This Is Who We Really Are

The information below in bold lettering is a quote and comes from pages 13 and 14 of the book titled "Southwest, Three Peoples in Geographical Change, 1600 - 1970" written by D.W. Meinig and published in 1971 by the Oxford University Press. This is who we really are... Click here:

The most general product of contact, for two peoples so long together as the Spanish and the Indians had created a third, a blend in blood as well as culture. Soldier settlements alongside Indian Pueblos, the extensive use of Indian labor on homes and towns, growing numbers of captives and slaves from the nomadic bands, from these and other practices, from formal marriages and casual contacts, came the mestizo population. 

Although usually largely (and often almost wholly) Indian in blood they became increasingly Spanish in culture - in language and religion, behavior and attire - cultivating their fields in ancient ways but also raising cattle and sheep,  and becoming quite independent of the more formal bonds with purely Indian societies. In time such people became the main element in the Spanish founded towns, and their own small villages (plazas) and isolated farms (ranches) became the most numerous kinds of settlements in the Rio Grand Valley.

Thus of the estimated 20,000 "Spanish" in 1800 only a few hundred were wholly that in ancestry as well as in faith and tongue: the ricos in Santa Fe and a few larger towns, officials and patrons, a few religious and perhaps a few soldiers fresh from Spain.

The rest were an indigenous mixture, Mexican or New Mexican, now more numerous than the descendants of either of their progenitors, and the solid nucleus of that steadily enlarging people with which in later years became known as the "Spanish-Americans" or "Hispanos."

Just Who In The Hell Do You Think You Are?

A lie that you believe is as powerful as the truth. Even though it’s a lie, if you believe it and you allow it to shape your thinking and your understanding, then it becomes as powerful, binding, constricting—or—freeing as an absolute truth. This happens all the time, with people we know, motives we misunderstand.

One woman in the news recently was the head of the NAACP in Spokane, Washington claiming to be African American. She was found out to be 100% white. Why she chooses to identify as an African American is beyond me.

Here and there you see/hear/read of folks who are usually classified as African Americans claiming to be white. The phenomena seems to work both ways with African American and whites.

Senator Elizabeth Warren claimed her grandmother told her she was part Native American and it turned out to be false when her political opposition checked up on her ancestors, Waalaaa, not an Indian to be found.

I pity the Cherokee Indians, they are mostly gone from the face of the earth, yet we have folks who are 1/64 Cherokee claiming to be Indians. These folks are 63 parts out of 64 something else other than Native American. The old Cherokees are rolling in their graves, the descendants of their enemies are now walking around wearing the mantel of a people long gone. This is called cultural appropriation. Check that out by clicking here.

Native Americans all over the place have to deal with this. The number of wanna be Indians probably outnumber the real ones by a factor of ten (10). Native American folk have a lot of jokes about the Wannabe Tribal members.

We New Mexican Hispanos/Hispanics/Mexicans/Chicanos/Indo Hispanos etc., have our share of wanna be's out there. Some are wannabe whites, others wannabe Indians others wanabe Jews. I have not heard of a  wannabe African American. And to be sure the ones claiming to be white or Indians, in part or in whole may have a verifiable claim, the ones claiming to be Jews is another matter all together.

The folks claiming to he Sephardic Jews are wayyyyy of base. This is also cultural appropriation. They may in all reality have some of this in their background but there is zero proof, I mean ZERO proof of any in New Mexico. Does that stop all the wanna be Jews? Not in the least, the list even seems to be growing. This was all started by a guy named Stanley Hordes. Click on his name to read all about ole Stanley and the New Mexican Sephardic Jews. They seem to forget that if they want to be Jews they can. No one is stopping them. It is a religion, so go ahead and switch.

But people wanting to be something they are not is a long list, a very long list. But they usually can't prove it. Their claims are full of snippets like maybe, we think, they said, I have heard, I read etc., etc. They usually can't prove it and their claims cannot be substantiated.

