Ruben Cobos, recorder, May 12, 1973
File — Box: 5, CD: 450 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
- May 12, 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
Ruben Cobos, various speakers. Recordings at the New Mexico Folklore Society Conference, Desert Aire Motel Hotel, at Alamogordo, NM, May 12 - 13, 1973, CDs I to V. Part I. Begins at 00:02 and ends at 1:35. Introduction (good recording, male speaker notifies audience that the first Vice President was not available to speak due to illness, speaker introduces Mrs. Hall to preside in the Vice President's place, she introduces the first speaker, Nolad Conner, Manager of Alamagordo Chamber of Commerce).
Nolad Conner, Manager of Alamagordo Chamber of Commerce. Begins at 1:36 and ends at 4:00. Lecture (good recording, seventy fifth anniversary of Alamagordo, history, geography, drive back from White Sands through Alamogordo and Cloudcroft at 9,000 feet and you will pass through all of the life zones in the North American continent, replicates what is seeing in the 3500 mile trip from Chihuahua Mexico to Alberta, Canada, etc.).
Ray Kissiah, local FBI agent and professor at New Mexico State University. Begins at 4:05 and ends at 26:33. Lecture (good recording, about Elizabeth Garrett, speaker is accompanied to the stage by his wife Billie, discusses the following songs, O fair New Mexico, New Mexico State Song, with background on Elizabeth Garrett, a coyota, quotes Second Timothy 3:16, all historical proclamations are given by inspiration by God, enimatic Elizabeth Garrett, talks about Ruth Kennedy Hall, Albuquerque, NM, Eagle Creek, Sacramento Mountains, the third of eight children, Texas School for the Blind in Austin, Texas, Garrett graduated in 1904 at nineteen years of age, she moved to El Paso, TX, the El Paso, Texas Women's Club, cultural center, set up a music studio, moved to Las Cruces, NM, family sold their ranch, traveled to hospitals around the country, New York, personal friend of Helen Keller, Polly Thompson, Anne Sullivan, several pages were dedicated to Elizabeth Garrett in Helen Keller's book, Midstream, she referred to Ms. Garrett as her companion in the dark, Garrett return to New Mexico in 1925 and made Roswell, NM her permanent home, visited Chicago, nomadic life, concerts and songs, The Women's Club in Roswel, NM sponsored a service animal for her, she died on October 16, 1947, there are conflicting stories about the cause of death, she turned down proposal for marriage to pursue her career, Garrett did not attend or teach at New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped, she wrote a song for the Lordsburg school, prolific writer, very few publications, she was appointed in 1931 to the Board of Regents of the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped); 2. Song (good recording, plays the piece, O Fair New Mexico, followed by some discussion).
June Harwell. Begins at 26:35 and ends at 29:46. 1. Introduction (good recording, introduction of June Harwell by Mrs. Hall); 2. Recording (plays a library tape of a woman speaking about a story that she was told by her grandfather, he said a lady came to the door with a poem and that she requested the family help her write down the music to the song, O Fair New Mexico, there is no historical record of this, folkstory, Elizabeth Garrett, Mary Oliver, etc.).
Leon Metz, professor of University of Texas at El Paso. Begins at 29:48 and ends at 55:56. Lecture (good recording, about Pat Garrett, Elizabeth Garrett wrote a song about El Paso, Pat Garrett passed away in the year of 1957, Billy the Kid, Garrett was born in Alabama and moved to Louisiana at age 5, eventually he moved to Texas, was a buffalo hunter with W. Skeleton Glenn, attack by the Comanches in 1902, Pat Garrett testified honestly in a lawsuit Skeleton Glenn filed against the United States for the losses sustained in the Comanche attack, wrote a ninety two page manuscript which has not yet been released, appointed Democratic sheriff in Lincoln County and a year later he tracked down and killed Billy the Kid in 1881, aka William Bonney, who had killed 21 men, Kid's first murder was at 12 years old, Metz says these are all rumors, he died at the age of 26, comments on Garrett, Rio Hondo, Charles B. Eddy, Charles Green and Garrett collaborated to form the Pecos Valley Irrigation and Investment Company, aimed at irrigating the Pecos Valley, etc. in 1888 Garrett and Eddy sought additional funds from Chicago, Hagerman Canal, Carlsbad, White Sands, Pat Garrett had many accomplishments but is remembered mostly for his slaying of Billy the Kid).
Nolad Conner, Manager of Alamagordo Chamber of Commerce. Begins at 1:36 and ends at 4:00. Lecture (good recording, seventy fifth anniversary of Alamagordo, history, geography, drive back from White Sands through Alamogordo and Cloudcroft at 9,000 feet and you will pass through all of the life zones in the North American continent, replicates what is seeing in the 3500 mile trip from Chihuahua Mexico to Alberta, Canada, etc.).
Ray Kissiah, local FBI agent and professor at New Mexico State University. Begins at 4:05 and ends at 26:33. Lecture (good recording, about Elizabeth Garrett, speaker is accompanied to the stage by his wife Billie, discusses the following songs, O fair New Mexico, New Mexico State Song, with background on Elizabeth Garrett, a coyota, quotes Second Timothy 3:16, all historical proclamations are given by inspiration by God, enimatic Elizabeth Garrett, talks about Ruth Kennedy Hall, Albuquerque, NM, Eagle Creek, Sacramento Mountains, the third of eight children, Texas School for the Blind in Austin, Texas, Garrett graduated in 1904 at nineteen years of age, she moved to El Paso, TX, the El Paso, Texas Women's Club, cultural center, set up a music studio, moved to Las Cruces, NM, family sold their ranch, traveled to hospitals around the country, New York, personal friend of Helen Keller, Polly Thompson, Anne Sullivan, several pages were dedicated to Elizabeth Garrett in Helen Keller's book, Midstream, she referred to Ms. Garrett as her companion in the dark, Garrett return to New Mexico in 1925 and made Roswell, NM her permanent home, visited Chicago, nomadic life, concerts and songs, The Women's Club in Roswel, NM sponsored a service animal for her, she died on October 16, 1947, there are conflicting stories about the cause of death, she turned down proposal for marriage to pursue her career, Garrett did not attend or teach at New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped, she wrote a song for the Lordsburg school, prolific writer, very few publications, she was appointed in 1931 to the Board of Regents of the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped); 2. Song (good recording, plays the piece, O Fair New Mexico, followed by some discussion).
June Harwell. Begins at 26:35 and ends at 29:46. 1. Introduction (good recording, introduction of June Harwell by Mrs. Hall); 2. Recording (plays a library tape of a woman speaking about a story that she was told by her grandfather, he said a lady came to the door with a poem and that she requested the family help her write down the music to the song, O Fair New Mexico, there is no historical record of this, folkstory, Elizabeth Garrett, Mary Oliver, etc.).
Leon Metz, professor of University of Texas at El Paso. Begins at 29:48 and ends at 55:56. Lecture (good recording, about Pat Garrett, Elizabeth Garrett wrote a song about El Paso, Pat Garrett passed away in the year of 1957, Billy the Kid, Garrett was born in Alabama and moved to Louisiana at age 5, eventually he moved to Texas, was a buffalo hunter with W. Skeleton Glenn, attack by the Comanches in 1902, Pat Garrett testified honestly in a lawsuit Skeleton Glenn filed against the United States for the losses sustained in the Comanche attack, wrote a ninety two page manuscript which has not yet been released, appointed Democratic sheriff in Lincoln County and a year later he tracked down and killed Billy the Kid in 1881, aka William Bonney, who had killed 21 men, Kid's first murder was at 12 years old, Metz says these are all rumors, he died at the age of 26, comments on Garrett, Rio Hondo, Charles B. Eddy, Charles Green and Garrett collaborated to form the Pecos Valley Irrigation and Investment Company, aimed at irrigating the Pecos Valley, etc. in 1888 Garrett and Eddy sought additional funds from Chicago, Hagerman Canal, Carlsbad, White Sands, Pat Garrett had many accomplishments but is remembered mostly for his slaying of Billy the Kid).
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