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Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

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iHOMAs] INDIAN LANGUAGES OF MEXICO AND CENTEAL AMEBICA 49<br />

Marcelo Alejandre (162) says that, according to tradition, the<br />

Huasteca coming from the north estabhshed themselves first at the<br />

place now known as Altamira, in Tamaulipas, and afterward moved<br />

to the left bank" of the Bar of Tampico. Sahagun (670) states that<br />

they lived in the province of Panuco, properly called Pantlan, or<br />

Panotlan. Pimentel (i, 5) says that at the coming of the Spaniards<br />

the place they occupied was at the north of the kingdom of Texcoco<br />

(Tezcuco), comprehending the north part of the state of Vera Cruz<br />

and a small part (''fraccion") of the bordering portion of San Luis.<br />

According to Orozco y Berra (1:206), their area extended along the<br />

Gulf coast from Vera Cruz to San Luis Potosi, extending probably<br />

some distance into Tamaulipas.<br />

TOTONAC<br />

As to their language and history, as well as to geographical posi-<br />

tion, the Totonac are one of the most interesting tribes of Mexico.<br />

The proper classification of their language has long been, and is still,<br />

m doubt, so much so that it is usually given as an mdependent stock.<br />

It was on their territory that Spanish history and Spanish rule had<br />

their initiation in Mexico and Central America, when Cortes appeared<br />

on the scene in 1519.<br />

The area they occupied was in the northern portions of what are<br />

now the states of Vera Cruz and Puebla and the eastern extremity<br />

of Hidalgo, the Gulf coast forming the eastern boundary, and the<br />

northern boundary following closely the twenty-first parallel of north<br />

latitude.<br />

According to the Arte of D. Jose Zambrano, which has been followed<br />

by subsequent writers, the Totonac language was divided into<br />

four idioms: Tetikilhati, spoken by the Tetikilhati in the high sierras;<br />

Chakahuaxti, spoken by Chakahuaxti in the pueblos of Xalpan and<br />

Pantepec; Tatimolo, spoken by the Tatimolo of the pueblo Naolingo;<br />

and Ipapana, spoken by the Ipapana in the missions of the Augustines.<br />

As these idioms have not been determined by subsequent<br />

investigation, they are omitted. The present tendency of linguistic<br />

opinion is to place the Totonac language in the Mayan family, thus<br />

bringing it into relation with the Huasteca. The long friendly relations<br />

between the two tribes correspond with this opinion. Orozco<br />

y Berra (1: 214) expressed his belief in the relationship of the two<br />

dialects.<br />

Tepehua<br />

The Tepehua, which has been given as distinct by Orozco y Berra,<br />

and located on his map along the northwestern border of the<br />

Totonac territory, is in all probability related to the latter and<br />

should be placed in the same group. He says that, joined to the Toto-

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