Manuela (Mela) Romero 1910 - 2011, A Repost

I just found this obituary in the last week, it was written by Robin Mckinney Martin, the owner of the Santa Fe New Mexican and published in October of 2011, it was so compelling I just had to share it here. This is probably the best tribute Manuela (Mela) Romero could ever have. Maybe the best tribute anyone of us could ever hope to have. I hope the person who wrote this does not mind me re posting the obituary here now.  Maria Manuela was a distant cousin  whom I never met and obviously a very beautiful person. I wish I would have known her. There are some wonderful people whom we happen to be related to, know or interact with, but I do not know a one whom I could say was as good as Manuela. May she rest in peace.

In memory of MANUELITA ROMERO 1910 - 2011 Manuelita (Mela) Romero loved me and took care of me and my family from the time I was born, until the time she died in October.

She lived a good, long life. She was born Dec. 30, 1910, on a small farm between the Rio Nambe and Pojoaque Pueblo. New Mexico was still a territory. The Mexican Revolution and World War I had not begun. American women did not have the right to vote.

She lived though the terms of seven archbishops of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, 32 governors of New Mexico, and 18 presidents of the United States.

Her family's roots go back to at least the 18th century in the Pojoaque Valley. She often talked to me about her family genealogy, and the following names and dates are from her memory. Her mother was Camila Rivera of Nambe. Camila's mother was Rufina Ortiz, and her mother's parents were Lupita Romero and Jose Manuel Ortiz. Camila's father was Juan Jose Rivera and her father's parents were Lugarda Valdez and Antonio Jose Rivera.

Juan Jose was the first person buried at the Pojoaque graveyard; he is buried in the northwest corner is the oldest one in the cemetery. Mela's father was Pablo Romero of Cuyamungue. Pablo's mother was Macaria Ortiz, and her parents were Chonita Romero and Jesus Ortiz. Pablo's father was Felipe Romero. Felipe's parents were Refugio Valdez and Vicente Romero. Her siblings were Tonita, born 1892; Chonita, born 1894; Jose Maria, born 1899; Alejandrino, born 1905.

Her father farmed their land and traveled through the northern part of the territory trading food and household wares. When Mela was an infant, she contracted whooping cough. Her mother later told her that while she was ill, her father spent many nights walking up and down with her on his shoulder. The illness made her deaf in one ear for the rest of her life.

In 1915 her father died, probably of melanoma. When he was very ill, he was taken to St. Vincent Hospital in the back of a horse-drawn wagon. The family stayed with relatives at the house that is now the custom banking office for First National Bank.

She accompanied her mother on the farm chores. When her mother joined with the neighbors at the all-night process that made syrup out of caña (sorghum), she slept on a mat under the cottonwood tree near the mill. The tree's trunk still stands on the hill above Mela's house on Shining Sun Road. She and her mother walked the mile to Don Pablo Romero's general store and walked back, visiting relatives along the way. Her mother carried most of their purchases on her head. Manuelita carried the tins of peanut butter, swinging them by their handles.

At that time, Pojoaque Pueblo was almost abandoned. Although Camila Romero was non-Indian, Mela's mother was assigned to care for the pueblo church. Mela remembers sitting in the ruins of the old pueblo and finding beads in the dust while her mother cleaned for the church. Growing up, she spent a great deal of time with her oldest sister Tonita and her brother-in-law Procopio Roybal.

Her cousins were like brothers and sisters to her. She graduated from eighth grade - - all the school offered - - at the Pojoaque school on Bouquet Lane. When she was about 16, she went to work for Eugene Van Cleave at La Mesita Ranch. The ranch often took in boarders. It was then that Mela began to learn European-style cooking. After World War II, she worked for Louis and Elinor Hempelmann. Louis was a distinguished doctor at Los Alamos.

In 1953, she came to work for my parents, Robert and Louise McKinney. She took care of me, as well as cooking for many parties, serving houseguests, and doing housekeeping chores. Mela was the most organized and efficient person I have ever known.

Given different opportunities, she might have run the laboratory at Los Alamos, or the state. She was a masterful cook. Her dishes ranged from red chile enchiladas, to curries, to her very famous biscochitos, to standing rib roast, to sopaipillas, to cheese or chocolate souffles.

