Courageousness and the Asiatic Pacific Theater

Last week I helped someone who was doing research for the Names Project. The project honors “New Mexico’s 200th and 515th Coast Artillery (Anti-aircraft) units” which “served with bravery” and sacrifice “in the defense of Luzon, Bataan and Corregidor” during World War II. There was a memorial held in Albuquerque today to honor these brave champions. It was interesting that the very same day I helped that man,  I had an email come in through a list serve about the historical preservation efforts taking place with the Library of Congress.

It makes me sad to think that I never had a chance to meet or speak with my maternal grandfather about his service in the Asiatic Pacific Theater during WWII. I have so many questions I wish I could ask. I wonder what he was feeling when he left the United States on a ship of nervous men headed to the Far East? My grandpa Phil entered the service less than a year after the Fall of the Philippines in 1942. I wonder if he was scared leaving his family behind knowing that close to 2,000 New Mexico soldiers had been forced by the Japanese to march over 60 miles when the Philippines went down? I think he arrived in Manilla, but I need to confirm that. His arrival to the Far East came in 1945, just a few months before the Assault on Luzon (codename S~Day). I am not sure if he was part of that, but I need to find out.

The sacrifices that our soldiers make leave me in awe. It must be mentally taxing to leave your homeland not knowing if you will return. This month I will take time to remember the soldiers who sacrificed for us during the Asiatic Pacific Theater of World War II. Thank you to my grandpa Phil~ the grandpa I never had the chance to meet. He passed away right before I was born.

Timeline of Asiatic Pacific Theater of Operations of World War II
1939~1945~ World War II
1941~1946~ Asiatic Pacific Theater
1941~ December~ Japanese Attacked Pearl Harbor and two sites near Manila, Philippines
1941~1942~ Philippines Campaign (Bataan Peninsula)
1942~ January~ Battle of Bataan Begins (15,000 captured and interned)
1942~ April~ Fall of the Philippines/Bataan Death March
1942~ December~ Date of Induction~ Phil Garcia
1945~ February and March~ Smallpox/Typhoid/Tetanus Immunizations~ Phil Garcia
1945~ August~ Date of Departure~ Asiatic Pacific Theater~ Phil Garcia
1945~ September~Date of Arrival~ Asiatic Pacific Theater~ Phil Garcia
1945~ January~ Assault on Luzon (codename S~Day)
1946~ February~ Phil Garcia crossed the 180º Meridian toward the USA
1946~ February~ Date of Separation~ Phil Garcia

Restraint is Exhausting

The Lil Men (Daryn and Isaiah) for Easter~ 3.31.2013

I’m resting after a long day of restraint. I don’t know if I’m physically exhausted from being out and about or mentally exhausted from resisting lots of candy and my mom’s frito pies? My aunt kept telling me “but it’s Easter!?” I decided it was better to skip the deep fried chips because the track was closed today. We went by and I was ready to run in the sun, but the locked gates seemed to say “go the heck home!”

We spent the afternoon at a park here in Santa Fe. I grew up playing at that park. It was a beautiful day. The boys had a good ole time running amuck. My sis and I played a basketball game against the two lil men and we lost! When my cousin got there with his two lil girls, I didn’t know what to think!? I’m so not accustomed to frilly/sheer dresses and tights! Haha…. Time for some RnR– hummmm or maybe some cardio!

I hope you all had a
Happy Easter!

~~~Felicia

A Token of Appreciation

~Christmas Corsages~
by Felicia Lujan

Tonight I listened to President Obama’s memorial service speech in Connecticut while I did something special for a few people from my son’s school. If I didn’t believe in connectivity I would think it was merely coincidental. It was an occurrence in sync with the world’s thoughts. I was glad that I was able to listen in while I worked with love. It was easy to absorb the words of a father and leader. I reflected on things in my own life. Obama actually included scripture that my friend Marlene posted on my site yesterday.

It is important to show Daryn’s teacher, my maternal aunt Mary (who also happens to be the secretary), another secretary, three ladies who work in the lunchroom, the principal and the assistant principal how much I appreciate them. I appreciate them making my son feel like he is more then a number. I appreciate them taking the time to smile everyday. I appreciate them helping me out when I forget my son’s breakfast in the morning or his money for school store. I appreciate them standing in the freezing cold each morning holding a little flag to make sure students cross the road safely.

My grandma Corine always loved getting a handmade corsage for Christmas. There is not one time I can remember that I made her one and she did not wear it proudly. Sometimes I miss being a floral designer. Creativity and giving both make me feel so good. In total I made seven corsages and one boutonniere. They are beautiful. I hope that each time someone compliments the flowers they wear tomorrow they remember how special they are. Hopefully this small token of appreciation will bring warmth in the cold.

~Corsage Prep~

~Christmas Corsage~
by Felicia Lujan

~Gift Bags for Corsages~
Daryn put the bells on the gift bags.

Yesterday’s Memories

~~~Thanksgiving 2012~~~

~Grandma and the Boys~

~Grandma and the Boys~

~La Familia~

~Daryn and Isaiah~

~Felicia and Daryn~

Total Body Nutrition Opens in Santa Fe

According to Elizabeth Walker and Alan Brown, “many small business owners are motivated to start a business on the basis of lifestyle or personal factors.” These two researchers published their findings through Edith Cowan University in Australia. What Success Factors are Important to Small Business Owners was published in the International Small Business Journal in 2004. Walker and Brown determined that “non-financial goals could lead to alternative measures of success,” with “lifestyle criteria” and “pride in the job” assisting in success. With countless hours of fitness knowledge and training behind them, a local trio has opened Total Body Nutrition (TBN).

