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Articles by Ruben Cobos, from August 3 - 31, 1950. In August 3, 1950 he give background and history for the New Mexico cancion or song, explains how some songs were created in New Mexico and others were adopted by New Mexicans from Spain or Mexico, etc. Some local New Mexico songs have the name of the place in the title or in the song, exammples, etc. In August 10, 1950 article, Cobos prints the lyrics for La Facundita, by Mrs. C. M. Jaramillo, Santa Fe, New Mexico, about women, man singing while passing by Alamogordo, love song, garden flowers, followed by the song Ojitos Afortunados, by Mrs. Jose Leon Padilla, of Tome, New Mexico, a love song, woman leaving a man for another, Cobos adds more background on local popular New Mexico songs and then prints the lyrics, text for Los Chimayoses, by Napoleon Trujillo, of Bernalillo, New Mexico, an original New Mexican song about the people of Chimayo, he explains some of the unique words in the song, which are Nuevomexicanismos, local vocabulary, localismos. The August 17, 1950 article has lyrics for the New Mexican song El Burrito de Mora, by Eliseo Martinez, of Raton, New Mexico, refers to the donkey of Don Jose that travels with his load through La Cebolla, Mora, Turquillo, and to the store of Palomon, followed by the song Indita de Cochiti, sung by Abrahan Sanchez, Abran Sanchez, from Las Lagunitas, New Mexico, about a man who loved a girl from Cochiti but she was not true to him. In August 31, 1950 article, Cobos prints the lyrics to the song Perfectita, by Miss Maria Teresina Gallegos, Santa Fe, New Mexico, about a girl who was sick and they gave her liquor to drink and she got a bad name, reputation for it, women, drinking, followed by the lyrics for the song La Gualupita(sic Guadalupita), by Miss Maria Teresina Gallegos, Santa Fe, New Mexcio, a man is leaving for Texas, El Paso or El Rito, leaving his girl behind to say hello to all the men, and lastly the lyrics for El Valse de Honor, by Teresa M. Gurule, La Alameda, New Mexico, one stanza of this song, dancing at the fiesta florida in Santa Fe., August 1950

 File — Box: 12, Folder: 16

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

  • August 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