Through family connections, and because of her work, she was respected and liked by many famous people who lived in or visited the state: painters Cady Wells, Peter Hurd, Henriette Wyeth and Georgia O'Keeffe; writers and historians E. Boyd, Paul Horgan and Witter Bynner; photographers Laura Gilpin and Julius Shulman; designer Sandro Girard; architects Nathaniel Owings and John Meem; Senators Clinton Anderson and Joseph Montoya; Representative Manuel Lujan; many New Mexico governors; scientists Robert Oppenheimer and Isidor Rabi.

She never married. Her great love was the church. She was not a joiner of Catholic organizations, but was faithful in her devotion and a strong member of Our Lady of Guadalupe parish. After Mela's mother became ill and bedridden, she and Chonita cared for her.

After Camila's death in 1967, Chonita became ill and bedridden. Mela retired to care for her. Chonita died in 1987. Nevertheless, Mela continued to watch over me. She made many of my clothes. When Meade and I were married, she baked our five-layer (carrot) wedding cake. She sewed my children's baptismal dress. She cooked Sunday dinner after Mass for my family, even after she turned 99. She taught my children to make biscochitos, apricot jam and torrejas en chile. She encouraged me, and my children, to learn proper Spanish. She always was teaching me rare, and probably ancient, words: muina, pouty; hichete, the sisal used for making ristas; rebuznar, to bray like a donkey; papalote, sunbonnet; barrullo, commotion.

Mela was strict. All it took was a sniff to discourage me from doing what she disapproved of. A quiet compliment kept me on the right path. I am certain it is because of her that my children, Laura and Elliott, grew up Catholic and respectful of tradition. She lived in the house where she was born until the 1990s, when she moved across the river to be closer to her relatives. She was famous for her flower garden, full of petunias, iris, johnny-jump-ups and roses, cucumbers, tomatoes and green beans.

In 1999, she had a bout with breast cancer, one of the few illnesses of her life. After she turned 100, she became slightly confused. So, instead of bringing the family over for dinner, I took her for drives on Sunday afternoons. In Cuyamungue, she showed me where her ancestors had lived. On the way to Las Truchas, she explained how her sister and cousins would go to those hills to pick piñon. When I drove her to Valle Grande this summer, she told me how once her mother went on a camping trip by wagon to the Pajarito Plateau. Camila, whose entire life was devoted to the farm, stopped the party on a hill to say a prayer of thanks "por ser el mundo tan grande."

In early October, she enjoyed going with my family to Mass at San Ildefonso where Archbishop Michael Sheehan presided. Two weeks ago Mela fell and broke her hip. The love and devotion she had given her family showed in their tender care for her as she was dying. Of all the people I have ever known, in business, diplomatic or aristocratic circles, Mela was the person who was most a lady. - Robin McKinney Martin.

My Heros Were Different... As Was My History

The only "history" taught in school when I was in attendance that made any sense to me was New Mexico history, and that was somewhat convoluted. Until it started to come together. American History taught in New Mexico at the time totally ignored the Spanish contributions. New Mexico history taught at the time barely touched on any contributions by the Spanish. It was all about 1912 and statehood.

Even though the American history that was taught did not connect with me it was still interesting, very interesting. As was the bits and pieces of world history I was exposed to in the years I attended school. History was the only subject I had to be prodded to learn, it was a story so long it would never end.

My heroes were different than those who were generally found in the history books. Not once did I see John Adams or George Washington as my heroes, not one for Patrick Henry, not Douglass McArthur either.

As a child I recall Elfego Baca as a hero, because of the television series and because I could identify with the name Elfego, I could identify with the name Baca. Francisco Coronado was a hero, Escalante was a hero. I could not do that with the many other names we read about in school.

As I grew a bit older, Francisco Villa, Dennis Chavez and other names that would come up in one conversation or another. A bit later yet Che Guevara, Fidel Castro and Camilo Cienfuegos were my heroes.

