Ruben Cobos, recorder, 1975
File — Box: 4, CD: 344
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.
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
- 1975
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
Judy Madrid, using the notebook of Juvencio Andres Trujillo, age 78, b. 1897, from Antonito, Colorado). Begins at 00:01 and ends at 7:08. 1. Remedios caseros (fair to good recording, local traditions, curandera, natural medicine, home remedies, health, medicine, rosa de castilla, yerba buena, poleo, canela for stomach aches, hortisima, azafran, osha, platon, chamomile, oregano for sore throat, contra yerba for ear infection, nutmeg and onion for flavoring, yerba de la golondrina, estafiate, cilantro, pumpkin seed for ulcers, potatoes and vinger for headaches, baking soda for postemias, pepper for stuffy noses, flour and pepper as a tea for diarrhea, marilbo cures cancer, banana peels).
General
Paul Wise, b. August 9, 1900, age 75. Works as a pharmacist. Now living in Antonito, Colorado. Begins at 7:10 and ends at 17:55. 1. Home remedies (good recording, curandera, speaker only knows English, language, use of herbs, yerbas in medicine, Dr. Cobos asks the pharmacist what the herbs are used for. Chamomile is used for stomach problems, opium, astringent herbs are good for sore throats, persimmon, white oak, physicians, dentists, doctors, cures, health).
General
Albinita Villarreal, b. in 1895, age 80, living in Antonito, Colorado. Begins at 17:56 and ends at 27:39. 1. Conversation (fair recording, discusses language loss, the children do not learn Spanish and it is their parent's fault); 2. Rezos (fair recording, prayer, religious, blessing for the bed, sleep time); 3. Conversation (fair recording, Dr. Cobos converses with speaker, Christmas traditions, cooking, prepare food and invite people, Semana Santa, cena santa, Penitentes, Lent); 3. El mal ojo (fair recording, personal experience, superstition, children, medicine, health, teas, curandera, warm olive oil for ear aches).
General
Avelina Garcia Vigil, cousin of Gilbert Garcia, b. 1909, from Conejos, Colorado. Begins at 26:40 and ends at 33:37. 1. Datos personales (fair recording, speaker was a teacher across Colorado); 2. Conversacion (fair to good recording, about education, school, language loss, speaker tells how she was not permitted to teach her students in Spanish, the children were to learn in English); 3. Consejito (fair recording, advice about how to learn Spanish, speaker insists that it is vital to have Bilingual Americans, language, speakers says that we should follow the example of other countries, that all should learn English in addition to Spanish, language ideologies); 4. Conversation.
General
Eufemia Valdez, b. May 4, 1901. From Antonito, Colorado. Begins at 33:39 and ends at 34:58. 1. Datos personales (good recording, name, date of birth, etc.); 2. Conversacion (good recording, Dr. Cobos questions the speaker about stories that she might know).
General
Anastacio Taylor, b. 1900, Lavalley, Colorado (La Valley). Begins at 35:03 and ends at 58:57. 1. Datos personales (fair recording, name, date of birth, etc.); 2. Conversacion (fair recording, various personal experiences, education); 3. Melodia para entriega de novios (fair recording, song, guitar, traditional marriage, wedding); 4. Conversacion (fair recording, various personal experiences); 5. La varsoviana, (fair recording, varseliana, local history, waltz, music, guitar); 6. Conversation (fair recording, on local history and traditions, names of local places); 7. Conversation (fair recording, local people, sobador, healer, masseuse, feet, maasages heal various ailments); 8. Conversacion (fair recording, Dr. Cobos talkes with speaker about various personal experiences, molinos, mills, business, about a factory nearby, industry); 9. Costumbres (fair recording, conversation about local traditions, customs, Christmas traditions, town would hold dances for a nickle); 10. Anglo Americans in San Luis, Colorado (fair recording, conversation about Gringos in San Luis valley, obtaining local land, cost of land, high water, access).
Creator
- From the Collection: Cobos, Rubén (Person)
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
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