Center for Cultural Technology · Items · Manitos Digital Archive

David Sloan - Urban Sprawl in Santa Fe

"Development" threatens vital ecosystems to Santa Fe's animal inhabitants.

Rosario H. Torres - Why Does It Matter?

This video focuses on the Our Lady of Guadalupe Cemetery located on Early Street in Santa Fe, NM. This Cemetery has been maintained by the Catholic Church since 1896 when the first burials took place. The focus of the video is to recognize the importance of preserving and restoring this property as there remain living family members that can contribute family stories from the territorial days to the present.

Masouma M Karimian- The Journey Home

After years of movement, relocation and travel, battling culture shock and not-belonging, Masouma finds her roots and grounding when she recovers her ancestry The Bakhtiari Tribe of Iran. With the help of Native American traditions, Indigenous teachers, and the support of her partner and love of her life, she finally finds the meaning of Home.

Douglas Conwell - Faith, Family and Friends--All Aboard the Bus

Ed Montoya is a bus driver on Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe New Mexico longer than any other driver. This story is an inspiring look at what motivated him to do so. He was a positive force for good along this most busy street, offering friendly support and encouragement to all, including those who were unsheltered and shunned by many. His philosophy of life was rooted in his family, faith and close friendships. Sometimes it's hard to keep your faith in humanity, Ed said, when you have the weight of the whole world on your shoulders. But Ed's friendly smile and even a honk of the horn lifts the spirits of one and all.

Oriana Lee -In Spite Of

A homeschooling family's story of overcoming racial profiling and police brutality

Terry Ngo - Santa Fe Resident

A Vietnamese boat refugee elder shares how she came to be in Santa Fe.

Meryl Lieberman - You are my Teacher

A Tribute to Unconditional Love

Kassia Howell - What does community mean to you?

Kassia Howell interviewed neighbors in her community to try and put words to a concept that has individual meaning for each of us.

Manitos Personas - Mayordoma

Manitos Personas - Maestro

Manitos Personas - Curandera

Manitos Personas - Abuelos

Cafe y Atole, spanish

El Trovo del Atole y el Café/The Trovo of Atole and Café. There are two published versions of El Trovo del Atole y el Café, one by José de Jesús López and one by an unknown or anonymous author. The one here is a third version and is unpublished. It was written by Elva Vigil Valdez of Capulin, Colorado. In it, while Atole defeats Coffee, Atole invokes the sentiment of reconciliation and also leaves open the possibility of continuing the dialogue in the future. The bilingual graphics in comic book format were created in 2020 by Natasha Vasquez, design intern from New Mexico Highlands University. She envisioned a conversation between a grandmother and her grandson, which morphs into a dialogue between coffee and atole. The recorded performance is by David Garcia and Thelma Argüello. According to information provided by folklorist Enrique Lamadrid for Folk Music of Hispanic New Mexico: The John Donald Robb Collection, traditionally trovos are musical duels in improvised verse between two trovadores (troubadors). Originating in the courts of medieval Spain and Portugal where topics centered on such lofty themes as theological arguments, trovos migrated to the Canary Islands and were popularized in the Americas throughout parts of Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond, including New Mexico and Colorado. They were often performed for travelers along the Camino Real and the Old Spanish Trail to California. According to information provided by Estevan Rael-Galvez, trovos are often a form of political protest, addressing contemporary issues creatively. El Trovo del Atole y el Café is one of the most interesting from nineteenth-century New Mexico -– a battle of wits between a cup of coffee and a cup of atole, a traditional Mexican hot beverage made from masa. One interpretation proposed by Dr. Lamadrid could be What are the virtues of coffee versus atole? What is more valuable, oil or water? But according to Dr. Rael-Galvez it could also be interpreted as a critique of capitalism and colonial imposition, juxtaposing coffee as elite, foreign, and urban with atole as Indigenous, rural, and of the people.

