Bernie Torres: Los Dias

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this segment of Voices de Aquí, Bernie Torres of Amalia and Costilla shares the local tradition of “Los Dias” as well as some early related memories and his connection and role with the tradition.

Bernie Torres, interviewed by Chris Arellano, April, 2021

Thank you Bernie Torres, for sharing your memories and , your mother and family; it is a gift to those listening now and in the future. Your memories add to our understanding and appreciation of the history and heritage of Cerro and Questa.

This is a short segment of a longer interview. Listen to the full interview conducted by Chris Arellano HERE. Also more about “Dar Los Dias” below with video.

We’re listening together to the voices of our neighbors; every week we share a different short story from our community with Voices de Aquí. Join us for the short broadcasts at Questa Farmers Market on Sundays this summer or here, on our website.

Huge thanks to our collaborators at Questa Farmers Market, Gaea McGahee and all the musicians at the market for allowing us to plug into their sound system to broadcast the Voices de Aquí weekly segments.

We are also grateful to our funders! Voices de Aquí is made possible by support from the LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

This interview is part of Northern New Mexico Music: Past and Present, a project of the nonprofit, Questa Creative Council, dedicated to strengthening community through arts, culture, history, and education. This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts and Taos Community Foundation.

Dar Los Dias
“Dar los Días” has been a traditional way of ringing in the New Year in Hispanic Northern New Mexico for hundreds of years. On January 1st 2019, amidst a driving snowstorm, Bernie Torres and the Costilla Ramblers sing in the New Year in the tiny village of Cerro New Mexico. Part of the “Music Buena” exhibit opening October 6th, 2019 at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, NM and running for the next 2 years. (Copied here from the Youtube video caption. Thank you Wisdom Archive, for this video.)

Estevan Rael-Gálvez – Object Stories

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this segment of in the Voices de Aquí series, Dr. Estevan Rael-Gálvez introduces the idea of sharing objects, stories and photographs to create a community-based archive to strengthen community and culture. He shares two of his own stories of meaningful objects, a sewing machine oil can from his grandmother and a wool carder from grandfather.

These sharings took place on July 8, 2018 at the Memory Gathering Event facilitated by Dr. Estevan Rael-Gálvez, at the Questa VFW. This collaborative event was hosted as part of the development of the Questa History Trail (a project of the Questa Creative Council); Questa Stories team supported the event hosting and was on scene recording stories and scanning photographs; the event was also part of an early stage of the Manitos Community Memory Project.

Huge thanks to our collaborators at Questa Farmers Market, Gaea McGahee and all the musicians at the market for allowing us to plug into their sound system to broadcast the Voices de Aquí weekly segments.

We are also grateful to our funders! Voices de Aquí is made possible by support from the LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

Louisa Aragon – Moly Mine Childhood

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this segment of in the Voices de Aquí series, Louisa Aragon shares memories of her childhood experiences living with her family in “company housing” near the Moly Mine between Questa and Red River, near Columbine Canyon.

Thank you Louisa Aragon, for sharing these memories of your childhood and family; it is a gift to those listening now and in the future. Your memories add to our understanding and appreciation of the history and heritage of Questa.

This story was recorded at the Questa Youth Center during a meeting of the Questa Quilters Guild on Novermber 13, 2019; recording and editing by Claire Coté. Learn more about Questa Quilters Guild HERE.

This summer, we’re listening together to the voices of our neighbors; every week we share a different short story from our community with Voices de Aquí. Join us for the short broadcasts at Questa Farmers Market on Sundays or here, on our website.

Huge thanks to our collaborators at Questa Farmers Market, Gaea McGahee and all the musicians at the market for allowing us to plug into their sound system to broadcast the Voices de Aquí weekly segments.

We are also grateful to our funders! Voices de Aquí is made possible by support from the LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

Benita Rael – Grandfather’s Woven Rug

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this segment of in the Voices de Aquí series, Benita Rael shares her grandfather’s beautiful woven rug-blanket.

