What a conversation! We cover so much ground with Dr. Maria Dolores Gonzales - her time at the Northern New Mexico Normal School in El Rito, the journey she went on to write her memoir and encourage other Hispanos to do the same, and her advocacy to preserve and celebrate our language. We also go through some words that are specific to our Northern New Mexican/Southern Colorado language, and where they come from.

Places mentioned: Cerro, El Rito, Roy, Rosebud, Agua Fria, Bueyeros

Some resources mentioned:

Dr. Gonzales' Bilingual Strategies Language Institute

Children of the Normal School: 60 Years in El Rito, 1909-1969

"The Writings of Sabine Ulibarri"

"Mapa del Corazon" video on YouTube

Neddy Vigil video with the language atlas

A Dictionary of New Mexico and Southern Colorado Spanish

The Spanish Language of New Mexico and Southern Colorado: A Linguistic Atlas

You can reach Kat at luminariapod@gmail.com.

We visit El Pueblo de Abiquiu Library & Cultural Center to learn more about what makes this place unique and its diverse and vibrant culture.

Places mentioned: Abiquiu, El Rito, Ojo Caliente, Alcalde

Check out the Library and consider a donation here.

Watch the recent documentary The Genizaro Experience and see some of the dancing mentioned here.

Email Kat at luminariapod@gmail.com.

The delightful Allen Sanchez, petitioner of the cause for the beatification and canonization of Sister Blandina Segale, shares about the myriad ways she contributed to New Mexico (and Southern Colorado). Servant of God Sr. Blandina founded public schools and hospitals for our people, and writes about them with warmth, compassion, and humor in At the End of the Santa Fe Trail.

Find prayer cards, the novena, and other materials at the Sisters of Charity website.

You can order the book At the End of the Santa Fe Trail, as well as the movie adaptation, here.

Watch the Wild West Chronicles: Sister Blandina and the Killer   on YouTube

Searchlight NM article on Sr Blandina

Smithsonian article on Sr Blandina, written by the great-great-granddaughter of Abraham and Julia Staab

Santa Maria Institute archives can be found here.

American Ghost, novel written by the great-great-granddaughter of Abraham and Julia Staab

Learn more about the free home visitation program for first-time parents at St Joseph's Children here.

You can reach Kat at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Beleaguered genealogists will understand the thrill of finding an ancestor who has been hiding in the records for years. One of our primos braved the wilderness of the films to locate a record that had been missing from the transcribed books. I interview him to inspire all of us with adobe brick walls to keep trying.

Names mentioned: Pacheco, Martinez, Martin, Madrid, Sena

Places mentioned: Santa Fe, Mora, Union County

You can reach Kat at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Kat finally ventures into the Rio Abajo with Jose Jaramillo.

Names mentioned: Garcia, Rivera, Ribera, Jaramillo, Madrid, Abeyta

Places mentioned: Encino, Vaughn, Socorro, Palma, Villanueva, Ribera

You can reach Kat at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Ron and Sylvia are doing a great job highlighting and documenting our ancestors through the Founding Families of Huerfano project. They discuss all things Huerfano, and even help Kat finally figure out where "Piedras Amarillas" was!

Places mentioned: Huerfano, Cuchara, Badito, Pueblo, San Luis Valley, Yellowstone (duh)

Rocky Mountain PBS did a story on the project here.

The Facebook group for descendants is called Early Hispano Families Of Huerfano County Colorado.

You can email us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Dr. Erlinda Gonzales-Berry shares how she brought her childhood in eastern New Mexico to life, her journey in the early days of Chicano studies, and how she likes to prepare quelites. Her delightful book, Rosebud: Population 7, is full of rich stories and elements of our culture that jump off the page.

Names mentioned: Gonzales, Vigil

Places mentioned: Roy, Bueyeros, Rosebud, Mosquero, Clayton, Mills Canyon, Mexico

Her sister, Maria Dolores Gonzales, wrote her own book about their childhood in Rosebud, Atop the Windmill: I Could See Forever.

If you want to explore this part of eastern NM, I highly recommend a stay at the Rectory. It's an incredible experience!

Email us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

This topic was one of my first ideas when dreaming up this podcast - the Spanish language specific to Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. What makes it unique? More importantly, why don't I and so many of my generation speak it? We delve into these questions and more with author-librarian Charlene Garcia Simms and April Bojorquez, Interim Director of The Aztlán Research Center in Pueblo.

This is the video referenced with Neddy Vigil.

Mis Crismes 1956: Christmas in La Puente, New Mexico by Gloria Mora was recommended, but I had a hard time finding a source for it online.

Get a copy of A Dictionary of New Mexico and Southern Colorado Spanish here.

Read more about this topic in this article from 2023.

Know of a New Mexican Spanish class online or in-person? Email us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

This was an unexpected treat! Not only does Weston share about his family's longtime Santa Fe presence, but he also shared details about Native Bound Unbound, a project seeking to document the impact of slavery upon the Indigenous people of the Americas.

Names mentioned: Archuleta, Ortega

Places mentioned: Santa Fe, Antonito, Mora

Follow the progress of Native Bound Unbound here or on socials.

Go visit the Turquoise Teapot Cat Cafe in Santa Fe - I highly recommend the "Horchatea."

Email us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Virginia Sanchez returns to talk about migration into Southern Colorado, life for our ancestors in that area, and rare documentation of enslaved people in Hispano communities there.

Places mentioned: Huerfano, Cucharas, San Luis Valley

You can order the book Nacion Genizara here.

For a complete list of Virginia's work, visit her LinkedIn profile.