Cafe y Atole, english

El Trovo del Atole y el Café/The Trovo of Atole and Café. There are two published versions of El Trovo del Atole y el Café, one by José de Jesús López and one by an unknown or anonymous author. The one here is a third version and is unpublished. It was written by Elva Vigil Valdez of Capulin, Colorado. In it, while Atole defeats Coffee, Atole invokes the sentiment of reconciliation and also leaves open the possibility of continuing the dialogue in the future. The bilingual graphics in comic book format were created in 2020 by Natasha Vasquez, design intern from New Mexico Highlands University. She envisioned a conversation between a grandmother and her grandson, which morphs into a dialogue between coffee and atole. The recorded performance is by David Garcia and Thelma Argüello. According to information provided by folklorist Enrique Lamadrid for Folk Music of Hispanic New Mexico: The John Donald Robb Collection, traditionally trovos are musical duels in improvised verse between two trovadores (troubadors). Originating in the courts of medieval Spain and Portugal where topics centered on such lofty themes as theological arguments, trovos migrated to the Canary Islands and were popularized in the Americas throughout parts of Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond, including New Mexico and Colorado. They were often performed for travelers along the Camino Real and the Old Spanish Trail to California. According to information provided by Estevan Rael-Galvez, trovos are often a form of political protest, addressing contemporary issues creatively. El Trovo del Atole y el Café is one of the most interesting from nineteenth-century New Mexico -– a battle of wits between a cup of coffee and a cup of atole, a traditional Mexican hot beverage made from masa. One interpretation proposed by Dr. Lamadrid could be What are the virtues of coffee versus atole? What is more valuable, oil or water? But according to Dr. Rael-Galvez it could also be interpreted as a critique of capitalism and colonial imposition, juxtaposing coffee as elite, foreign, and urban with atole as Indigenous, rural, and of the people.

Manitos Placemats - Periodista

By publishing news, poetry, fiction, letters, recipes, and essays, the periodistas, or Spanish language journalists, created a print culture that celebrated Manito cultural heritage and helped to form their unique Indo-Hispano cultural identity. This began right around the time that New Mexico was becoming a US territory in 1848 amid a major influx of Anglo settlers who distained the native culture. For more than a century the Spanish language press was a rallying point of the resistance to forced assimilation. Before public education was instituted in the region many children were taught to read by their parents using Spanish language periodicals. This downloadable placemat is one of a series created by the Manitos Community Memory Project in conjunction with a series of posters entitled Manitos Personas. The posters and placemats honor community members serving in traditional roles who help preserve cultural heritage and promote community cohesion. The original idea for the placemats was to distribute them to local restaurants to help educate and inform children about their Manito heritage. When COVID-19 struck, restaurants closed and students began learning from home. The placemats were delivered to school sites where they were sent home with distributions of food and other educational materials and supplies. It turned out that adults also enjoyed the activities, so distributions were also made at several senior centers. The idea for the placemats was inspired by Dr. Patricia Trujillo. They were produced by Project Director, Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez and two graphic design interns from the Department of Media Arts & Technology Cultural Technology Program, Lily Padilla and Natasha Vasquez.

Manitos Placemats - Maestro

This downloadable placemat honoring maestros--teachers--is one of a series created by the Manitos Community Memory Project in conjunction with a series of posters entitled Manitos Personas. The posters and placemats honor community members serving in traditional roles who help preserve cultural heritage and promote community cohesion. The original idea for the placemats was to distribute them to local restaurants to help educate and inform children about their Manito heritage. When COVID-19 struck, restaurants closed and students began learning from home. The placemats were delivered to school sites where they were sent home with distributions of food and other educational materials and supplies. It turned out that adults also enjoyed the activities, so distributions were also made at several senior centers. The idea for the placemats was inspired by Dr. Patricia Trujillo. They were produced by Project Director, Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez and two graphic design interns from the Department of Media Arts & Technology Cultural Technology Program, Lily Padilla and Natasha Vasquez.

Manitos Placemats - Curandera

This downloadable placemat honoring curanderas--traditional healers--is one of a series created by the Manitos Community Memory Project in conjunction with a series of posters entitled Manitos Personas. The posters and placemats honor community members serving in traditional roles who help preserve cultural heritage and promote community cohesion. The original idea for the placemats was to distribute them to local restaurants to help educate and inform children about their Manito heritage. When COVID-19 struck, restaurants closed and students began learning from home. The placemats were delivered to school sites where they were sent home with distributions of food and other educational materials and supplies. It turned out that adults also enjoyed the activities, so distributions were also made at several senior centers. The idea for the placemats was inspired by Dr. Patricia Trujillo. They were produced by Project Director, Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez and two graphic design interns from the Department of Media Arts & Technology Cultural Technology Program, Lily Padilla and Natasha Vasquez.

