This book is a collection of personal stories gathered from the memory of the author. They recount traditions which in some cases have faded, such as rooster racing. In the Middle Ages in Spain, a rooster was hung by its legs from a string tied between windows, as young boys tried to swat it down with a sword for a prize; the rooster was later fried and served at a party. In northern New Mexico, in the early 1900s, a live rooster was buried in the sand, and kids on horseback tried to grab the rooster and race for a reward. Later, colored bottles were substituted for the rooster. Today, as the author states, “rooster racing in the Hispanic villages of northern New Mexico exists only in the history books and in the minds of a few men and women who…still recall the popular sport of yesteryear” (94).
The author has six main stories: “La Llorona Was Not a Woman,” about the well-known Mexican ghost in the shape of various animals; “The Evil Eye,” about babies who suffered from over-praise, a belief still held today, and a curandero’s cure for the malady; “Grandma’s Santo on Its head,” about figurines of saints that were punished for not providing rain by being stood on their heads in their nichos until certain prayers were answered (other saint punishments are also described); “Gustoso Gustavo,” about a disobedient boy; “Rooster Racing,” mentioned above; and “They Stole the Bride,” about a former joking practice of stealing a bride between the wedding and the reception, and her subsequent “ransom” (the money being presented to the couple to start their new household). This last tradition is described by the author as “vintage New Mexico” (xvii).
Each of the stories is presented first in English and then in Spanish, both versions by the author. The beginning of each English chapter has a short explanation of the background of cultural elements in the story. Each story has a full narrative plot, embedded with ethnographic details of folk belief and custom, song lyrics and religious practice.
This book successfully combines a literary presentation with ethnographic material of a particular period in northern New Mexico history. Even though the author states that the accounts are “creations of my own imagination,” each chapter carries a ring of authenticity as having been experienced by an insider who knows the culture well. Each chapter, whether in English or Spanish, is a delight to read, and while entertaining, also provides valuable insight into folkloric practices of the region.
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[Review length: 428 words • Review posted on September 22, 2015]