Compendio gramatical para la inteligencia del idioma tarahumar oraciones, doctrina cristiana, pláticas, y otras cosas necesarias para la recta administracion de los Santos Sacramentos en el mismo idióma

[12]+1-9+[1, blank]+1-63, 63, 64-162 [1, blank]+ i-vi [6] pages lacking the frontispiece plate: Retrato del P. Misionero autor de esta Obra Fr. Miguel Tellechea. Small octavo (7 1/2" x 5 1/4") rebound in quarter leather with marbled boards. "Grammar in Spanish with Tarahumara examples; religious texts in Spanish and Tarahumara in double columns. Book 1: 'Del nombre, promombre, adverbio, y preposicion, primeros rudimentos' (pp. 6-12); Book 2: 'De las conjugaciones' (pp. 13-46); Book 3: prayers and doctrinal texts (pp. 47-59); Book 4: sermons (pp. 60-122), followed by 'Algunas cosas necesarias para la debida administracion de los Santos Sacramentos' (pp. 123-155)." (Sabin 9461) First edition.

The Tarahumara or Rarámuri, "runners on foot" or "those who run fastare a Native American people of northwestern Mexico who are renowned for their long-distance running ability. Originally inhabitants of much of the state of Chihuahua, the Rarámuri retreated to the high sierras and canyons such as the Copper Canyon in the Sierra Madre Occidental on the arrival of Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century. The area of the Sierra Madre Occidental which they now inhabit is often called the Sierra Tarahumara because of their presence. The Tarahumara language belongs to the Uto-Aztecan family. Although it is in decline under pressure from Spanish, it is still widely spoken.

Miguel Tellechea was a missionary to the Tarahumara Indians of the northern part of Mexico. His work is not only a grammar of the Tarahumara language, but also a collection of sermons, talks, and a catechism in that language, designed for use in the conversion of the Indians.

Condition:

Points bumped and rubbed, small worm hole at title lacks frontispiece else a very good copy of a scarce item.