Staff/measure; tapered hard wood with tin head; tip cover missing; length 82.3 cm. Native name and meaning: vara del autoridad (staff of authority). Context of use: Both emblem of office of mayor (alcalde) and a measure. Sticks such as this, often w/ silver heads having the official's title and date engraved, are to be found virtually throughout Indian Guatemala. Also similar to those used in the early days of California. Similar to those used in Indian rancherias but not to those used in the pueblos / This example is
Donor:
Bancroft Library (UC Berkeley)
Collection place:
San Sebastian, Huehuetenango Department, Guatemala
Culture or time period:
Guatemalan
Collector:
J. N. Bowman
Collection date:
1940
Object type:
ethnography
Object class:
Walking sticks (costume accesories) and Walking sticks (personal equipment)