~Co-owners Freddie Martinez and Matt Peterson~
(co-owner Nick Salazar not pictured)
Total Body Nutrition (TBN) in Santa Fe
October 27, 2012

The trio is comprised of Freddie Martinez, Matt Peterson, and Nick Salazar. Freddie and Matt are my cousins on my maternal line and we are connected through the Valdez family from Mora, New Mexico. “Santa Fe’s newest nutrition bar specializing in AdvoCare products,” carries hand crafted protein shakes, energy drinks, and organic coffee. A special lounge area is in the works for the nutrition bar, as well as an assortment of fitness classes. Together these three young business owners will be making a difference by offering a well known health product line. TBN sells products in bulk or supplements in the nutrition bar. Walking in you can see the owners blending protein meal replacement shakes with low calories, 24 grams of protein and only 2 grams of fat. So far their best seller seems to be a “powered up” coffee drink “with protein instead of sweetener,” but they also serve fresh hot coffee. The healthy energy drinks served in the bar utilize “B vitamins and amino acids for energy which prevent the crash” and risks associated with other energy drinks.

Both Matt and Freddie have been training in the gym for close to twenty years. Each has also been a personal trainer here in Santa Fe for over a decade, though Freddie now focuses his energy elsewhere. The local firefighter now lends his knowledge to train rookie firefighters during tier 17 week boot camp. He also teaches group fitness classes such as “The Cage,” which is a custom designed “theatrical intense cardio class for all ages.” This class in addition to Summa, boot camp and cardio kick boxing are to be offered at TBN. Nick is offering TBN his knowledge in weight lifting and his technological expertise. The nutrition bar has employed live digital menus on a big screen, a Facebook page, a developed website and a sales module to complete online orders. Going even further, the trio decided to offer WiFi, they will be playing high definition music videos, and/or playing soothing music through a Bose Surround Sound System.

I am an avid believer in the fitness of body and mind, so I asked Freddie how years of training would help him intellectually to run this business. He said “I have been training since I was very young- nearly 18 years. I think all the years of my own trial and error with supplements will help to guide people in the right direction. I know my plans work. They are tried and true. I know what makes a supplement clean and safe but still effective. I want to share my knowledge with people and guide them down the right path to a healthy life style, so they can enjoy life at the level I know is possible.” He also added that “everybody should able to play basketball with their grand kids!!”

~Total Body Nutrition (TBN) in Santa Fe~
October 27, 2012

In 2000, Gleeson and Bishop published Elite Athlete Immunology: Importance of Nutrition. Their research was published through the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences with the University of Edgbaston in England. The International Journal of Sports Medicine allowed these researchers to conclude that “heavy prolonged exertion is associated with numerous hormonal and biochemical changes, many of which potentially have detrimental effects on immune function.” Improper nutrition and “poor nutritional status” can compromise our immune systems. As “dietary deficiencies of protein and specific micronutrients have long been associated with immune dysfunction,” it may be a good idea to visit TBN. Maybe you can try that fancy coffee while you are at it!

Total Body Nutrition (TBN)
Phone: (505).983.7300
Website: http://www.tb-nutrition.com
Address: 506 West Cordova Rd, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
(next to the Santa Fe Baking Company~ don’t go there LoL )

Ray John’s Historical Gem

Hidden History of Spanish New Mexico by Ray John de Aragon

Autograph of Ray John de Aragon

In the first week of October I received Ray John de Aragon’s newest book in the mail. “Hidden History of Spanish New Mexico” is sure to be a gem. At first glance, the content list is all inclusive. The book has a beautiful jacket and contains a wealth of valuable stories. Some titles on his content list include: The Different Faces of the Iberian Peninsula; Reconquista; Aztecs; Chief Joseph; and the Bataan Death March.

I found it curiously coincidental that one of his historical nuggets was titled “The Black Plague,” because today I did refer to myself as “The Black Death” (well to some anyhow– haha—). Ray likely knew that the first section I would turn to would start on page 98. I did read “Curanderas” first. Curanderas are natural healers who also draw on the power of prayer to help the sick and cursed. On page 100, I found a small handwritten note from Ray which read “my great grandmother Dona Catalina who delivered me…” Apparently Dona Catalina Mondragon de Valdez was a noted healer in her day. This woman is also a likely place where Ray and I intersect on a genealogical level as I have both the Mondragon and Valdez surnames on my maternal line in Mora, New Mexico.

Other interesting images include: a penitente and his family in Las Vegas, New Mexico (ca 1879); Margarito Romero and his family in El Porvenir. The Romero family owned the Romero Mercantile Company in Las Vegas; artwork by Ray’s talented wife- Rosa Maria Calles; religious icons and imagery; and an image of Colonel Manuel Antonio Chavez “El Leoncito.”

