PHOTOS OF SAN GERONIMO FEAST DAY AT TAOS PUEBLO
PHOTOS OF SAN GERONIMO FEAST DAY AT TAOS PUEBLO
(New Mexico) San Geronimo (Saint Jerome) Day is the celebration of the Patron Saint of Taos Pueblo, occurring annually on September 30. The celebration actually begins at sundown on September 29th with a sundown dance followed by vespers which are a blend of Catholic and Native religious doctrine. Being the most significant feast day for the Taos Pueblo people, it is a colorful mix of culture and tradition stemming from time in memorial, coming together in a matter of hours. September 30th begins with traditional footraces and continues with an all-day open-air market with artisans from different tribal communities coming from near and far. Food booths, jewelry, pottery, textiles, and art will be included. The afternoon is a bundle of laughter and humbling from the Koshare traditional clowns. “As a community coming and walking a fine line of maintaining our cultural beginnings and traditions of trade and sharing in a modern context, we open our home to the world to come and experience a day of who we are as Taos Pueblo people.”
The ceremony is historically rooted in the ritual life of the Taos Pueblo people. It is about family, food and traditional dances that date back thousands of years, yet it is about the fall harvest and the Pueblo people surviving through the upcoming winter. The Puebloans congregate in a renewal of their language, religion and culture, which is a blend of the Hispanic and Native American cultures and religious beliefs.
The San Geronimo Feast Day honors and celebrates St. Jerome, the patron saint of Taos Pueblo. St. Jerome, a Roman Catholic scripture scholar, translated the Old Testament from Hebrew. He is recognized as the patron saint of translators, librarians, and encyclopedists.
Typically the September 30th celebration begins with traditional footraces and includes an open-air market, food booths, and performances by the Koshare traditional clowns. The celebration often includes traditional dances, eating, and visiting with family and friends.
One of the 5 photos ( 10 x 7 inches mounted; 8 x 6 inches actual photo) is stamped W.A. White artist Raton, New Mexico. Photographer William A. White was apparently in 1880 in Rosita, New Mexico, located some forty miles from Taos Pueblo. From 1880 to 1881, he worked in various Colorado locales such as Wet Mountain Valley, Rosita, Querida, Florence and Canon City, and from 1882 to 1884 was located at 571 Larimer in Denver. Following his time in Colorado, he returned to New Mexico, establishing a studio in Raton, operating there from 1885 to 1902.
The condition of the five photos is very good with one photo having a minute stain touching the actual photo at the bottom right and another having several small stains on the mounting card.
