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| Photo from newmexicohistory.org |
So I broke the fast a bit early, but for good reason-a
fiesta burger. It was not really about
the burger because well, it was cheap and greasy with loads of processed
ingredients. But in addition to the refined ingredients was the camaraderie,
ceremony, long lines, music, smiling children, old folks, and dancing in a
small town looking forward to this event for an entire year. This event has been going on in the small
town of Bernalillo for centuries. It is
the feast of San Lorenzo, the patron saint of the town.
The most noteworthy of this ceremony are the Danzas de
Matachines. I am not going to say
because it is beautiful and so cultural blah, blah, blah although their
costumes are very ornate and the ceremony itself is something to see. Its
meaning is multilayered with humble pride, strong faith, protection, honor and
a representation of deep hurts, rivalry and war between Christians and Moors,
Spanish and Native Peoples, urban sprawl and rural community.
The dance itself originated during the wars between the
Moors and Christians as the Christians prevailing over the devilish Moors. The Spanish brought it to the Americas and it
has changed over time taking on Roman Catholic overtones honoring La Virgen or
a Santo. However, what is especially a
dramatic twist in the Danza de Matachines de Bernalillo. A character, la Malinche, a Mayan native young
lady captures the heart of Cortez, the conquistador, so there is a marrying of
cultures and a succumbing to Christianity by the Natives, represented by the
conquering of the bull (horns, comedian, devil). Throughout the dance, the bull is whipped and
guns are fired. Residents of Bernalillo,
process to the santuario with the Santo, usually in the home of a resident for
an entire year.
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| Photo from newmexicohistory.org |
If you look deep enough, you see hundreds of years of
history unravel that is a stronghold in this small community. It bypasses the lure of the city and tells a
story of pride and submission. This
short weekend represents faith, conquering, oppression, and centuries of
change, progress, healing, and hurt. I
ingested it, in a fiesta burger with chile nestled inside two greasy toasty
corn tortillas prepared by a family making a little extra money. I enjoyed every morsel.
More spirituality on Sunday marking a quinceñeara for a
powerful child, the child of my professor, Milagro. It was a celebration of life for a young lady
and her parents who have thoroughly cared for their child who suffered a brain
injury at birth and is now medically fragile.
It was a beautiful celebration with a mass of great energy by Brother
Olivas and everyone who performed through love.
It was an honor to share this event with two parents who do whatever it
takes to keep their child alive, enriched and educated despite her abilities. Milagro has marked her place on Earth as her
mother lives through her and channels Milagro’s spirit into all that she
does. As a student, Milagro is profound
in my success and it was an honor to celebrate this day with her and her family.
Again we ate and shared company and I went home with this
idea… A great country is not defined by their built progress, medical
technology, and citadels of education, but how they treat their people with disabilities.-
Linda Pedro from Chimayo, NM.
