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Antonio B. Rael, Della Turner, recorders, 1971-1972

 File — Box: 3, CD: 317

Scope and Content

From the Collection: The collection consists of 591 recordings of folk songs, folklore and local histories collected by Ruben Cobos from 1944-1974 in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. Also included in the collection are about 270 additional recordings of selected music - a few from New Mexico, many from Mexico and Latin America, and others from Spain, Europe and the U.S. The recordings vary in quality between good, fair, and poor. They contain both musical and spoken content. Most recordings are in Spanish, however, a few are in English. Others are Bilingual or represent the use of Spanglish.

The informants are mainly from New Mexico and Colorado, with a few from California, Texas and Mexico. The collections focuses heavily on spoken Spanish, with examples of poetry, riddles, proverbs, legends, anecdotes, folk tales, mysteries, prayers, nursery rhymes, games, jokes, language use, tricky words, tongue twisters, memories, local history and family history. The Spanish songs include alabados, entriegas for weddings and baptisms, inditas, corridos and ballads, pastores, posadas, love songs, folk dance music, etc. Traditions of Los Juanes and Los Manueles, Penitente morada practices, including women Penitentes, Holy Week songs and activities and the role of the church, santos and fiestas in the lives of the people are also included. There are also several lectures on folklore, music and culture by Cobos and other scholars, including Fray Angelico Chavez, Charles Briggs, Alfonso Ortiz, Arthur Leon Campa, Marta Weigle, Guadalupe Baca Vaughn, Anita Thomas and others. Included also are autobiographical accounts by Ruben Cobos and his wife Elvira.

Songs and stories about and for children, their health and education are included. Although the majority of the information is about Spanish and Hispanic traditions, the collection also provides some materials by and about non-Hispanics and the relationship between the races. A small amount of stories and songs relate to Apaches, Navajos, Pueblos, Mexicanos, African Americans, and Anglos (gringos).

Songs and stories by or about males show them in every walk of life, as rich and poor, old and young, as husbands, widowers, fathers, sons, relatives, compadres, friends, orphans, opponents, collaborators, kings, princes, commoners, giants, ranchers, cowboys, shepherds, farmers, woodcutters, shoemakers, vendors, railroaders, hunters, priests, doctors, teachers, politicians, attorneys, meteorologists, soldiers, witches, simpletons, gamblers, murderers, drunks, adulturers and thieves.

Recordings by and about women add value and perspective to the collection. Females are rich and poor, old and young, girl friends, lovers, adulteresses, wives, widows, mothers, comadres, church attendees, housekeepers for priests, nuns, princesses, queens, teachers, curanderas, cooks and witches. Some of the characters found in the collection are Cinderella, Genoveva de Brabanate, Goldilocks, Delgadina, La Llorona, Doña Cebolla, Dona Fortuna and the Virgin Mary, as well as San Antonio, San Pedro, Bartoldo, Don Cacahuate, Juan Charrasqueado, Pedro and Juan de Urdemalas, Ali Baba, Don Dinero, Tio Botitas and others.

The collection contains descriptions, traditions, local history and songs for New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Missouri, Kansas and Mexico. There are references to the Civil War in New Mexico, the Spanish American War, World War I and World War II. Stories tell of superstitions, supernatural, unexplained phenomenon, balls of fire and light, lightening, a comet, the sun, moon, finding treasure, ghosts, devils and magic. Additional topics include traditional food and cooking, health and home remedies. Included also are stories and references to insects, animals, birds, fish and snakes, as well as floods and storms, and automobiles and airplanes.

Dates

  • 1971-1972

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English, Spanish

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 13 boxes (12.25 cu. ft.)

General

Rael: Mrs. Enedina Rael, b. 1945, Peralta, NM. See CD 4 for more details. Begins at 00:10 and ends at 7:22. 1. Story, Don Cacahuate y dona Cebolla (poor recording, cuento); 2. Story, Don Cacahuate ensena a decir mentiras a su hijo (poor recording); 3. Story, Don Cacahuate va a la caza (poor recording); 4. Story, Don Cacahuate y los bandidos (poor recording).

General

Anonymous man, probably Turner interview with Alex Baca. See CD 4, begins at 07:29 and ends at 17:07. 1. Story, Rich man and poor man (good recording, rich man and poor man were friends and the poor man made a plan to steal his friend's money, the rich man kills his wife); 2. Story, Dos senoritas (good recording, two viejitas, joke, humor); 3. Chiste, El muchacho y su novia (good recording, man needs to fart but he doesn't want his girl friend to hear so he shoots his gun at same time, joke, humor). 4. Chistes (good recording, jokes).

General

Anonymous man, probably Turner interview with Jose A. Otero. See CD 4, begins at 17:13 and ends at 44:07. 1. Story, El rey poderoso (good recording, about a very powerful king, there was a giant who lived in the mountains and he would steal from the king); 2. Story, The king's daughter (good recording, the king holds a competition for his daughter's hand in marraige, colored horses); 3. Story, The rich generous man (good recording, a king who was very generous always gave to his poor brother, his poor brother was very prideful and did not want to accept anything without working for it).

General

Rael, 1971- 1972: Mrs. Enedina Rael, b. 1945, Peralta, NM. See CD 4, begins at 44:10 and ends at 62:47. Don Cacahuate y dona Cebolla (fair recording, repeated from earlier on this same CD).

General

Turner: 1971-1972: Mrs. Frances Jaramillo. El viejo que se caso con una jovencita. See similar on CDs 4 and 5.

Creator

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