Holy Week Ceremony and Procession of the Tarahumara Indians – Semana Santa – Way of the Cross - Chihuahua, Mexico - Mission de San Ignacio, Cusarare, recorded by Charlemaud Curtis and Clyde Tomlin, April 15-17, 1976
File — Box: 1, CD: 29.1
Scope and Content
From the Collection:
The original Curtis field recordings have been reformatted to CDs from reel to reel tapes. As in the goal of the Robb archive, Curtis and her associates at the Fine Arts Library have captured part of the rich musical heritage and history of the people of New Mexico. The collection includes both music and oral interviews.
Among the recording are Navajo morning songs and blessing ways, a Navajo music and dance workshop, Keresan children’s play - game songs, Laguna and other Pueblo songs, and All American Championship Indian powwow dances in the Mescalero Reservation and Ruidoso, New Mexico. The collection contains Native American recordings made in New Mexico by Philip Encino and Lorenzo Aragon. In addition, there are songs from the South Cheyenne, other Plains Indians and the Indians of Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Ayacucho, Peru. Among the Hispanic or Spanish pieces are traditional and original New Mexican and Mexican folk songs, alabados and matachines from San Jose parish, Albuquerque and Spanish Christmas shepherd pageants in Albuquerque. There are also songs from Holy Week passion celebrations in Villanueva and Tome, New Mexico; Cordova, Spain; and among the Tarahumara Indians, from Cusarare, in Chihuahua, Mexico. These recordings feature the native instruments of the Tarahumara - flutes, drums and the chapareque. Other recordings contain Spanish music at a UNM campus Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Catholic masses and church music programs, Spanish wedding music, and popular Spanish dance bands. Included also are recorded lectures by Cleofes Vigil on New Mexico Hispanic music traditions and on New Mexico territorial corridos or ballads by Ruben Cobos. Represented also are Anglo American old time fiddle contests in Portales, New Mexico, country western music from Clovis, and cowboy songs performed by Steve Cormier. There are also recordings of African American religious gospel music from Mount Olive Baptist Church and Grant Chapel, in Albuquerque.
Charlemaud Curtis and her associates also conducted interviews with old timers from Albuquerque, Santa Rosa, Clovis, La Joya and Lordsburg. Sometimes they did them during the music events they were taping and other times made special trips to record people. Individuals were also making interesting comments within the various musical programs as they were being taped. Some were individuals that Curtis knew through her family or were folks she met in her recording trips. The interviews represent the views of a Mexican American immigrant as well as several Hispanics and Anglo Americans.
One set of interviews covers the history of the development of music institutions in Albuquerque, including the UNM music department and local community concerts, opera, and the civic orchestra. Another group of interviews deals with Santa Rosa, New Mexico - giving both the Spanish and Anglo American view of the town’s development. They tell about the town and area history, cattle and sheep ranching, the first water and electric facilities, and the impact of the railroad and interstate highway on the town (Route 66) and the depression. There are also accounts of early American pioneers in Santa Rosa, doctors and the 1918 flu epidemic, Hispanic distrust of Santa Rosa bankers, trading at stores on credit, and the working of the sheep partido system in the area. Also included are stories of the early New Mexico Spanish settlers’ hardy faith, team spirit, foods and songs. Others describe making santos with a machete and local dyes, Spanish place names, the Santa Fe Trail and San Miguel County politics. In a 1976 interview, Judge Moise, from Santa Rosa, comments on Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me Ultima, a novel based in Santa Rosa . We also learn about early Anglo American ranch families in Clovis and an Anglo American pioneer woman’s life in Quay County. Covered, too, are the views of a Mexican American man in Lordsburg on migrant farm labor, working for the railroad, local foods and getting his first social security checks from the government. There are also discussions of the origin and characters of the Los Pastores performances at San Jose parish, in the south valley of Albuquerque and the history of La Joya land grant, Thomas Campbell, the church and school, and that town’s fiesta traditions.
There are program flyers and/or notes from a couple of these events in Box 2. This collection is part of the John Donald Robb Archive of Southwestern Music.
Among the recording are Navajo morning songs and blessing ways, a Navajo music and dance workshop, Keresan children’s play - game songs, Laguna and other Pueblo songs, and All American Championship Indian powwow dances in the Mescalero Reservation and Ruidoso, New Mexico. The collection contains Native American recordings made in New Mexico by Philip Encino and Lorenzo Aragon. In addition, there are songs from the South Cheyenne, other Plains Indians and the Indians of Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia and Ayacucho, Peru. Among the Hispanic or Spanish pieces are traditional and original New Mexican and Mexican folk songs, alabados and matachines from San Jose parish, Albuquerque and Spanish Christmas shepherd pageants in Albuquerque. There are also songs from Holy Week passion celebrations in Villanueva and Tome, New Mexico; Cordova, Spain; and among the Tarahumara Indians, from Cusarare, in Chihuahua, Mexico. These recordings feature the native instruments of the Tarahumara - flutes, drums and the chapareque. Other recordings contain Spanish music at a UNM campus Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Catholic masses and church music programs, Spanish wedding music, and popular Spanish dance bands. Included also are recorded lectures by Cleofes Vigil on New Mexico Hispanic music traditions and on New Mexico territorial corridos or ballads by Ruben Cobos. Represented also are Anglo American old time fiddle contests in Portales, New Mexico, country western music from Clovis, and cowboy songs performed by Steve Cormier. There are also recordings of African American religious gospel music from Mount Olive Baptist Church and Grant Chapel, in Albuquerque.
