Vital Statistics

(J. Erbe) (1978)

Account exploration, conquest, missionization Sinaloa from Cabeza de Vaca to fr. Gonzalo Tapia. Includes accounts de Vaca, Coronado, Francisco de Ibarra expeditions. Etymology cahita word yorim from verb yore, meaning to heal-applied to Spaniards because of Cabeza de Vaca's reputation curer. Other meanings-valiant ones, fierce beasts, demons. Description province Sinaloa including land, Weather, rivers, surrounding geography. Enumeration Indian pueblos population for Rios Mocorito, Petatlan, Cinaloa, Mayo (10 pueblos, pop. 3850), Yaqui (8-5250), Nebome-Seri (8-2400), Aybino/ Vatuca (5-1200), Sonoras/Huris (pop. 800). Description flood plain inundation agriculture, summer planting season only, floodwater fertilization, crops (maiz, squash, beans of many varieties, tzoale, nicauatl, and others), wild food gathering, hunting. Account linguistic diversity. Notes Mayos, Yaquis spoke basically same language. Estimation population more than 100,000 before diseases. Brief account alcoholic beverages, religious beliefs (including woman named Huayerubi who taught Indians to plant), kinship systems, loose political/legal organization, marriage practices, Games, fiestas, house styles. (T. Sheridan) (1976)

Relacion similar to Hurdaide's letter to viceroy 5/25/1622. Believes land route to California exists but easier to go by sea. Discusses history conquest Sinaloa, his own efforts to extend frontier. 20,000 inhabitants 4 rivers of Sinaloa -10,000 baptized, of whom 4000 now dead from war or sickness. Notes Indians sedentary, growing cotton, maize, other grains. (T. Sheridan) (1976)