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Ruben Cobos, recorder, January 9, 1973

 File — Box: 5, CD: 428 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.

Dates

  • January 9, 1973

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 I of II. KNME TV program, January 9, 1973. Part I. Begins at 00:02 and ends at 45:02. Television series, Albuquerque Public Schools programs (good recording, APS administration communicates special topics to the community, the chairman and members of the school board speak out, the topic of current show is Bilingual Education, Spanish language, LULAC, University of New Mexico, GI Forum, example of Spanish language education in the Coronado School Program, a Bilingual education program, at the time of the TV show the Coronado Bilingual program was 4 years old, involved 18 schools, 104 classses, and 2,700 students, Carlos Saavedra was director of the Coronado program, other involved were Evelina Pacheco assistant professor, Dr. Dolores Gonzales, Spanish professor from the University of New Mexico, Rita Minkin linguist and director of Albuquerque Public Schools Bilingual ed program, topics What is Bilingual / Bicultural Education, biculturism, is a very important tool with which to educate and motivate a child, acheives an affirmative self concept, pride in heritage and culture, develops a sense of self worth, academic, social, economic advantage and asset, legislation, 1967 Bilingual Education Act meant to provide for children who had limited knowledge in English and were being held back academically, history of development of Bilingual education, education models are discussed, two approaches, teams of two teachers teach two classes, one teaches the group in English in the morning and the other in Spanish during the afternoon, self contained classroom one teacher who splits her instruction in two langauges, discussion of research related to Bilingual education, linguistics, multilingualism, work book called El Pinoncito, textbook called Cielo Azul, personalized stories that the children can identify themselves in, integration of the culture into the textbook, specialized teacher training, teaching language through meaningful experiences, recording cuts off abruptly, cont. on CD 428 B.

Creator

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