Ruben Cobos, recorder, May 11, 1975
File — Box: 4, CD: 379 B
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
- May 11, 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
CD II of II. Margarito Espinosa, San Francisco, NM. Begins at 00:03 and ends at 18:58. 1. Conversation (good recording); 2. El cuento de la vibora (good recording, story, snake, a man was traveling along a road and encountered a snake stuck under a rock, the man freed the snake and the snake tried to bite the man, un buen con un mal se paga, reward good with bad behavioer); 3. El ojo del Buey (good recording, local history, when there were no radios, rainbow cut into three smaller pieces); 4. Story, El cuento del Rey y el Anillo (good recording, story, a king had a group of men working for him and they were all in love with the Princess, one day the princess went out to swim, a duck stole the princesses ring, the king tells a man that he must answer three riddles and he can marry the princess).
Felipe Valez, age 62, from San Luis, Colorado, aka Los Vallejos. Begins at 19:14 and ends at 63:02. 1. Personal experiences (good recording, local traditions, antepasados, 1930s, sports, games, describes rules of the game, valse); 2. Dichos (good recording, sayings, wisdom, dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres); 3. Local traditions (good recording, Visperas, Navidad, Christmas traditions, ano nuevo, ano viejo, holidays, midnight celebrations, wine, whiskey); 4. Blanca Palomita (good recording, song, singing, guitar, romance); 5. Recreation games (good recording, local traditions, sports, describes rules of the game); 6. Songs (good recording, various, Ave Maria, singing, alabado); 7. Velorio (good recording, local traditions, velorios, from 8 PM on, singing alabados all night, at 1 AM they would begin to pray the rosary and the woman would make a midnight dinner, food, cooking, beans, chile, meat, potatoes, bread, velorio de angelito); 7. Influenza (good recording, local history, 1918 Flu Epidemic, many died, people were accidentally buried alive, death, health, burial, muerte, medicine); 8. Local history (good recording, religious society, origins of Penitentes, voting, traditions, Wednesday nights they would go out searching, Holy Week, Semana Santa).
Felipe Valez, age 62, from San Luis, Colorado, aka Los Vallejos. Begins at 19:14 and ends at 63:02. 1. Personal experiences (good recording, local traditions, antepasados, 1930s, sports, games, describes rules of the game, valse); 2. Dichos (good recording, sayings, wisdom, dime con quien andas y te dire quien eres); 3. Local traditions (good recording, Visperas, Navidad, Christmas traditions, ano nuevo, ano viejo, holidays, midnight celebrations, wine, whiskey); 4. Blanca Palomita (good recording, song, singing, guitar, romance); 5. Recreation games (good recording, local traditions, sports, describes rules of the game); 6. Songs (good recording, various, Ave Maria, singing, alabado); 7. Velorio (good recording, local traditions, velorios, from 8 PM on, singing alabados all night, at 1 AM they would begin to pray the rosary and the woman would make a midnight dinner, food, cooking, beans, chile, meat, potatoes, bread, velorio de angelito); 7. Influenza (good recording, local history, 1918 Flu Epidemic, many died, people were accidentally buried alive, death, health, burial, muerte, medicine); 8. Local history (good recording, religious society, origins of Penitentes, voting, traditions, Wednesday nights they would go out searching, Holy Week, Semana Santa).
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