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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nAttending\nthe performances at the Fiestas is a well-established way for young potential Danzantes\nbecome familiarized with this special aspect of their cultural heritage. At their first Fiesta in 2018 in Carnuel at\nthe Santo Nino Mission Church, my young granddaughters who were then (4 & 5\nyears old) reacted immediately to El Toro (the bull, who let them touch his\nhorns and then snorted at them to their delight!), El Abuelo (the grandfather, with\nhis whip and lasso), La Perejundia (the comic and provocative old lady, with\nthe bag of candy) and La Malinche (the young girl wearing the coveted MOST\nbeautiful dress!). The antics of the afternoon\nperformance resonated with them, and since then we have attended more\nFiestas. When we watch videos of the\nprocessions and performances, they are captivated and respond rhythmically by\nnodding their heads.\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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El Monarcha Leads<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/IMG_02051-cropped-1024x891.jpg\")
El Toro<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/IMG_3147-e1563915619990-768x1024.jpg\")
La Malinche<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Danzantes-kneeling-1024x712.jpeg\")
El Abuelo & La Perejunia (to left)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/IMG_01901-cropped-1024x709.jpg\")
Procession<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n Little did I know until their first Fiesta in 2018 that my\ngranddaughters\u2019 paternal Grandfather, Lee Arnold Griego had been a\nlong-standing Danzante until his tragic passing in 2014. I do have a wonderful recollection of the impressive\nand meaningful procession of the Matachine Danzantes at his rosary in the Holy\nChild Church in Tijeras, however I didn\u2019t realize that it was a special honor\nperformed for Danzantes who have passed away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/IMG_3746-Edited-944x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/IMG_3748-Edited-980x1024.jpg\")
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<\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nThe dance practice my granddaughters attended in the Land\nGrant Hall was well organized, with the little future Malinches (cousins, by\nthe way!) sitting together on the side, watching and taking turns as the dancing\nwas rehearsed. I was so surprised to see\nmy youngest granddaughter wearing the head-dress of El Toro, and then later\nplaying with the lasso and then the whip! \nWhat good-natured mentors the leading Danzantes are to tolerate such\nantics!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/IMG_3776-Edited-937x1024.jpg\")
Venessa & Las Malinches<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/La-Malinches-Moises.jpg\")
Las Malinches<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li> ![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/IMG_3779-e1563916655682-768x1024.jpg\")
Palma & Guache<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n The chance to make and decorate their own palma, and guache\n(a plastic maraca) was a further enhancement to the whole experience. The little future Malinches were completely\nengrossed in gluing, painting and selecting flowers, feathers & hearts for their\npalmas, thanks to Venessa Chaves Gutierrez (UNM Land Grant Program), who\nco-organized the event with Moises Gonzales, the Canon de Carnue Land Grant President\n(who is a Danzante). The children\u2019s snacks provided were very popular as well, helping\nrecharge the teens in between the dance sessions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nurturing this tradition is meaningful to the Danzantes, as well as to families who enjoy the Church and Fiesta performances throughout the year.\u00a0 Even those of us (like myself) who were not raised with this traditional experience, can recognize and appreciate the important feelings of belonging, reverence and community these experiences provide to our children and grandchildren.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.canondecarnuelandgrant.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/1928-Matachine-Dance-San-Antonio-de-Padua-1024x600.png\")
1928 Matachine Danzantes de la Sierra at San Antonio Fiesta<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Danzante tradition continues, as we experienced during the recent dance practice held at the Canon de Carnue Land Grant Hall, in July. Cosponsored by the Canon de Carnue Land Grant and the UNM Land Grant Studies Program, the event succeeded in giving 16 new potential Danzante youth an exposure to the steps of the … <\/p>\n