Ruben Cobos, recorder, ca. 1975
File — Box: 5, CD: 416 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
- ca. 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
Alex J. Chavez, San Luis Valley, cont. from CD 416 A. Part II, begins at 00:04 and ends at 52:07. 1. Alabado, Adios acompaniamiento (good recording, very long, sings just a few verses, recites the verses in English before singing); 2. Penitente Service, in the hills outside of Pecos, New Mexico, March 31, 1973? (good recording, stations of the cross, El Encuentro Jesus with Mother Mary,carrying the statue of the Virgin Mary, the Penitentes refused to okay his recording of the service, but the Hermano Mayor said to go ahead and tape it, Alex Chavez describes how he secretly recorded a Penitentes ceremony inside the morada, microphone in his jacket, he sat in front of the church with the women, men wondered why he sat there, plays the recording for the class, singing and prayers, rezador and helper praying); 3. Local traditions, Las Tinieblas (good recording, religious traditions of the Penitentes, ceremony, at midnight they go to the church, they light thirteen candles, they take the candles to a different room to leave the congregation in darkness and they all make noises with raddles, chains and buckets, this to signify the convulsions of nature at the time of Christ's death, then the candles would be brought back one at a time); 4. El Testimento (good recording, song, the last will and testament, Spanish, New Mexican song); 5. Los Cuatro Muleros (good recording, singing, traditional song from Spain); 6. Eres alta y delgada (good recording, singing, sings just a few verses of the song, says that he forgot the rest, traditional Spanish song); 7. Por la calle laA Amargura (good recording, traditional Spanish song, sings part of it, mataron la paloma); 8. Entriega (good recording, describes the history of a traditional entriega, loacl traditions, wedding song, sung at the end of the ceremony, the newlyweds were turned over to their respective families); 9. El Asturiano (good recording, traditional Spanish song, still sung in Spain, sings a few verses, guitar); 10. Ave Maria (good recording, traditional Spanish song, sings a few verses, describes how the song is traditionally played, the singer makes up the verses as he goes); 11. Ya se llevo una pollita (good recording, sings a few verses, a dog ate a chick, this violin doesn't play anymore, and this throat cannot sing anymore, this was a hint to bring the singer alcohol, la despedida, the ending of the song); 12. Song, farewell (good recording, sings a few verses of the farewell song played at the end of a concert, student in the audience states that there is an Anglo song with the same melody called, Longing for you); 13. Ave Maria dijo un Ave (good recording, Ave Maria dijo un ave, sings a few verses and describes the song); 14. La Indita de Cochiti (good recording, sings both the Spanish and the English version, Indian Native American influence on Hispanic music, Cochiti Pueblo, Santa Fe, New Mexico); 15. Indita (good recording, song, irecites the verses, when you gave me store credit you were beautiful, now you try to collect your money and you are ugly); 16. El Venado y la Veneda (good recording, indita, there are various melodies to this song, Native American Indian influence on Hispanic music, Santa Fe, la veneda is sad, the hunter took her venado, she is embarassed); 17. Discussion of musical influences (good recording, about Mexican and Civil War influences on music of New Mexico, sings a few examples, Ramon Noble, Ballet Foklorico); 18. Cuatro Milpas (good recording, singing, about a beautiful white house that has been abandoned); 19. La Barca de Oro, la despedida (good recording, singing, guitar); 20. Las Chiapanecas (good recording, traditional Mexican song, children's song, clap hands, dar palmas, sings part of song, refers to the dancers of ballet foklorico); 21. La Sandunga (good recording, recites the verses, traditional Mexican song, Spanish influence); 22. Song, Las Mananitas (good recording, song, sung for birthdays, also used for all saints day, describes his father's tradition related to this song, singing, guitar); 23. Las Palomitas (good recording, sings both the Spanish and English version of children's song, Mexican influence); 24. Song (good recording, about an older woman who went to bed with her animals, dicusses the influence of animals and nature in folk music, singing, guitar. Chavez talked about being at the Smithsonian Institution Folklore program, six people came from New Mexico who were involved in folk music, urged more work needed on Ruben Cobos collection, mentions work of Richard Stark on Los Pastores. See also recordings by Alex Chavez in the John Donald Robb Collection and the Robb Trust CD of Chavez music).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 52:08 and ends at 58:59. 1. Conversation (fair recording, Cobos states that Alex needs a break, conversation is heard in the background); 2. Los Diez perritos (good recording, last song he sang that day, animals in folk music, guitar, all the puppies died a different death); 3. Parting words (good recording, Alex states some of the challenges regarding the influence that folk music is having on the American scene. He went to Washington D. C., Smithsonian Institution, celebration of folk music, it drew guests from all over the world, talking about preservating folk music. In New Mexico so few people doing it, not keeping up the Spanish language, songs, etc. CD ends abruptly).
Ruben Cobos. Begins at 52:08 and ends at 58:59. 1. Conversation (fair recording, Cobos states that Alex needs a break, conversation is heard in the background); 2. Los Diez perritos (good recording, last song he sang that day, animals in folk music, guitar, all the puppies died a different death); 3. Parting words (good recording, Alex states some of the challenges regarding the influence that folk music is having on the American scene. He went to Washington D. C., Smithsonian Institution, celebration of folk music, it drew guests from all over the world, talking about preservating folk music. In New Mexico so few people doing it, not keeping up the Spanish language, songs, etc. CD ends abruptly).
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