Benita shared this object story on July 8, 2018 at the Memory Gathering Event facilitated by Dr. Estevan Rael-Gálvez, at the Questa VFW. This collaborative event was hosted as part of the development of the Questa History Trail (a project of the Questa Creative Council); Questa Stories team supported the event hosting and was on scene recording stories and scanning photographs; the event was also part of an early stage of the Manitos Community Memory Project.

Huge thanks to our collaborators at Questa Farmers Market, Gaea McGahee and all the musicians at the market for allowing us to plug into their sound system to broadcast the Voices de Aquí weekly segments.

We are also grateful to our funders! Voices de Aquí is made possible by support from the LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

Flavio Cisneros – Matrimonial Letter

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this segment of in the Voices de Aquí series, Flavio Cisneros shares a letter written in 1925, requesting the marriage of his mother, Corina Gonzales (later Cisneros) to Francisco Cisneros. See more images and info HERE.

Flavio shared this object story on July 8, 2018 at the Memory Gathering Event facilitated by Dr. Estevan Rael-Gálvez, at the Questa VFW. This collaborative event was hosted as part of the development of the Questa History Trail (a project of the Questa Creative Council); Questa Stories team supported the event hosting and was on scene recording stories and scanning photographs; the event was also part of an early stage of the Manitos Community Memory Project.

Huge thanks to our collaborators at Questa Farmers Market, Gaea McGahee and all the musicians at the market for allowing us to plug into their sound system to broadcast the Voices de Aquí weekly segments.

We are also grateful to our funders! Voices de Aquí is made possible by support from the LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

Joseph Marquez – Memories of La Morada

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this third segment in the Voices de Aquí series, Joseph Marquez, briefly shares his experience as un hermano at the Morada, La Cofradia de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno, in Garcia Colorado and an excerpt of the first alabado that he learned. Listen to the full interview conducted by Chris Arellano HERE.

Joseph Marquez, interviewed by Chris Arellano, April, 2021

This summer, we’re listening together to the voices of our neighbors; every week we share a different short story from our community with Voices de Aquí. Join us for the short broadcasts at Questa Farmers Market on Sundays or here, on our website.

Huge thanks to our collaborators at Questa Farmers Market, Gaea McGahee and all the musicians at the market for allowing us to plug into their sound system to broadcast the Voices de Aquí weekly segments.

We are also grateful to our funders! Voices de Aquí is made possible by support from the LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

This interview is part of Northern New Mexico Music: Past and Present, a project of the nonprofit, Questa Creative Council, dedicated to strengthening community through arts, culture, history, and education. This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts and Taos Community Foundation.

*hermano  – a member of Los Hermanos de la Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, ‘The Brothers of the Pious Fraternity of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene), Los Penitentes, Los Hermanos
**Morada – a religious meeting hall of Los Hermanos
***alabado – a Catholic song of praise

Interview with Bernie Torres Parts 1 & 2

Posted on by Questa Stories

Bernie Torres was born and raised in Amalia, New Mexico. In 1963, after his family moved to Costilla, he started his own tradition of Dando Los Dias a tradition that dated back hundreds of years. Bernie is married to Gladys Torres. Bernie, Gladys and their kids, Brian and Jeff, also participate in this annual event. Bernie is a very active member of his community in Costilla and owns a successful trucking company.

Interview Date:  April 11th, 2021
Interviewer: Chris Arellano
Interview Location: Bernie Torres’ home in Costilla, New Mexico
Topics covered: Bernie’s  long history with Los Dias, music, community, local traditions, Costilla, Amalia

Listen to Part 1:

Listen to Part 2:

This interview is part of Northern New Mexico Music: Past and Present, a project of the nonprofit, Questa Creative Council, dedicated to strengthening community through arts, culture, history, and education. This project is supported in part by New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the National Endowment for the Arts and Taos Community Foundation.