Manitos Placemats - Mayordoma

This downloadable placemat honors the mayordomo, or in this case the mayordoma, in Indo-Hispano communities the person who manages the acequia irrigation system on behalf of a village or valley. This placemat is one of a series created by the Manitos Community Memory Project in conjunction with a series of posters entitled Manitos Personas. The posters and placemats honor community members serving in traditional roles who help preserve cultural heritage and promote community cohesion. The original idea for the placemats was to distribute them to local restaurants to help educate and inform children about their Manito heritage. When COVID-19 struck, restaurants closed and students began learning from home. The placemats were delivered to school sites where they were sent home with distributions of food and other educational materials and supplies. It turned out that adults also enjoyed the activities, so distributions were also made at several senior centers. The idea for the placemats was inspired by Dr. Patricia Trujillo. They were produced by Project Director, Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez and two graphic design interns from the Department of Media Arts & Technology Cultural Technology Program, Lily Padilla and Natasha Vasquez.

Manitos Placemats - Abuelos

This downloadable placemat honors the abuelos, grandparents. It is one of a series created by the Manitos Community Memory Project in conjunction with a series of posters entitled Manitos Personas. The posters and placemats honor community members serving in traditional roles who help preserve cultural heritage and promote community cohesion. The original idea for the placemats was to distribute them to local restaurants to help educate and inform children about their Manito heritage. When COVID-19 struck, restaurants closed and students began learning from home. The placemats were delivered to school sites where they were sent home with distributions of food and other educational materials and supplies. It turned out that adults also enjoyed the activities, so distributions were also made at several senior centers. The idea for the placemats was inspired by Dr. Patricia Trujillo. They were produced by Project Director, Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez and two graphic design interns from the Department of Media Arts & Technology Cultural Technology Program, Lily Padilla and Natasha Vasquez.

Manitos Placemats - Storyteller II

This downloadable placemat honors storytellers. It is one of a series created by the Manitos Community Memory Project in conjunction with a series of posters entitled Manitos Personas. The posters and placemats honor community members serving in traditional roles who help preserve cultural heritage and promote community cohesion. The original idea for the placemats was to distribute them to local restaurants to help educate and inform children about their Manito heritage. When COVID-19 struck, restaurants closed and students began learning from home. The placemats were delivered to school sites where they were sent home with distributions of food and other educational materials and supplies. It turned out that adults also enjoyed the activities, so distributions were also made at several senior centers. The idea for the placemats was inspired by Dr. Patricia Trujillo. They were produced by Project Director, Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez and two graphic design interns from the Department of Media Arts & Technology Cultural Technology Program, Lily Padilla and Natasha Vasquez.

Manitos Placemats - Storyteller

This downloadable placemat honors the storytellers. It is one of a series created by the Manitos Community Memory Project in conjunction with a series of posters entitled Manitos Personas. The posters and placemats honor community members serving in traditional roles who help preserve cultural heritage and promote community cohesion. The original idea for the placemats was to distribute them to local restaurants to help educate and inform children about their Manito heritage. When COVID-19 struck, restaurants closed and students began learning from home. The placemats were delivered to school sites where they were sent home with distributions of food and other educational materials and supplies. It turned out that adults also enjoyed the activities, so distributions were also made at several senior centers. The idea for the placemats was inspired by Dr. Patricia Trujillo. They were produced by Project Director, Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez and two graphic design interns from the Department of Media Arts & Technology Cultural Technology Program, Lily Padilla and Natasha Vasquez.