Later yet I would read the list of New Mexican dead in Viet Nam and wonder if they were brave and heroes in death. I recall the song about the death of Daniel Fernandez  in Viet Nam with some sorrow still. I would recall family talking about those who had not returned from the Second World War and wonder if they were heroes.

Some consider giving your life for a cause as the mark of a hero, others may consider them cannon fodder in the big scheme of things.

To me heroes had their people in mind when they took whatever action they took. If they happen to die because they were trying to move their people forward, I consider them a hero.

Killed by Navajos

Information, what there is, on some of the killings of residents of Las Vegas, New Mexico in July and September of 1862 by the Navajos.

Juan Ygnacio Quintana was killed by Navajos on 9 July 1862 in New Mexico. He was buried on 10 July 1862 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. We do know that Juan Ygnacio left a widow and four (4) children.

See a short genealogy for Juan Ygnacio below.

Jose Maria Nieto was killed by Navajos on the 9th of September, 1862 at a place called Vermejo. Jose Maria Nieto was the son of Jose Dolores Nieto and Maria Marcelina Crespin of Pena Blanca, New Mexico and was working as a shepherd for Florencio Sandoval.  Jose Maria was buried on the 15th of September of 1862 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

Demetrio Baca, the son of Antonio Baca and Romualda Baca was eighteen (18) years old when he was killed on September 10, 1862, also the day after Jose Maria Nieto and the same day as Jose Esquipula Mares. He was buried on September 13, 1862 in Las Vegas. The death/burial record does not indicate where he was killed.

Jose Esquipula Mares was also killed at Vermejo on September 10, 1862, the day after Jose Maria Nieto, while tending sheep owned by Antonio Baca. His parents are identidied here as Jose Maria Mares and Maria Salome Baca. He was buried on September 16, 1862.

Jose Maria Nieto was tending the sheep of Florencio Sandoval, Demetrio Baca and Jose Esquipula Mares were all probably killed by the same group of Navajos while tending the sheep. Demetrio and Jose Esquipula were tending Demetrio's father, Antonio Baca's sheep.

The priest Juan Franciscio Pinard, a Frenchman imported by Archbishop Lamy was the Catholic official officiating at all four of the burials.

The two (2) paragraphs below come from an article by Mark Simmons.

At the first sign of Indian attack, the native shepherds had instructions to scatter the flock. Raiders, always in a hurry, would gather what they could and ride on.

When the owner came, he might find his shepherds dead, but he could send the dogs out to

seek and round up what was left of his sheep.

Modified Register for Juan Pedro Quintana

First Generation

        1. Juan Pedro Quintana, Juan Ygnacio's father and the son of  Juan Jose Quintana and Maria Manuela Martín was born in New Mexico.

Juan Pedro Quintana married Maria Josefa Vigil  daughter of Ygnacio Vigil and Ana Maria Cayetana Lopez. Maria was born in New Mexico.

They had the following children:

2 M i. Jose Maria Quintana  was born on 12 Mar 1825 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico. He was christened on 13 Mar 1825 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico.

+ 3 M ii. Juan Ygnacio Quintana  was born on 1 Jun 1826. He died on 9 Jul 1862.

4 M iii. Jose Antonio Quintana  was born on 24 Sep 1828 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico. He was christened on 25 Sep 1828 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico.

A few thoughts/comments on sheep herding from a Mark Simmons article:

"At the first sign of Indian attack, the native shepherds had instructions to scatter the flock. Raiders, always in a hurry, would gather what they could and ride on."

"When the owner came, he might find his shepherds dead, but he could send the dogs out to seek and round up what was left of his sheep."

Second Generation

3. Juan Ygnacio Quintana  (Juan Pedro) was born on 1 Jun 1826 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico. He was christened on 3 Jun 1826 in Santa Cruz de la Canada, New Mexico.

