Luminaria: New Mexico Genealogy and History

Sandra Dolak of the Huajatolla Heritage Foundation shares about several of her passions, including sheepherding traditions in Southern Colorado.

You can get a copy of The Woolly West: Colorado's Hidden History of Sheepscapes by Andrew Gulliford here.

Follow the Huajatolla Heritage Foundation on Facebook for upcoming arts and cultural events in Huerfano County.

You can get a copy of the Huerfano Heritage Cookbook at the Fox Theatre in Walsenburg, and at some point other local places in Huerfano County will probably be carrying it. It's great!

Sandy recommends Taos Wools for churro wool yarn.

You can contact us at [email protected].

George shares the extraordinary life of his ancestor, Charles Autobees, and his role in key moments of Northern NM and Southern CO history.

Names mentioned: Autobees/Ortivis/Otterby, Avila, Olguin, Alires, Romero

Places mentioned: Avondale, Pueblo, Salt Creek, Taos, Fort Garland

Find The Life and Times of Charles Autobees book at local bookstores.

There are several profiles on Charles with photos, here is one.

You can reach us at [email protected].

Kat took a solo road trip following the journey of her people into Southern Colorado. Stay tuned for many interviews to come with locals to flesh out the experiences of our adventurous antepasados in this new frontier.

Places mentioned: Pueblo, Walsenburg, La Veta, Fort Garland, San Luis, Trinidad

You can reach us at [email protected].

Dr. Robert Con Davis-Undiano tells us all about the practice of casta paintings in 18th century New Spain, the product of a complex history with race and ethnicity that would evidently outlast colonialism by centuries.

You can find plenty of images of casta paintings online.

You can find a copy of Mestizos Come Home here.

Virginia Sanchez is an independent scholar researching those who were enslaved in Hispano communities. She shares some of their stories in Mora County, as well as touching on those in southern Colorado (more to come on that!).

You can find a list of Virginia's books and articles here.

You can email Virginia at virginia.sanchez [at] comcast [dot] net.

You can order Pleas and Petitions from the University of Colorado Press.

Here's a cool article on Virginia's work on PBS.

Other books mentioned:

Nacion Genizaro, edited by Moises Gonzales and Enrique R. Lamadrid

Captives and Cousins (my guy's name wasn't in there!), James Brooks

You can email us at [email protected]

Annette Gutierrez-Turk shares about the tradition of colcha embroidery - how it came to New Mexico, how our ancestors would have done it and why, and how you can learn this beautiful art form.

Sign up for monthly classes on colcha embroidery on the National Hispanic Cultural Center website under Events

The Brown Sheep Company mentioned as a source for yarn for those who cannot source it locally

Check out the books and materials available from the Sandia Mountains chapter of the EGA

Resources from a recent exhibit colcha embroidery in Southern Colorado

Colcha demonstration from the Huajatolla Heritage Foundation

I learned so much in this conversation with Nicolas Martinez! Among other things, I got some good tips on finding certain records, and how to track down family photos.

Names mentioned: Martinez, Maes, Barcelona (Barcelo), Sandoval, Torres, Branch, Luna, Chaves

Places mentioned: Mora, Las Vegas, Los Golondrinas (Mora County), Chacon, Abiquiu, Albuquerque

Find Presbyterian records at the Menual Historical Library of the Southwest.

Article mentioned: New Mexico Historical Journal from Spring 2023

You can reach me at [email protected].

Bernardino Cisneros shares some of his memories growing up with his grandparents in Questa, as well as some great Norteno Spanish.

SURNAMES MENTIONED: Rael, LaForette (La Foret, LaFore), Cisneros

PLACES MENTIONED: Questa, Tres Piedras, Dixon, Penasco, Vietnam War Memorial

Check out Frank's Eats & Sweets in Questa!

If you haven't ridden the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad yet, add it to this year's list.

You can reach me at [email protected].

Kat's family gets deep over a Disney movie! To be fair, Coco is a layered, complicated (but delightfully colorful) film about trauma, family, and ancestors. We had a great discussion about "legacy burdens" and inheriting resiliency as well as trauma from our antepasados.

Check out Coco - streaming on Disney+, on demand, or from your local public library! And don't forget the tissues.

This is the study I mentioned. I got some details wrong, but it's still a useful idea! Playing my dad's favorite music from his youth always sparks joy for him.

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Kat talks to Richard and Rita, a married couple with roots in NE New Mexico whose lives took many turns.

Mentions: Clayton, Des Moines, Taos, Red River, ABQ, Clayton POW Camp, WWII, ABQ Green Book

Brief mention of Clayton "branch camp" for POWs here. Update from the Herzstein Museum : For about a year during WWII there was a tent compound of German POWs, this was approximately where the Clayton Motel is now heading west out of town. A bus driver, Lee R. Kear would pick up the prisoners and drive them to the fields around the Pennington Community, suspected to be Walter Ogle's farm and return to town with the students. In the afternoon they would reverse the pickup and drop off. These prisoners took their lunch with them, and Mrs. Ogle didn't have to feed them.

Reach us at [email protected].