Following in the Footsteps of Juan B. Rael

The rural villages of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado represent some of the oldest land-based communities in the United States. They form a cohesive regional culture connected by shared family lineages, traditions, histories, and a distinctive dialect of Spanish. Juan B. Rael (1900 – 1993), a linguist and folklorist from the village of Arroyo Hondo, was one of the first scholars to document the storytelling tradition of the region. He traveled to twenty-three villages during the 1930s and 1940s, collecting more than 500 stories from ninety-seven storytellers from all walks of life. The collection was published in two volumes, in 1977, by the Museum of New Mexico Press as Cuentos Españoles de Colorado y Nuevo Mexico: Spanish Folk Tales of Colorado and New Mexico. This exhibition contains a representative sample of ten of these stories, each deeply reflective of its time and place. In New Mexico, Rael visited Cuyamungué, Española, Abiquiú, Taos, Arroyo Seco, Arroyo Hondo, Questa, Cerro, Costilla, Los Pinos and Santa Fe. In Colorado he visited Antonito, San Pablo, Garcia, San Luis, Los Sauces, Fort Garland, Alamosa, Capulin, Del Norte, Manassa, Mogote, and Conejos. Ten stories and storytellers were selected including The Priest’s Little Cow, Felix Pino, Santa Fe, NM, The Rat, Tomás Barela, Taos, NM, The Ant, Eva Martinez, Conejos, CO, Manito Rabbit and Coyote, Cleofas Jaramillo, Santa Fe, NM, Pedro de Urdemales, Simon Gallegos, Antonito, CO, The Grandson and Grandfather, Felix Esquivel, San Pablo, CO, The Indian Youth, Remigio Martinez, Conejos, CO, The Magician, Concepcion Rodriguez, Taos, NM, The Milk Giving Tree, Refugio Valdés (Costilla/Garcia), The Spider, Ant and Grasshopper, Candelaria Valdez, Taos, NM. Students from the New Mexico Highlands University’s Department of Media Arts and Technology produced this multimedia exhibition on behalf of the Manitos Community Memory Project, a collaborative initiative funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The goal of the project is to create a digital community archive of the cultural heritage of the region. In bringing to light the research of Juan B. Rael and the stories he collected, it is our hope to inspire the next generation of storytellers.

Blank Cuaderno

The year 2020 was defined by the COVID-19 global pandemic, which decimated many families and communities in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado where heirs to the unique Indo-Hispano cultural heritage of the region often refer to themselves as Manitos. In response, the Manito Community Memory Project (MCMP), with support from the American Recovery Act, National Endowment for the Humanities, initiated a series of publications to help Manitos address the trauma of the pandemic through connection to their history, cultural heritage, and to each other. The blank booklet was designed by MCMP interns to evoke the leatherbound cuadernos, small notebooks or journals, that have been used historically by Manitos to record all types of information. It invites Manitos to continue the tradition by recording their own reflections and stories of the COVID-19 pandemic in words and images.

Cuadernos volume II issue 4 - Invierno: Humo y Hielo (Smoke and Ice)

Volume Two of the Manitos Community Memory Project Cuaderno Series, a set of four booklets on the theme of food sovereignty, features the land-based Indo-Hispano culture of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado where natives often refer to themselves as Manitos--their shared history and culture, how they connect through traditional foodways, and how the changing seasons and weather give shape and meaning to the activities of daily life. Each issue focuses on one of the four seasons starting with Spring. Winter, the final issue focuses on the cold months as a time for storytelling and of course Christmas with its many traditional practices and hearty winter dishes.

Cuadernos volume II issue 3 - Otoño: Cosechas y Cazas (Harvest and Houses)

Volume Two of the Manitos Community Memory Project Cuaderno Series, a set of four booklets on the theme of food sovereignty, features the land-based Indo-Hispano culture of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado where natives often refer to themselves as Manitos--their shared history and culture, how they connect through traditional foodways, and how the changing seasons and weather give shape and meaning to the activities of daily life. Each issue focuses on one of the four seasons starting with Spring. The Fall issue focuses on the harvest season and the preparation of traditional remedies made from local herbs and other plants. October 4th, Dia de San Francisco de Asís, St. Francis of Assisi, is celebrated across the region as a harvest festival. Fall is also hunting season and a time to be nourished by the bounty from harvest and hunting. The volume includes several family recipes.