Carrie Leven – Kiowa Trail

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this segment of the Voices de Aquí series, we hear about the Kiowa Trail from Carrie Leven, resident of Questa for over 25 years, acequia parsiante, and archaeologist for Carson National Forest Questa Ranger District.

Thank you Carrie Leven, for sharing your research on the Kiowa Trail. Your knowledge of the layered and complex cultural and material history and prehistory of this area is a gift and adds to our understanding and appreciation of the heritage of this place. Read Carrie’s essay on the Kiowa Trail at the Questa History Trail website HERE.

This segment is an edited excerpt from a longer Questa Stories interview with Carrie Leven from April 20, 2018. Listen to the full interview 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.

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.

Connie Long – Memory of Unexpected Kindness

Posted on by Questa Stories

In this segment of in the Voices de Aquí series, El Rito resident Connie Long shares a poignant memory of unexpected generosity that she experienced shortly after moving to Questa in the mid 1970’s.

Connie Long, Women’s Tea Story Sharing, Questa, November 2019

Thank you Connie Long, for sharing this memory of kindness shared with a newcomer; it is a gift to those listening now and in the future. Your memories add to our appreciation of this place, and remind us of the power of kindness and trust.

This story was recorded in November 2019 during a Women’s Tea Story Sharing event at Yoga Sala in Questa; recorded and edited by Claire Coté.

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.

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

Bennie Gallegos on Chicos – Voices de Aquí

Posted on by Questa Stories

During the 2022 Questa Farmers Market season, we’re listening together to the voices of our neighbors. Every week we listen to a different short story from our community.

To kick off the “Voices de Aquí” series, we join Bennie Gallegos on his family farm in Questa, where he describes the cultivation of corn and processing of chicos.

Big thanks to our collaborators with 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!

Gratitude to our funders! Voices de Aquí is supported by through LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

Voices de Aquí: Sharing Stories in Community

Posted on by Questa Stories

We are excited to announce that, Voices de Aquí (Voices from Here), is underway! During the Questa Farmers Market season, we’re listening together to the voices of our neighbors. Every week we listen to a different short story from our community. Even small stories hold a lot of meaning.

Over the course of the 2022 market season, we will hear a series of short stories featuring diverse, intergenerational voices from Questa and the surrounding communities. Every story is shared here on our website and broadcast weekly at Questa Farmers Market alongside performances by local musicians on Sundays.

Keep your ears out at the Farmers Market on Sundays 10 am – 2 pm and follow along here on our website and social media  – Instagram & Facebook.

Big thanks to our collaborators with 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!

Gratitude to our funders! Voices de Aquí is supported by through LANL Foundation Community Outreach Grant, Chevron Grants for Good and Taos Community Foundation IMPACT Grant.

Photo above taken by Alejandro Avina at Questa Farmers Market 2021.

Esther Garcia, Questa Women’s Tea, 2019

Posted on by Questa Stories

Esther Garcia
1946-2020
Acequia Advocate, Former Mayor of Questa and more…
Questa Women’s Tea Co-Hostess

Recording Occassion: Questa Women’s Tea
Recording Location: Yoga Sala in Questa
Recorded: November 16, 2019

Esther Garcia passed away on January 5, 2020, a month and a half after co-hosting the Questa Women’s Tea in November, 2019. A powerful love for the people, history and traditions of Questa and the surrounding communities was a core conviction in her life. Esther celebrated and studied her roots, family and community history. She was a fierce advocate for land and water, acequia systems, culture and traditions. Her work and words have left a lasting mark on our hearts. Esther will be missed by many and we are grateful to have known and worked with her.

Police Warning

Father, Water, Land + Discussion

Questa History, Acequias, Cabresto Lake