Ruben Cobos, recorder, 1949-1950
File — Box: 4, CD: 365 A
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
- 1949-1950
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
Ruben Cobos, selections taken from his collection of wire recordings dated 1949-1950. This material similiar to CDs 51, 311 and 395. Begins at 00:04 and ends at 3:05. Verses (good recording, Cobos recites versos from a book of Frank Sedillo, Frank Cedillo, from Los Charcos, Los Jarales, New Mexico, Merino mentado, patria, patriotism, traitor, mariposa linda, poetry, etc.).
Jose Zamora, age 73, Los Jarales, NM. More material from his wire recording cont. Begins at 3:06 and ends at 4:50. Monterrey de la Alameda (good recording, short song, singing).
Mrs. Leon Padilla, Tome, New Mexico. Begins at 4:53 and ends at 6:01. La suegra y la nuera (good recording, singing, mother in law, daughter in law, family, women).
Ezequiel Candelaria, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 6:08 and ends at 7:17. Llorar (good recording, singing, man crying for a woman, mama, women).
Carlos M. Gallegos, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 7:20 and ends at 9:13. Naborcita (good recording, women, lindos ojos, pretty eyes, singing).
Celso Gallegos, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 9:14 and ends at 11:30. 1. Cancion de la Isabel (fair recording, women, singing); 2. El zacate (fair recording, verses, Quien fuera rayo el sol); 3. En una piedra cuadratica (fair recording, singing).
Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla, Tome, NM. CD I of II. Begins at 11:31 and ends at 12:13. La disculpada (good to fair recording, corrido, singing, romance, benito, husband arrives, women).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 12:14 and ends at 15:31. 1. Verses (good recording, La disculpada, Dr. Cobos reads the rest of the ballad, corrido previously sung, from Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla's notebook); 2. Pochos de California (good recording, Dr. Cobos continues reading, woman teaches the man English, the girls from California like beer, do not speak to me in Spanish, my language is English says the woman).
Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla, Tome, NM. Begins at 15:34 and ends at 16:40. Song (good recording, singing, love song, romance, heartbreak, learned how to forget).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 16:42 and ends at 18:04. Verses (good recording, Dr. Cobos reads the verses to the ten commandments, diez mandamientos, sin, from the notebook of Mrs. Padilla).
Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla, Tome NM. Begins at 18:05 and ends at 25:30. El atole y el cafe (good recording, singing, coffee, Don Cafe); 2. Verses (good recording, Dr. Cobos reads the rest of the song El atole y el cafe from the notebook of Mrs. Padilla,, atole and cafe argue about who is best, maiz, tamales, traditional food, tortas, cooking); 3. Cancion de amor (good recording, singing, romance, Dr. Cobos reads the verses to the rest of the song, love song).
Braulio Rael, born in Bernalillo, NM on February 20, 1879, age 70. From Tome, NM. Begins at 25:32 and ends at 28:27. El piojo, relacion (fair to poor recording, singing, lice, louse, princess).
Julian Zamora, born April 7, 1873, age 76, Tome, NM. Begins at 28:28 and ends 35:06. 1. Resquiera (good recording, singing, heartbreak, cry for a woman); 2. El gato y el raton (good recording, singing, rat and cat, amor, indita); 3. Versos de chiquiao (good recording, verses for novios, couples, wedding, marriage).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 35:20 and ends at 39:54. Verses (good recording, Dr. Cobos reads verses of a trovo from notebook of Julian Zamora, A los tutanos les eijie, portales, coyote, amor, nutrias, refran, cuts off at end of CD).
Jose Zamora, age 73, Los Jarales, NM. More material from his wire recording cont. Begins at 3:06 and ends at 4:50. Monterrey de la Alameda (good recording, short song, singing).
Mrs. Leon Padilla, Tome, New Mexico. Begins at 4:53 and ends at 6:01. La suegra y la nuera (good recording, singing, mother in law, daughter in law, family, women).
Ezequiel Candelaria, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 6:08 and ends at 7:17. Llorar (good recording, singing, man crying for a woman, mama, women).
Carlos M. Gallegos, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 7:20 and ends at 9:13. Naborcita (good recording, women, lindos ojos, pretty eyes, singing).
Celso Gallegos, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 9:14 and ends at 11:30. 1. Cancion de la Isabel (fair recording, women, singing); 2. El zacate (fair recording, verses, Quien fuera rayo el sol); 3. En una piedra cuadratica (fair recording, singing).
Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla, Tome, NM. CD I of II. Begins at 11:31 and ends at 12:13. La disculpada (good to fair recording, corrido, singing, romance, benito, husband arrives, women).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 12:14 and ends at 15:31. 1. Verses (good recording, La disculpada, Dr. Cobos reads the rest of the ballad, corrido previously sung, from Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla's notebook); 2. Pochos de California (good recording, Dr. Cobos continues reading, woman teaches the man English, the girls from California like beer, do not speak to me in Spanish, my language is English says the woman).
Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla, Tome, NM. Begins at 15:34 and ends at 16:40. Song (good recording, singing, love song, romance, heartbreak, learned how to forget).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 16:42 and ends at 18:04. Verses (good recording, Dr. Cobos reads the verses to the ten commandments, diez mandamientos, sin, from the notebook of Mrs. Padilla).
Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla, Tome NM. Begins at 18:05 and ends at 25:30. El atole y el cafe (good recording, singing, coffee, Don Cafe); 2. Verses (good recording, Dr. Cobos reads the rest of the song El atole y el cafe from the notebook of Mrs. Padilla,, atole and cafe argue about who is best, maiz, tamales, traditional food, tortas, cooking); 3. Cancion de amor (good recording, singing, romance, Dr. Cobos reads the verses to the rest of the song, love song).
Braulio Rael, born in Bernalillo, NM on February 20, 1879, age 70. From Tome, NM. Begins at 25:32 and ends at 28:27. El piojo, relacion (fair to poor recording, singing, lice, louse, princess).
Julian Zamora, born April 7, 1873, age 76, Tome, NM. Begins at 28:28 and ends 35:06. 1. Resquiera (good recording, singing, heartbreak, cry for a woman); 2. El gato y el raton (good recording, singing, rat and cat, amor, indita); 3. Versos de chiquiao (good recording, verses for novios, couples, wedding, marriage).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 35:20 and ends at 39:54. Verses (good recording, Dr. Cobos reads verses of a trovo from notebook of Julian Zamora, A los tutanos les eijie, portales, coyote, amor, nutrias, refran, cuts off at end of CD).
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
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