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

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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-

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WHITE AND GOLD 19 ? monyy . Leading from the log house was a narrow beaten path marked by crosses about thirty feet apart. The last cross. which was at some distance from the Morada. was about. ten feet high and very heavy. When the Penitentes tiled out of the house and started down the path. we eould see that one man r'as scantily clothed. He was bending nearly to the ground and we could hear him lashing himself at each step. It was so dark by this time that we could not tell what kind of scourge he carried. though often a. many-hladed spiny eaetus is used. With this it does not take many of the heavy blows to draw the blood. To shrink from the blow, to lessen its force. or to utter a ery of pain would mean cruel penanee. indeed. top one of the rules of the order has always been that any show of weakness must he expiated by long and painful ceremonies. sometimes resulting: in death. The men who accompanied this Penitente were white robes. They chanted mournfully. pausing at each eross to pray. When this slow procession reached the end of the path. the heavy cross was lowered and tied upon the Penitentels back. It was so heavy that it bore him down almost to the ground. Still he continued to wield the lash. To add to the awful weirdness ot' the. scene. the moon rose and east its ghostly light upon the sufferer and his cross and the sound of distant chanting came from near and far. mingling with the doleful songs of these frenzied ttllernianosll. At each cross the man knelt, p'ayed. and then struggling to his feet with his heavy burden. resumed his stumbling way. The stones cut his bare feet. The wind ehilled him. The scourge did its work without merey. Each time he knelt. it seemed that he would not be able to rise again, But, he never faltered. After the men had returned to the Morada, we crept eloser. horrified, yet fascinated. We eould hear strange soumlsethe dragging of chains and blows of heavy seourges within. Other processions arrived as they had during the afternoon. Now all were clad in white and carried torches. From distant Moradas. mournful wails and dirges floated to our ears. The chanting grew fainter. then louder. but never ceased. At nine oleloek, students and teachers assembled and left the terrible scene, horror-striekeu and wondering: that sueh things could be tolerated in a Christian nation, and only twelve miles From a civilized modern city. E1 SENIOR MUSINGS BY MARY GOOCH Yon Senior hath a stern and learned look. She. thinks too muehesueh girls are dangerous. This. above all--hand in thy lesson plan And it must follow. as Leovy does Miss Lamb, Thou eanst not then he failed by any man. Fear not. that when the faculty, closing your account and mineeshall know the like no more. The grand old Normal from her halls has poured Hundred of students like us. and will pour.