Friday, May 31, 2013

The Most Dangerous Things in The World


No, weapons of mass destruction is not one of them.

Communism is not one of them.

The red Chinese is not one of them.

Here they are.............. 

No. 1 - Religion

No.2 - Tribalism

No.3 - Ignorance and Illiteracy

I do not know why, but if you look at things this is what it comes down to. And if you mix the any of the elements you have a ticking time bomb. Just look at all of the problems in the world today. At least one of these is present. And in most cases two and sometimes all three.

Politicians at the highest levels know this, they use it to attract soldiers to do their bidding. They use it to build mobs or armies to do their dirty work.

We will never get rid of religion, people need it. Most cannot function without some form of religion. So, in one form or another, religion is here to stay. It is like the old saying, if there was no god people would invent one. 

Tribalism is very difficult to get rid of, but it can and will be done. Maybe another 2,000 years or so, but it will be done. There are examples where tribalism has been rid of in some populations. Not many, but there are a few.

Ignorance and illiteracy are our best hope. It is hard to get rid of, but it is our best hope. It tempers both religion and tribalism. But people seem to need ignorance and illiteracy too, other wise there is no explanation why there is so much of it.  In this ignorance and illiteracy is sort of like religion. 

Sunday, May 26, 2013

La Reina del Cielo y de Los Nuevo Mejicanos

Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe
 
Our New Mexican ancestors revered Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. Naming male and female children in her honor, naming one church after another for "La Reina del Cielo y de los Mejicanos", as the song goes. No other saint is so revered in Mexico or New Mexico, not one comes close. Nuestra Senora was everywhere in our lives as we grew up, you could not avoid bumping into her namesake or image, not even if you tried. Not that anyone ever did.
 
If you research families as we do, you will be dumbfounded with the number of people named Guadalupe in New Mexico. There are "Lupe's" every where in every family over the generations. The only other names that were more popular were Jose for men and Maria for both men and women. But Guadalupe holds a special place in New Mexican hearts,
 
I have not attended church in almost 50 years and consider myself a non believer. And I still carry her image in my wallet, I always have. I really don't know why, sort of a mystery even to me. But her picture there gives me an odd sense of calm when I look at it, always has and I do not think that will change.
 
The naming of our children after "Nuestra Senora" is one aspect of our New Mexican culture that had probably passed and it is one aspect I miss. Not too, too,  many Guadalupe's left amongst us anymore.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Two Women Named Maria Eulalia Gallegos

Image is San Jose, San Miguel County, New Mexico by Walt Gonske
 
There were two women named Maria Eulalia Gallegos with the same parents born on different dates and married to different men on different dates. Why and how come?

The first Maria Eulalia Gallegos was born on the 4th of November 1858 the daughter of Antonio Gallego and Maria Luisa Ulibarri who at the time were living in Entranosa, San Miguel County New Mexico. Her godparents were Ramon Leyba and Tomasa Montoya.

This (the first) Eulalia married Casimiro Dimas, the son of Aparacio Dimas and Maria Dominga Olguin at San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico on the 11th of October of 1875. The marriage padrinos were Manuel Urioste and his wife. Manuel's wife is not named and there were several Manuel Urioste's around the area in the same time period. The church at San Miguel was, and is, the parish church, as compared to one of the many missions associated with it.

They went on to have at least six children;
  1. Maria del Pilar born October 9, 1884,
  2. Maria Ruperta born March 27, 1886, 
  3. Maria Domitilia born September 6, 1892,
  4. Maria Josefa born June 14, 1895,
  5. Maria de la Cruz born May 2, 1899.
  6. Samuel born march 28, 1907.
The second Maria Eulalia Gallegos was born 10th of February of 1861 also the daughter of Antonio Gallego and Maria Luisa Ulibarri who were still living in Entranosa, San Miguel County New Mexico. Her godparents were Miguel Antonio Ribera and Maria Caterina Lucero.

This (the second) Eulalia married Jose Gregorio Sanchez, the son of Nazario Sanchez and Ursula Bustamente on the 1st of December 1876 at San Miguel del Bado. The marriage padrinos were Francisco Griego and Celestina Sanchez.

They went on to have at least 3 children;
  1. Rafael born on Oct 23, 1877,
  2. Candelaria born on Feb 1, 1879,
  3. Lucindo born on September 22, 1880.
That makes one wonder why parents would have 2 daughters born just a little over 2 years apart and give them exactly the same names? It is my guess that the first one got sick as an infant and the parents promised God to name their next daughter after the one that was ill and not expected to live. The first Eulalia survived but a promise was a promise, especially to God. So when the next baby was born a girl, she was named the same as the first one to fulfil a promise.

In Catholic Hispano New Mexican households it was not uncommon to make promises and deals with God himself or the saints. The promises and deals were for various and diverse reasons.