Charlemaud Curtis and her associates also conducted interviews with old timers from Albuquerque, Santa Rosa, Clovis, La Joya and Lordsburg. Sometimes they did them during the music events they were taping and other times made special trips to record people. Individuals were also making interesting comments within the various musical programs as they were being taped. Some were individuals that Curtis knew through her family or were folks she met in her recording trips. The interviews represent the views of a Mexican American immigrant as well as several Hispanics and Anglo Americans.
One set of interviews covers the history of the development of music institutions in Albuquerque, including the UNM music department and local community concerts, opera, and the civic orchestra. Another group of interviews deals with Santa Rosa, New Mexico - giving both the Spanish and Anglo American view of the town’s development. They tell about the town and area history, cattle and sheep ranching, the first water and electric facilities, and the impact of the railroad and interstate highway on the town (Route 66) and the depression. There are also accounts of early American pioneers in Santa Rosa, doctors and the 1918 flu epidemic, Hispanic distrust of Santa Rosa bankers, trading at stores on credit, and the working of the sheep partido system in the area. Also included are stories of the early New Mexico Spanish settlers’ hardy faith, team spirit, foods and songs. Others describe making santos with a machete and local dyes, Spanish place names, the Santa Fe Trail and San Miguel County politics. In a 1976 interview, Judge Moise, from Santa Rosa, comments on Rudolfo Anaya’s Bless Me Ultima, a novel based in Santa Rosa . We also learn about early Anglo American ranch families in Clovis and an Anglo American pioneer woman’s life in Quay County. Covered, too, are the views of a Mexican American man in Lordsburg on migrant farm labor, working for the railroad, local foods and getting his first social security checks from the government. There are also discussions of the origin and characters of the Los Pastores performances at San Jose parish, in the south valley of Albuquerque and the history of La Joya land grant, Thomas Campbell, the church and school, and that town’s fiesta traditions.
There are program flyers and/or notes from a couple of these events in Box 2. This collection is part of the John Donald Robb Archive of Southwestern Music.
Dates
- April 15-17, 1976
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English Spanish
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Collection: 3 boxes (.45 cu. ft., including 89 CDs and 5 folders)
General
Original reels had poor sound quality and cut in and out. Most of the recording work at this event was done outdoors at night or in the house of the host Quintero family, with the Indians drumming outside drowning out some of the talking and singing. Strong wind blowing, very cold, many loud drums coming from different directions - in the canyon and the mission churchyard - people talking, dogs barking, etc. But still, you can get a good sense of the Tarahumara Indian drums, chapareques, flutes and other native hand-made instruments - and several local vocal songs. CD 29.1 The recording crew is visiting the home of the Jesus Bernabe Quinero family. We hear drumming from the hillsides answered by drums in the mission churchyard, until 5:50. The drumming is part of the celebration and procession for Holy Week. Inside the Quintero home there are several Tarahumara men singing local traditional songs and playing their hand-made instruments. Song titles uncertain (first song entitled Pascual?) – guitar solo, by Federico Gonzalez, with a child dancing (Jesús Bernabé Quintero, 6 years old). Then a violin and guitar duet, by Federico Gonzalez and Jose Rasceri Gonzalez, father and son. Then a guitar and vocal song, by Jose Rasceri Gonzalez. Followed by scattered recordings, drumming, talking, etc. The recording crew and family walk to the town museum and mission churchyard from the Quinteros’ home at the edge of the village. Then the Gonzales’ play more traditional songs. Music played on the chapareque - home-made Indian wooden string instrument - like a Jew's harp. Federico Gonzalez playing the chapareque, with the sounds of an Indian woman and little girl dancing in the room. You can also hear the churchyard drums outside in the background. Notes of crew - the theme here is the search for Judas after his betrayal of Jesus. Then Jose Gonzalez - on the chapereque – plays a corrido and a matachines song. Drum accompaniment. Then sounds of a flute with drum accompaniment. Crew notes it was a 10" bamboo flute. Then a rendition of the Benito Juarez, School Song, at San Paulo Carillo. Next you can hear the beginning of the parade or procession from the church for the Stations of the Cross, Way of the Cross - outside. Participants are using drums of all sizes, some large deep drums, some small and lighter. Also other percussion sounds come in - a very large matraca or ratchet, maracas and flutes – Indian hand-made instruments, etc. Crew notes on the flutes - small and large – one tiny 2", medium 8-10" and one very large, size of a bassoon. The Tarahumara Indians are acting out the characters in the passion play, as taught them by the Spanish Jesuits centuries ago, adding their own interpretation and instruments to the event. People outside are speaking at each part of the program along the way, but we are unable to hear them – drums and high wind are too loud. Drumming intensifies and continues - Oración de la Tercer Estación (prayer at the Third Station of the Way of the Cross). Beginning of the descent to the Fourth Station. The drummers who had been out in the hills are arriving from all directions to join the procession in the churchyard. Flutes become very prominent, note charges in ryhthms. Notes from the recording crew - in the church, at the beginning of the procession, three women are chosen to lead the procession. One is carrying a covered picture (Jesus or Mary), one with incense in a censer, and one with a fan of feathers. They stop at each station of the cross, which was marked by an evergreen arch and decorated with wreaths made from the magay plant. The procession continued all day – for 24 hours. Various changes in the rhythm during the time. Variations in the drum tones, some higher pitched, with snare drum effect, later flutes, etc. Members acting out the passion play in the procession are relieved at various intervals. We were unable to determine the length of a “watch." After the stations of the cross, the procession ends in the churchyard in the form of a cross. There is a purple draped coffin to the right of the altar. This was not moved during our stay. At another church the recording crew met the local “governor," who was carrying a cane that was very similar to our New Mexico Pueblo governors’ canes.
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu