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Articles by Ruben Cobos, from June 1 - 29, 1950. In June 1, 1950, Cobos provides the history, characteristics and background for el cuando narrativo, a lyric poem that is entirely a narration, and ends with the word - cuando, he introduces El Cuando del Gallo, sent to him by Senor Ventura Varos, from Stanley, New Mexico, which he in turn received from Francisco S. Leyba, from Leyba, New Mexico. In the June 8, 1950 article Cobos gives the full lyrics, text of the Cuando del Gallo, which took place near Pecos, New Mexico, mentioning Galisteo, the people were called los Tanos - from name Galisteo, horses, rooster, others named are Santiaguito, Don Ambrosio, Encarnacion Gonzales, Pablo Padilla, Ursinio, Marcelino, Victor, Albino Roybal, Manuel Gonzales, los Vigil, los Madrid, los Lucero, los Chavez, Mr. Davis, Jesus Lovato, Jose Manuel Sandoval, pasttime, leisure, sport, see also Folder 4. June 15, 1950, Cobos prints the lyrics, text for the Cuando del Santo Nino de Atocha, song,cuando, from the notebook of Vicente Sanchez, from Las Lagunitas, New Mexico, song names various people and their suffering that was relieved by devotion to the Child Jesus from Atocha, miracles, Jose Maria Delgado, from Fresnillo, agonizing from a deadly wound, Juliana Agodines, from Jerez, whose pain the doctor could not help but was eased by the Child Jesus, Galistro Aguirres, cured through his faith, Jorge Garcia, injured in a mine accident, Maria Eleuteria, hurt by a man with a knife, Maria Catarina who had a mortal wound, Maria Maximiana Espaza, who was in prison - all helped by the Child in their hour of need. In June 15 article continues with an announcement of the end of the concurso de folklore Nuevo Mexicano contest held of Ruben Cobos, that he was not accepting any more offerings, and would be announcing the winners and prizes of the correspondents. He also noted that many of his readers had sent him a quantity of materials adding greatly to the folklore history of New Mexico, and he regretted not being able to give prizes to everyone who participated and that it would be very hard to judge the best of them all. Here is printed the lyrics, text for the Cuando de 1905, from Jose I. Vigil, Mosquero, New Mexico, that a gusano, a worm had ruined the harvest in 1905, corn, beans, cabbage, vegetables, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, scallion onions, chile, bushes, grass on the plains, also helping ruin the harvest was the ant and the grasshopper, people praying for relief and help, agriculture, pests, farming, economy. In the June 29, 1950 article, Cobos writes about La Decima Popular, and he refers back to his article of September 20, 1949, describes the characteristics and structure of the decima, majority of those in New Mexico came from Spain during the colonial era, and that the same decimas are found in Mexico, Argentina, Puerto Rico, etc., having come from the same sources in Spain, gives the verses of a decima called Vuelvete, esposo querido, with one version by Presentacion Lucero, from Cuba, New Mexico - and campares it to the other version from Tucuman, El Churqui, Monteros, Argentina, from the folklorist Juan Alfonso Carrizo. The decima is about a starving woman and her little children abandoned by her husband that she is praying and hoping will come back home, marriage, women, betryal. She has not offended him and is worried he has gone off with another woman., June 1950

 File — Box: 12, Folder: 14

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

  • June 1950

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.)

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