The people are purely indian, and wear the characteristic dress.
[Illustration: TARASCAN FISHERMEN; JANICHO] No town in all the region makes so much use of the _tsupakua_, or spear-thrower, a wooden stick cut to fit the hand and support the shaft of a spear or long dart, the end of which rests against a peg near the tip of the thrower.

By means of this instrument, the long, light, darts of cane with iron points are thrown more directly and forcibly than by the hand alone.

These spears are used in hunting ducks.

Anciently a spear-throwing stick was widely used through Mexico; to-day it lingers in few places, the best known of which is here on Lake Patzcuaro..