Sunday, September 11, 2005

Zozobra

Zozobra: Spanish Translation means 'anguish', anxiety', 'worry' or 'gloom'.
"Fiestas De Santa Fe" is the oldest civic celebration of its kind in North America. It first began in 1712, to celebrate an expedition by Don Diego De Vargas. But since 1926, with the help of artist William Howard Shuster, Jr and his creation of Zozobra, its become an 8 day celebration that begins the weekend following Labor Day.
The first night of the celebration they burn Zozobra. For the past 81 years people from all over New Mexico (and elsewhere) have gone to Santa Fe for the burning of Zozobra. The giant papier-mache man has also been referred to as 'Old Man Gloom'. The ritual burning of Old Man Gloom, is to get rid of the hardships and bad times from over the past year. He represents to everyone in attendence all the negative things that have happened over the past year. People go with divorce papers, pictures, medical bills, etc, anything that reminds them of things from the past year they would most likely rather forget. They shred these items and then are used to stuff the giant man.
Every year Zozobra has been bigger than the year before. Just this past thursday night they burned 'Old Man Gloom' for the 81st time. I haven't been able to find in writing how big he was this year, but if I remember correctly they said on the news thursday night that he was 58 feet tall.

(zozobra burning 1988)
Old Man Gloom, is a giant animated wooden puppet with his arms, waving madly, and his head turning. At dusk dancers come out waving fireworks and torches. Dancing and chanting around the giant old man. Zozobra is moaning and groaning and can be heard from all over town. The crowd is chanting, 'burn him, burn him'. His moaning doesn't help him, and he is soon set fire. Fireworks come bursting out of his eyes and mouth. The crowd yells in excitement, and soon, he is nothing but a large pile of ash.

(zozobra burning 1996)
In 1964 Shuster (the artist) passedhis Zozobra creation over to the Kiwanis Club, and since that time the event has raised money for scholarships. The event has become so popular that children arrive at the park early in the morning and hang around all day to watch the construction of the 50+ foot marionette boogeyman.
We have lived in Albuquerque for 3 years now, and haven't yet attended the Zozobra burning. But because we are truly trying to embrace the culture of New Mexico I wouldn't be surprised if we also one day make the trek up to Santa Fe to attend "Fiestas De Santa Fe". It will be quite an event to see 'Old Man Gloom' moan and groan and burn till gone. It would be the biggest bon-fire we have ever attended I'm pretty sure of that! And I'll bet the kids will get a kick out of it too!
Posted by ABQ Mom :: 9/11/2005 10:44:00 AM :: 4 Comments:

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