Virginia shared lyrics to a comanchero song - "If you go to Navajoland, take your burial shroud with you. Because dying over these is certain and cannot be negotiated." Virginia found the lyrics in a journal written by Lucas Martinez, who was born in Cucharas, and lived in Chavez, Huerfano County, Colorado. According to Dr. Enrique Lamadrid, this verse is still sung by the Comanches de la Serna. This document and his journal are located in the Hart Library of the History Colorado Center in Denver. 

On Pages 179-180 and 188-192 of Virginia's chapter (Chapter 8) in Nacion Genizara, you'll find additional captivity songs, laments, and lullabies.  

You can find a recording of La Cautiva Marcelina, sung by Virginia Bernal, available on Vimeo here.

Correction: The cautiva song, La Cautiva Marcelina was not a children's rhyme.

J de la Cruz Archuleta shares about his ancestors' migration into Southern Colorado and growing up with Manito traditions. Kat learns she'll probably never be able to grow her own osha.

Names mentioned: Archuleta, Vallejos, Vigil, Sandoval, Martinez

Places mentioned: Cucharas, Crestones, Badito, Pueblo, Huerfano, SLV

Email us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Trinidad needed its own episode! Millie Duren from the Trinidad History Museum walks us through so much rich history, from the original tribes in the area to Felipe Baca to the POW camp during WWII.

Names mentioned: Casimiro Barela, Felipe Baca, Rafael Chacon, Sister Blandina

Places mentioned: Trinidad, Segundo, Valdez, Trinchera

Make sure to visit the Trinidad History Museum; tours of the Baca House are at 11 and 1, so plan your visit around then. Do not miss the gift shop! They have books and other items you can't find anywhere else.

Incredibly, ⁠the Aultman photo collection is available to search online! ⁠I do recommend looking at each record after your initial search, because there are some creative spellings on names

Excellent article on the POW camp outside of Trinidad.

I can't stop thinking about Colie's Bakery.

Sandra Dolak of the Huajatolla Heritage Foundation shares about several of her passions, including sheepherding traditions in Southern Colorado.

You can get a copy of The Woolly West: Colorado's Hidden History of Sheepscapes by Andrew Gulliford here.

Follow the Huajatolla Heritage Foundation on Facebook for upcoming arts and cultural events in Huerfano County.

You can get a copy of the Huerfano Heritage Cookbook at the Fox Theatre in Walsenburg, and at some point other local places in Huerfano County will probably be carrying it. It's great!

Sandy recommends Taos Wools for churro wool yarn.

You can contact us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

George shares the extraordinary life of his ancestor, Charles Autobees, and his role in key moments of Northern NM and Southern CO history.

Names mentioned: Autobees/Ortivis/Otterby, Avila, Olguin, Alires, Romero

Places mentioned: Avondale, Pueblo, Salt Creek, Taos, Fort Garland

Find The Life and Times of Charles Autobees book at local bookstores.

There are several profiles on Charles with photos, here is one.

You can reach us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Kat took a solo road trip following the journey of her people into Southern Colorado. Stay tuned for many interviews to come with locals to flesh out the experiences of our adventurous antepasados in this new frontier.

Places mentioned: Pueblo, Walsenburg, La Veta, Fort Garland, San Luis, Trinidad

You can reach us at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Dr. Robert Con Davis-Undiano tells us all about the practice of casta paintings in 18th century New Spain, the product of a complex history with race and ethnicity that would evidently outlast colonialism by centuries.

You can find plenty of images of casta paintings online.

You can find a copy of Mestizos Come Home here.

Virginia Sanchez is an independent scholar researching those who were enslaved in Hispano communities. She shares some of their stories in Mora County, as well as touching on those in southern Colorado (more to come on that!).

You can find a list of Virginia's books and articles here.

You can email Virginia at virginia.sanchez [at] comcast [dot] net.

You can order Pleas and Petitions from the University of Colorado Press.

Here's a cool article on Virginia's work on PBS.

Other books mentioned:

Nacion Genizaro, edited by Moises Gonzales and Enrique R. Lamadrid

Captives and Cousins (my guy's name wasn't in there!), James Brooks

You can email us at luminariapod@gmail.com

Annette Gutierrez-Turk shares about the tradition of colcha embroidery - how it came to New Mexico, how our ancestors would have done it and why, and how you can learn this beautiful art form.

Sign up for monthly classes on colcha embroidery on the National Hispanic Cultural Center website under Events

The Brown Sheep Company mentioned as a source for yarn for those who cannot source it locally

Check out the books and materials available from the Sandia Mountains chapter of the EGA

Resources from a recent exhibit colcha embroidery in Southern Colorado

Colcha demonstration from the Huajatolla Heritage Foundation

I learned so much in this conversation with Nicolas Martinez! Among other things, I got some good tips on finding certain records, and how to track down family photos.

Names mentioned: Martinez, Maes, Barcelona (Barcelo), Sandoval, Torres, Branch, Luna, Chaves

Places mentioned: Mora, Las Vegas, Los Golondrinas (Mora County), Chacon, Abiquiu, Albuquerque

Find Presbyterian records at the Menual Historical Library of the Southwest.

Article mentioned: New Mexico Historical Journal from Spring 2023

You can reach me at luminariapod@gmail.com.

Bernardino Cisneros shares some of his memories growing up with his grandparents in Questa, as well as some great Norteno Spanish.

SURNAMES MENTIONED: Rael, LaForette (La Foret, LaFore), Cisneros

PLACES MENTIONED: Questa, Tres Piedras, Dixon, Penasco, Vietnam War Memorial

Check out Frank's Eats & Sweets in Questa!

If you haven't ridden the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad yet, add it to this year's list.

You can reach me at luminariapod@gmail.com.