Juan Ygnacio Quintana first married (1) Juana Maria Miguela Marquez  daughter of Juan Prudencio Marquez and Tomasa Hinojos on 16 Dec 1849 in San Miguel del Vado, New Mexico. Juana was born on 5 May 1831 in New Mexico. She was christened on 7 May 1831 in San Miguel del Vado Mission, New Mexico.

Juan Ygnacio and Juana Maria Micaela had the following children:

5 M i. Jose Severiano Quintana  was born on 20 Feb 1852 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He was christened on 29 Feb 1852 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

6 F ii. Margarita Quintana  was born on 22 Feb 1854 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She was christened on 26 Feb 1854 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

7 F iii. Maria Felipa Quintana  was born on 26 May 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She was christened on 1 Jun 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

8 F iv. Maria Panfila Quintana  was born on 26 May 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. She was christened on 1 Jun 1856 in Las Vegas, New Mexico.


Juan Ygnacio Quintana next married (2) Anastacia Apodaca  on 10 Feb 1859 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Anastacia was born in New Mexico.

Juan Ygnacio was married to Anastcia at the time he was killed. They had been married a three and one half (3 1/2) years at the time of his death.

El Cautivo Jose Antonio Flores

In New Mexico, in the early days and well into the 1860's, it was common for New Mexicans and Indians to take captives from one another. These captives were taken when one group attacked the other. The custom was ancient and endured in New Mexico well into the American period. One such captive was the Navajo baptized as an adult in 1829 as Jose Antonio Flores.

Captives were raised as part of the group who took them, New Mexican Hispanics have many Navajos and Indians from other tribes in their genealogical trees. The Navajo, Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and Ute also have many New Mexican Hispanic people in their bloodlines.

First Generation

1. Jose Antonio Flores  was a Navajo born somewhere in New Mexico. He was christened on 2 Jan 1829 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. When he was baptized it shows he was an Indian from the Navajo nation and baptized as an adult. Here he is listed as being a Navajo adult, criado of Jose Antonio Flores (patron) who named him after himself.

Jose Antonio Flores first married (1) Manuela Montano  on 28 June 1844 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Manuela was also born in New Mexico. On Her marriage record Manuela's parents are identified as Bisente Montano and Maria Paubla Martín. something happened to Manuela Montano as Jose Antonio was soon remarrying.

Jose Antonio Flores next married (2) Maria Emiliana Archeveque  on 4 February 1846 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. When Maria Emiliana was married her parents were listed as Pedro Jose Archeveque and Maria Herrera. Note: Maria Emiliana is sometimes found in the historical records with the surname of Tafoya.

Jose Antonio Flores and Maria Emiliana Archeveque (Tafoya) had the following children:

+ 2 M i. Jose de Jesus Flores  was born on 15 March 1847 in New Mexico.

+ 3 M ii. Jose Dionicio Flores  was born on 8 April 1849 in New Mexico.

4 F iii. Antonia Flores  was born about 1852 in New Mexico.

5 F iv. Maria Eleuteria Flores  was born in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 24 February 1858 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

6 F v. Ana Maria Flores  was born on 27 July 1860 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 29 July 1860 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

+ 7 F vi. Maria Luiza Flores  was born on 10 October 1862 in New Mexico.

8 F vii. Maria Francisca Flores  was born on 3 December 1864 in Puertercito, New Mexico. She was christened on 7 December 1864 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

9 F viii. Maria Francisca Flores  was born on 29 January 1867 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 31 January 1867 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

+ 10 F ix. Maria Nicolasa Flores  was born on 26 Nov 1868 in New Mexico.


Second Generation

2. Jose de Jesus Flores, son of Jose Antonio was born on 15 March 1847 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. He was christened on 20 March 1847 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Jose de Jesus Flores married Maria Tiburcia Montano  on 7 January 1873 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Maria Tiburcia was born in New Mexico. Her marriage record lists her parents as Aniceto Montano and Josefa Guana.


