Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Fiesta In Santa Fe, Mid-20th-Century: A Kaleidoscopic Koshare Journey

http://jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/fests/zozobra/photos/fire.jpg

This account of the passage of the events of Fiesta Weekend about 1950-1960 is so authentic, so genuine, and so volatile, it tugged at my very heart-strings. It appeared on a facebook page which is a "closed" group. I asked the author if she'd allow me to reprint it, and happily she agreed.
It is written by Sra. Adelina Ortiz de Hill, an honored, respected and loved "grand dame" in our little group.
fiestas de antes: by 6:00 oclock friday afternoon it seemed like the whole town had converged at magers field. the queen, de vargas and a crowd were entertained by the villeros alegres,pablo mare's tipica orchestra, dancers, singers and mariachi's. as it got dark this giant effigy came to life animated by the voice of harold gans flaying his arms and groaning. he went up in flames and the fireworks always outdid the 4th of july.a saftified crowd returned to the plaza to watch the crowning of the queen and the entertainment on the roof of the la fonda.mrs cleo fernandez (wife of tony, us congressman) sang las golondrinas, feria de las flores,(flowers were tossed to the crowd) and la paloma releasing white doves. johnny valdez and billy palou offered up their composition the fiesta song and the crowd joined in. maida and julio did their famous cape dance, the queen was crowned .then all the lights were turned off and the sound of a pulsating drum silenced the crowd, suddenly a flood light shone on a dancer dressed in red recreating the drum dance he did in the movie the jazz singer(first talkie with al jolson). jacques cartier remained an act to look forward to for years. next day, saturday, the childrens pet parade. at the ranch we had three ducks and a goat that followed us every place we went. we dressed them in bandana scarfs and sombreros entered them, they and my younger brother panicked so i had to carry the ducks, luckily my goat stood by me. that afternoon the reentry by devargas, saturday night parties and dances. sunday morning a procession with the queen and devargas attending high mass. that night the candlelight procession to the cross of the martyrs the whole town was dark as the neon signs were turned off and only the candles shone. monday became a combined historical and hysterical parade day. great memories.