Ruben Cobos, recorder, ca. 1949
File — Box: 4, CD: 392
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
- ca. 1949
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
Jose Antonio Lucero, Corrales, NM, now lives in La Plaza Vieja, Old Town Albuquerque. Begins at 00:16 and ends at 13:44. 1. La Recien casada (fair to good recording, song, singing, women, marriage); 2. La Indita de Antonio Aragon (good recording, song, el de 1885, Cubero, New Mexico); 3. Indita de Pablo Padilla, Belen, New Mexico good recording, song, singing, about a resident from Belen who was murdered in the bosque); 4. El Cuervito (good recording, little crow crow, traditional song, singing, composed by Juan Jose Lucero, he was a cibolero, buffalo hunter); 5. Conversation (good recording, about local history, traditional songs, corrido, romance).
Anonymous woman. Begins at 13:53 and ends at 14:40. Indita (good recording, song, singing, no introduction).
Adolfo Silva, age 72, born in Valencia, New Mexico, on February 20th, 1887. From Jarales, NM. Begins at 14:43 and ends at 17:23. 1. Conversation (good recording, personal information); 2. Indita de Manuel B. Otero (good recording, song, singing, learned this song from Mauricio Silva, his elder, song about a resident of local town of Los Lunas, was killed at his ranch in Estancia by Anglo American, land grant); 3. Indita de Jose Luis (good recording, song, singing, does not remeber the verses).
Leocaido Rael, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 17:53 and ends at 23:00. Indita de San Luis Gonzaga (good recording, song, singing, introduces singer at the ends of the song); 2. Indita de San Luis Gonzaga (good recording, singing, does not remember all of the lyrics).
Placido Chavez, Tome, age 67, born on March 27, 1882 in Tome, NM, lived in Bernalillo County, Barelas neighborhood, Albuquerque. Begins at 23:03 and ends at 27:50. 1. Indita de Jose Luis (good recording, song, singing); 2. Indita de Victorio (good recording, song, singing, Indita que si, indita que no).
Amador Abeyta from Sabinal, NM. Begins at 28:10 and ends at 30:20. Indita de San Luis Gonzaga (good recording, traditional song, introduction).
Adelino Martinez from Alameda, NM. Begins at 30:22 and ends at 34:06. La Indita de la Pablita (good recording, recites the verses, does not sing, Pablita Angel).
Leonardo Casados from Cuba, NM. Begins at 34:26 and ends at 38:49. Indita de Juan Padilla (good recording, song, singing, November 28).
Anonymous man. Begins at 38:56 and ends at 41:27. Song (good recording, guitar, banjo, no introduction).
Cipriano Sanchez, from Algodones, lives in Albuquerque. Begins at 41:29 and ends at 42:20. Indita de Cochiti (good recording, song, Cochiti Pueblo).
Mrs. Padilla and Mrs. Montano, Tome, NM. Begins at 42:21 and ends at 47:10. 1. Solomon Luna (poor to good recording, duet, singing); 2. Santo Nino de Atocha (fair to good recording, song, duet, ).
Alberto Romero, Santa Rosa, NM. Begins at 47:17 and ends at 47:34. Indita de Juan Garcia (good recording, brief).
Manuel Antonio Esquibel, La Jolla, NM. Begins at 47:35 and ends at 49:21. 1. Indita de Solomon Luna (good recording, song, singing, plaza de Magdalena, his death, muerte); 2. Indita de Romulo Baca (good recording, song, del ano 1800, 1832, cuts off abruptly at the end of CD).
Anonymous woman. Begins at 13:53 and ends at 14:40. Indita (good recording, song, singing, no introduction).
Adolfo Silva, age 72, born in Valencia, New Mexico, on February 20th, 1887. From Jarales, NM. Begins at 14:43 and ends at 17:23. 1. Conversation (good recording, personal information); 2. Indita de Manuel B. Otero (good recording, song, singing, learned this song from Mauricio Silva, his elder, song about a resident of local town of Los Lunas, was killed at his ranch in Estancia by Anglo American, land grant); 3. Indita de Jose Luis (good recording, song, singing, does not remeber the verses).
Leocaido Rael, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, NM. Begins at 17:53 and ends at 23:00. Indita de San Luis Gonzaga (good recording, song, singing, introduces singer at the ends of the song); 2. Indita de San Luis Gonzaga (good recording, singing, does not remember all of the lyrics).
Placido Chavez, Tome, age 67, born on March 27, 1882 in Tome, NM, lived in Bernalillo County, Barelas neighborhood, Albuquerque. Begins at 23:03 and ends at 27:50. 1. Indita de Jose Luis (good recording, song, singing); 2. Indita de Victorio (good recording, song, singing, Indita que si, indita que no).
Amador Abeyta from Sabinal, NM. Begins at 28:10 and ends at 30:20. Indita de San Luis Gonzaga (good recording, traditional song, introduction).
Adelino Martinez from Alameda, NM. Begins at 30:22 and ends at 34:06. La Indita de la Pablita (good recording, recites the verses, does not sing, Pablita Angel).
Leonardo Casados from Cuba, NM. Begins at 34:26 and ends at 38:49. Indita de Juan Padilla (good recording, song, singing, November 28).
Anonymous man. Begins at 38:56 and ends at 41:27. Song (good recording, guitar, banjo, no introduction).
Cipriano Sanchez, from Algodones, lives in Albuquerque. Begins at 41:29 and ends at 42:20. Indita de Cochiti (good recording, song, Cochiti Pueblo).
Mrs. Padilla and Mrs. Montano, Tome, NM. Begins at 42:21 and ends at 47:10. 1. Solomon Luna (poor to good recording, duet, singing); 2. Santo Nino de Atocha (fair to good recording, song, duet, ).
Alberto Romero, Santa Rosa, NM. Begins at 47:17 and ends at 47:34. Indita de Juan Garcia (good recording, brief).
Manuel Antonio Esquibel, La Jolla, NM. Begins at 47:35 and ends at 49:21. 1. Indita de Solomon Luna (good recording, song, singing, plaza de Magdalena, his death, muerte); 2. Indita de Romulo Baca (good recording, song, del ano 1800, 1832, cuts off abruptly at the 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
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