Jose de Jesus Flores and Maria Tiburcia Montano had the following children:

11 F i. Maria Brigida Flores  was born on 2 November 1877 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 8 November 1877 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

3. Jose Dionicio Flores  son of Jose Antonio was born on 8 April 1849 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. He was christened on 11 April 1849 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Jose Dionisio Flores married Maria Marcelina Baca  on 19 February 1879 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Maria was born in New Mexico. On her marriage record her parents are identified as Ferrer Baca and Apolinaria Garcia.

Jose Dionisio Flores and Maria Marcelina Baca had the following children:

12 M i. Jose Anastacio Flores  was born on 14 November 1880 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 27 November 1880 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

13 M ii. Jose Ramon Flores  was born on 30 August 1882 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 4 September 1882 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

14 F iii. Maria Estefana Flores  was born on 2 August 1884 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 10 August 1884 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

+ 15 M iv. Gregorio Flores  was born on 16 Novebber 1886 in New Mexico.

16 F v. Maria Josefa Flores  was born in New Mexico, her birth date remains unknown.
.
Maria Josefa Flores married Silviano Martinez  on 14 September 1914 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Silviano was born in New Mexico. In the marriage record only his mother is identified, as Victoriana Martinez.

7. Maria Luiza Flores  daughter of Jose Antonio was born on 10 October 1862 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 17 October 1862 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Maria Luiza Flores married Eligio Gonzales  on 29 March 1882 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Eligio was born in New Mexico.  The marriage record when he married lists his parents as Jose Miguel Gonzales and Ramona Salas.

Maria Luiza Flores and Eligio Gonzales had the following children:

17 M i. Leonides Gonzales  was born on 7 August 1883 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 21 August 1883 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

18 F ii. Maria Luiza Gonzales  was born on 28 October 1897 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 30 October 1897 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

10. Maria Nicolasa Flores  daughter of Jose Antonio was born on 26 November 1868 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 13 December 1868 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Maria Nicolasa Flores married Abran Gonzales  on 10 January 1888 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Abran was born on 21 June1864 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 4 July in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. His marriage record lists his parents as Serafin Gonzales and Juana Aragon.

Maria Nicolasa Flores and Abran Gonzales had the following children:

19 M i. Jose Leonidez Gonzales  was born on 19 May 1891 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 27 May 1891 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

20 F ii. Maria Felipa Gonzales  was born on 22 August 1892 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. She was christened on 31 August 1892 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

21 M iii. Francisco Gonzales  was born on 16 November 1895 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 24 Nov 1895 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.


Third Generation

15. Gregorio Flores  son of Jose Dionicio, and grandson of  Jose Antonio was born on 16 November 1886 in La Cuesta (Villanueva), New Mexico. He was christened on 17 November 1886 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico.

Gregorio Flores married Beatris Baca  on 30 January 1911 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. Beatris was born in New Mexico. On her marriage record her parents are identified as Liborio Baca and Josefa Galis.

Gregorio Flores and Beatris Baca had the following children:

22 M i. Antonio Flores  was born in 1909 in New Mexico.

23 F ii. Cipriana Flores  was born in 1912 in New Mexico.

24 M iii. Dionisio Flores  was born in 1916 in New Mexico.

Dar gracias antes de comer

A very simple "thanks" prior to eating our meals when I was a kid in the 1950's in New Mexico.

Gracias a Dios que me da de comer sin merecerlo, my tatita Dios, Amen

Counting Steps To Measure The Distance.

The following quote comes from page 137 of Volume I of the book titled "Great River, The Rio Grande in North American History" written by Paul Horgan and published  in 1954 by Rinehart & Company, Inc. from New York and Toronto. Volume I of the book is about Indians and Spain and in Chapter II dealing with the Eastern Plains (el Llano Estacado or Staked Plains) and the early 1540's journey of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado on page 137 there is a curious paragraph that states ;

"But still they marched, seeing in one place a white woman with a painted chin, and in another a wild hailstorm. The stones, as big as oranges, dented armor and killed animals. Trembling, the people wept and prayed and made vows. Each day they heard how far they had gone according to the soldier whose duty it was to count steps by which the leagues could be computed. In all that wilderness they were appalled at how little mark so great a throng of men and women and beasts made on the grass upon the plain. They left no trail, for the grass in the wind waved over their path like the sea in a galleon's wake."

