San Diego State University - Del Sudoeste Yearbook (San Diego, CA)

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Mary Arnold Sophia Reithurdl Myrtle Barnum Rona leelm V . , . Edith Odell Winifn'd Eldrcd 991m Mmlh 1 Vivian Bonk:

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18 WHITE AND GOLD The Penitentes of New Mexico BY MABEL CHEATHAM Few people know that sueh a class as the Penitentes of New Mexico exist at the present time. In this territory there is a lower class of Mexicans distinguished by very unusual and pe- culiar religious practices. These Mexicans are all Catholics. un- educated and crude, and their barbarous customs seem to belong to the past rather than to the present civilized age. Each man believes in doing penance for his sins during Lent every year. The punishments they inflict upon themselves are horribly severe, and a few years ago it 7as not uncommon to hear of some poor Penitente, or HBrother of Liglltll. beating himself to death or ex- hausting himself by carrying heavy eroSses over rough stony trails. Men were even crucified. Because of these extreme measures. stringent laws have been passed against, their praetiees. However. in spite of the laws. they do continue their ernel customs to a great extent, though they are very careful now to keep their performances as inconspicuous as possible and Visitors are decidedly unwelcome. Three years ago the faculty and a few students of the Normal University in Las Vegas. New Mexico. planned to spend Good Friday at Teealote, a small pueblo, about twelve miles distant. Our main object was to see, if possible, the special eeremonies ot' the penitentes held on that day. Our Spanish professor. Mr. lmeero, who was a native of the highest elass of Mexieans. was to act as interpreter. protector and peareemaker. It was he who advised us to take a. box of food and supplies as a peace offering and had it not been for Mr. Lueerols ttpeaeemakingl, we probably would not have been allowed to camp for the day on a hill oppo- site the Morada, or meeting place of the Brothers. The man who came out and accepted the provisions. told us that there had been three ceremonies before we arrived twhieh was about eleven oleloekl but that, according to sacred rites, there must be one more before Good Friday had passed. NVe were determined to wait until midnight if necessary. The Morada was. in this case built of logs. There were few windows. When the door was opened we could see that it was very dark within. Candles were burning in one end of the room. Through the long afternoon, while we waited, several times visitors arrived in groups from other Moradas. We studied them through field glasses from a distance and noticed that in each group were two or three who were doing penance, but when they came nearer, they covered themselves so that we could not see. These few were stripped to the waist, wore only one garment of white and were barefoot. Some were bound with ropes. The other men surrounded them and chanted a monotonous dirge as they walked. As evening came on. we hid in the bushes to get a closer view of the Morada and its surroundings. At that dusky period between sunset and moonrise, we witnessed the thross Cere-