Baca, José Miguel (Albuquerque, NM)
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Document Type
Audio
Publication Date
7-12-1984
Recommended Citation
Atrisco Oral History Project (MSS 565), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
COinS
Comments
Born in 1904 in Atrisco. Family genealogy, memories of Atrisco as an agricultural area. His father used to have a ranch. Farmers used to depend on the natural rain cycles. It used to be a nice agricultural thriving area. Many people died during the diphteria and influenza epidemics. Las hierbas o remedios mexicanos para curar las enfermedades: la hierba buena, el mastranzo, ramas de sabina para el dolor de estómago, trementina para los granos. The vinyards and wineries in the valley, use of water wells for human consumption. Transportation used to be by buggy or on foot to go to the Plaza. He worked on the ditch cleaning. Los Hubbles, a rich family who used to own a large estate in Atrisco. His uncle Andres Romero was another affluent man in Atrisco. Los Penitentes in el Cañón de Juan Tafoya. La Morada de los Penitentes in Salvador Road. Los labradores [farm woorkers], los borregueros and the way they used to do their work in the open range: extended periods of time living in a tent. La sala de Carmelito where there used to be parties. He did not like much los bailes [parties]. Funeral practices and the camposantos in the area. El Ojo del Pino [a fresh water spring]. Las parteras: Natividad Garcia y Mariyita Atencio. La construcción de las casas [building houses in the past] using wood and clay. They used to make their furniture. Las estufas de leña y los fogones para cocinas y calentar las casas. He used to go collect wood [leña] in la Sierra de Cebolleta. They used a car pulled by horses to load the wood for the stove and heating. The first motor vehicles in Atrisco; Manuel Aranda was the first one who owned a motor vehicle in Atrisco. Roads were rough, just dust roads so it was challenging for cars to circulate around. Los Ranchos de Atrisco, los indios Navajoes pasaban por ahí. Ranchers 'empacaban' la alfalfa con ayuda de los caballos [packaging alfalfa with the help of horses]. Las mujeres empacaban los alimentos [food canning], they used to keep 'carne seca' en sacos de guangoche [yute sacs]. Making adobes, and working hard. A simple life, he did not have toys but he used to play with little boxes and pieces of tile: lanzando la teja, a similar game to throwing the horse shoe.