Flavio shares the letter requesting his Mother’s Hand in Marriage

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this recording and images Flavio Cisneros shares a Letter that was written in February, 1925, requesting the marriage of his mother, Corina Gonzales (later Cisneros) to Francisco Cisneros. The letter was scribed on behalf of Francisco’s parents (Adelaida Montoya Cisneros and Gavino Cisneros who could not write) to Mclovio Gonzales and Rosita Velasquez Gonzales (Uncle and Grandmother of Corina Gonzales and her wards after her parents died in the flu epidemic in May 1918). The letter is written in phoenetic Spanish. Below are scans of the letter and its translation. (Click on any image to see enlarged versions.)

Thank you, Flavio for sharing this treasure!

Celestina Arellano Martinez’s “At Home Shoes” [Audio]

Posted on by Questa Stories

Celestina Arellano Martinez, originally from Costilla, owned two pairs of shoes; these were her “At Home Shoes.” They were shared by her granddaughter, Jeannie Sanchez Masters on July 8, 2018 at the VFW Hall in Questa at the “Community Memory and Story Sharing” event organized by Questa Stories and the Questa History Trail. Listen to Jeannie’s brief description in the audio recording below.

Gathering Thoughts after Gathering Memories

Posted on by Questa Stories

In the middle of  summer 2018, when the land was bone dry and we dreamed of summer storms, the Gathering Memory: Object, Photos, and Story Community Workshop was held at the Questa VFW Hall. How many people would come on a Sunday afternoon, organizers wondered? Twenty? Fifty?

On July 8, 2018, the VFW parking lot filled to overflowing and more than a hundred people filed in with objects of significance – photos, shoes, lamps, quilts, love letters – along with their stories.

Jeannie Masters

Participants sharing their objects and photos on July 8 at the Gathering Memory Community Workshop. Click photo to enlarge.

Dr. Estevan Rael-Gálvez, former New Mexico State Historian and native son of Questa led the event, inviting participants to bring a special object that held a memory about a person, moment or place, or a photograph that could be used to tell a story. He asked that people bring the name of one ancestor whose life held special meaning to them. The idea behind these particular requests is that storytelling engages and strengthens a community’s sense of itself, that we all hold a piece of history, and that community members are community historians.  

Left: Dr. Estevan Rael-Gálvez, presenting an eloquent introduction. Right: Room full of workshop participants.

At the height of the event, the wished-for rain arrived; everyone applauded until their sounds were drowned out by the drumming of the torrential monsoon. The wealth of stories, and the depth of individual and community history shared that day was as heavy an outpouring as that summer rain.

Questa Stories was there as well, to collect local stories for the online community archive. (Thank you, Sarah Parker for your diligent recording and editing – pictured at left.) We scanned images, recorded audio and took photographs of people with their objects. Now our work is to collate this collection and release individual stories as blog posts.

The day after the event Gaea and Claire sat together in Claire’s yard to reflect on this experience and the potential and purpose of the Questa Stories Community Memory Project . They recorded this audio.     

Audio Time Stamps
00:00 – Introduction
00:30 – Where did you grow up?
01:00 – What do you love about this place?
02:15 – Love of New Mexico, Discussion of Place
04:15 – What is Questa Stories?
06:20 – July 8 Gathering Memory Workshop, Rainstorm
06:45 – Extending an invitation to contribute stories, more description about Questa Stories
10:00 – Community Archive
10:30 – Diaspora Community
11:00 – Questa Stories includes surrounding communities – Cerro, La Lama, Costilla, Amalia
11:54 – End

The July 8 event was hosted by the Questa History & Community Trail (QuestaTrail.org) and its sponsors: New Mexico Humanities Council, Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area, and the National Park Service. The Questa History & Community Trail is a project of the Questa Creative Council, a non-profit organization (QuestaCreative.org).

This post has been re-posted on the Manitos blog, a digital Resolana (gathering place) for people, histories, and stories of northern New Mexico.