Imagine, if you will, that being your job, to compute the passing leagues by counting steps. Then imagine that the leagues had to be computed from the time you left Mexico City until the Llano Estacado had been explored and maybe all of the way back again. Would the General, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, have one man do this, or alternate the tedious and boring job? It had to be done, there was no easier way at the time of measuring distance on flat land. But you had to do it if you wanted to get back. They realized they would die of thirst if they got lost.

No pedometer, no odometer, no GPS to mark the distance in a flat and grass covered land. It had to be done by some other method. The counter could not often lose count or he literally would have lost not only those who he was with, but eventually he would lose his head.

History is not always kind to you and I

History is not always kind to you and I. Sometimes it can be downright cruel. It can be glossed over for sure, but if the truth comes out it is most likely painful for those wishing to know and somewhat understand the truth. The history of the world, the country, the region, state, city or family is most likely not what everyone imagines. The truth may not be every ones cup of tea.

Sometimes the truth does hurt, it hurts us as individuals, as a group, whatever the group may be and it hurts as a nation. Especially if you begin to understand what it took, what was done to get to where we are today. It is not always pretty, not what we thought it was. But is is history, however much we want to buy into it or avoid it. And the knowledge of history is liberating in many ways.

Then there are the rose colored glasses. If you want to use them they filter history to allow us to see what we want to see.

For folks doing genealogy the glasses eventually come off, they will eventually come off if the research is done right, if the research is correct. It is interesting to the nth degree, no doubt about it. But, and this is  a big but, you have to have the stomach for it.

Te Deum By The Conquistadores

Before battle, the Conquistadors prayed the Te Deum. In New Mexico the prayer was heard during battles with the Indians from the time of Coronado thru the reconquest with don Diego de Vargas. The Indians had no idea what the words meant much less that the prayer was used before an attack by the Spanish.

Read about the prayer here.

En Espanol

Te alabamos, oh Dios: reconocemos ti para ser el Señor.
Toda la tierra adoración doth de ti: el eterno Padre.
A ti todos los ángeles lloran en voz alta: los cielos, y todos los poderes en el mismo.
A ti Querubines y Serafines: continuamente llores,
Santo, Santo, Santo, Señor Dios de los ejércitos;
El cielo y la tierra están llenos de la majestad: de tu gloria.
La compañía gloriosa de los Apóstoles: te alabamos.
La beca buena cantidad de los Profetas: te alabamos.
El noble ejército de mártires: te alabamos.
La santa Iglesia por todo el mundo: doth te reconoce;
El Padre: de un infinito Majestad;
Tu honorable, fiel: Hijo unigénito;
También el Espíritu Santo, el Consolador.
Tú eres el Rey de la gloria: oh Cristo.
Tú eres el Hijo eterno del Padre.
Cuando te tookest sobre ti para liberar al hombre: no hayas aborrecen el vientre de la Virgen.
Cuando tenías superar la nitidez de la muerte:
    hiciste abrir el Reino de los Cielos a todos los creyentes.
Ora sentado a la diestra de Dios, en la gloria del Padre.
Creemos que vendrás: para ser nuestro Juez.
Por tanto, te rogamos que ayudan a tus siervos:
    quienes redimiste con tu preciosa sangre.
Haz que sea contado entre tus santos: en la gloria eterna.

In English

We praise thee, O God : we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee : the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud : the Heavens, and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim : continually do cry,
Holy, Holy, Holy : Lord God of Hosts;
Heaven and earth are full of the Majesty : of thy glory.
The glorious company of the Apostles : praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the Prophets : praise thee.
The noble army of Martyrs : praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world : doth acknowledge thee;
The Father : of an infinite Majesty;
Thine honourable, true : and only Son;
Also the Holy Ghost : the Comforter.
Thou art the King of Glory : O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son : of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man : thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death :
    thou didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God : in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come : to be our Judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants :
    whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy Saints : in glory everlasting.