuani.

The Yerbero, is hired by the desperate Mayeso to try to catch the Tecuani with herbs, which allows us to understand that this character probably represents a "witch".

FUNCTION

The Yerbero also fails and like previous hunters injured to face the Tecuani, so too the doctors heal.

Hunter 4: Trapper

The armament of the Trapper is a few meters from rope. The Trapper is also known as "Changuasclero or Chaguasclero"

DRESS

His clothing varies in different villages. In her wardrobe is Tetelpa denim; The Trapper Alpuyeca and used long-sleeved shirt, pantalonera, socks, all pink; also he wears a hat and a rope both of many colors.

REPRESENTATION

The Trapper is an expert in setting traps, and capture wild, dangerous animal or not, knows the behavior of these animals that know what are the strategic places for setting traps.

However, this also fails hunter and like previous hunters injured to face the Tecuani, so too the doctors heal.

After being defeated Lancer, The Flechero, The Yerbero and Trapper. Squire very angry scolds them all, and decide to hire a team of creeping, the shooter and his dog, and the smiling quartet.

5. The Creeping hunter

DRESS

The Creeping costume varies in different villages in Tetelpa brings classical denim clothes as the other hunters. However, in Alpuyeca, creeping is dressed in pink shirt and green pantalonera and stockings also green; hat colors (red, yellow, blue and green).

Wears a mask with white beards. It is accompanied by one or many characters called "bitches", creeping he carries a stuffed animal, which can be a fox or a cat, or other.

REPRESENTATION

The Creeping represents a wildlife tracker knows to follow the tracks and traces left by animals, and may know that this animal has been in place and know how to interpret the signs of nature.

FUNCTION

 The Creeping, John Shooter, the Bitch and The Laughing fight fiercely against Tecuani for over half an hour while the "musician" enlivened the action with its melodies.

In the final part of Dance, The Creeping is leading a group of his "bitches" John Shooter and when Laughing and finally looks away to Tecuani, John Shooter whistles you to prepare your shotgun.

            6. John Hunter Shooter

DRESS:

The armament of John Shooter is a shotgun and a backpack.

In some villages like Alpuyeca, John Shooter wearing a long sleeve shirt and trouser-leading four bells hanging, hat and socks, all this costume is a red ignition which is very noticeable presence.; also he is wearing a white mask, sandals and was holding a shotgun cuaxtlera.

In Tetelpa clothing John Puller is denim, with some patches of fabric. In other towns like Ocotepec, Coatetelco, Tetecala and clothing Higuerón John Puller is different but in all his shotgun and wearing a hat in Ocotepec, Xoxocotla and Tetelpa wear a mask but in other towns as Tetecala and Coatetelco not wear mask .

REPRESENTATION:

John Puller is a hunter, carrying a shotgun, the latest weapon used in this dance that contrasts with bow and arrows Flechero, Spear Lancer, the string of Changuasclero (Trapper), herbs of Yerbero (Pascasio) and the stick or baton Risueño.

John Puller is the human who overcomes the Jaguar, he is brave and uses the latest technology weapons, if the Jaguar is evil then John Shooter represents the annihilation of evil.

If the dance comes from colonial times, John Shooter may represent a Spanish hunter carries a gun, symbol of Spanish power and to annihilate the Jaguar is killing an animal that represented much for Mesoamerican Jaguar was almost a god.

If the dance is of Mesoamerican origin Tecuan John Shooter and the other hunters may represent young people become adults, but they are only assumptions because there may be many more meanings, perhaps the only Tecuan Dance represents a parody of an event maybe that was common in colonial times and until the Mexican Revolution, as the attack cougars and jaguars livestock of the Hacienda.

FUNCTION:

The role of John Shooter is finally catch the Jaguar-Tecuani for this goes hunting accompanied by creeping and his dog; and she Is laughing; Alpuyeca in some villages as the struggle between these four characters against Tecuani Jaguar takes about an hour. The handle is armed with shotgun Cuaxtlera, wearing a mask barbona, His office is hunting since formerly there were few experienced hunters of wild animals and so, being a hunter was a paid job.

These are the characters representing hunters Tecuan dance, as we can see, all these people were part of the "Mexican identity" colonial era to the Reparto Agrario of 1920 and 1930. With this we can conclude Mexican identity that is something that is built and transformed over the years.

© Oscar Cortes Palma Lic. UNAM and Research in Dance History of Tecuan of Morelos and history of the town of Axochiapan. Email axochiapancultural@hotmail.com; cami17_4@hotmail.com; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axochiapan

BOOK OF DANCE Tecuanes

Information obtained from the book Dance of the Tecuanes.

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