Ray best describes his new book in the last paragraph of his introduction when he says “many roots created the one tree we call Hispanic, with branches that spread throughout the world. Understanding these roots and branches, and having a deeper insight into Hispanos in New Mexico and their place in a history that is mostly concealed, is what this book is about.” This book will definitely shine on as a gem for centuries to come.

Ray’s Great Grandmother was Dona Catalina Mondragon de Valdez a Curandera from the Mora Valley-pg100

11*****Posted using WordPress for BlackBerry*****11

The Concha Belt

Today is my maternal grandmother’s birthday. I believe she would have been 96 today. My grandma Corine absolutely loved to celebrate her birthday. One of the cutest photos I have of her is with a little helium balloon floating over her while she sported a tiny birthday hat and a big smile. Her birthday and mine fall in the same month as the Fiestas de Santa Fe~ “a New Mexico tradition since 1712.” I wish my grandma would have been around this year to see the Fiestas de Santa Fe mark a 300 year anniversary. She surely would have been celebrating by wearing her silver squash blossom necklace and her favorite “butterfly design” concha belt. Not long ago, one of my mom’s younger sisters passed on my grandma’s belt. The belt has become one of the precious treasures in our family collection which I will preserve and care for until I myself die.

~~Corine Garcia’s “Butterfly Design” Concha Belt~~

I am sure that my grandma’s concha belt must be at least 30-40 years old. Since she loved to have her picture taken, I was sure I would be able to find a few of her wearing it. The earliest image I was able to find was one taken of her in her front yard in July of 1984. She was obviously already in fiesta mode with her cowgirl hat cocked to the side, some shades, her cowgirl boots, and a denim outfit with her concha belt as the center piece. A couple of weeks ago, I decide to wear the belt. I was surprised to see just how many compliments I got that day. My friend Gail was the first to say she liked the belt~ and I quickly said it was my grandma’s. She told me the belt was likely worth at least $1,000 because of the price of silver. Actually I think it is worth much more than that because one can put no price on intrinsic value. Others complimented me on the belt and said that “the conchas were a unique shape” and that the belt “was very eye catching.” It made me feel proud to think that my grandma had such good taste and style. She was a fashionable woman~ and she always took care of herself right up until her last days by painting her nails and wearing her best jewelry.

Grandma Corine and Felicia

For those of you who don’t know what a concha belt is, here is a very brief history. The first news articles I was able to locate were printed by the Albuquerque Tribune in the late 1950s and early 1960s. At one point, the Duke of Albuquerque helped “the duchess adjust a Navajo concha belt that was presented to the titled visitor by the Fred Harvey Co.” In 1959 the Las Vegas Optic printed an article titled “1959 Fiesta Show Opens In Santa Fe” on the same page where fashion show model “Mrs. R.D. Jameson” was featured. Apparently Mrs. Jameson was “always well groomed” and sported “tailored fashions.” The article said “informally at home or attending to her many duties in town,” Mrs. Jameson was “a familiar sight in her pleated squaw skirt cinched with a concha belt and topped with an always immaculate white blouse held at the neck with a silver conch.” By this time it was apparent to me that the concha belt was culture blind~ it was and may still be in style.

~~Corine Garcia in July of 1984~~
My maternal grandmother strikes a pose “Santa Fe Style” fiesta mode with her cowgirl hat cocked to the side, some shades, her cowgirl boots, and a denim outfit with her concha belt as the center piece.

The only historical article I was able to locate on the concha belt was printed in the 1959 Tribal Fair Edition of the Gallup Daily Independent. This article titled “Navajos Began Concha Belt,” said that these belts have been part of “the southwest for many years and have been also been adopted by non-Indians as part of the casual western style of dress.” The belts “contain a series of mounted stones, usually, turquoise.” and the word concha derives “from the Spanish word meaning shell because of the use of silver medallions, lightly raised in design that are used in rows and fastened to the belt proper, with other-strips of leather.” This article says that the belts date back to around 1860, but I would need to research more primary source documents before I could really confirm any of this.

There were also articles through the 70s and 80s, and by 1990 the New York Times News Service had picked up on the fashion trends of the Southwest. New Yorkers were buying up broomstick skirts and gathered three-tiered skirts with hand-stitched designs. One of these skirts was actually named “The Fiesta.” Wow~ when it came to the concha belt, New Mexico was ahead of the fashion capitals of the United States. If my grandma was alive, I would have loved to tell her that she played an early part in a fashion movement that is still around today. There may have been no better gift to give her for her birthday than that news!?

To Remember: Keep the Flame Alive

Stone Altar and Candle
Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

Wooden Entrance Sign
Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

Exterior of Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

Since so many of my Valdez family members have recently discovered my site, it is only right that I highlight some history of the Mora Valley tonight. There are some that are far away and my not have a chance to visit the area often. I decided to share some photos I took during a recent funeral of one of the Valdez men- Gary. May he rest in peace. When his funeral ended I took some time to walk around by myself and really absorb the history of this scared place. This is the church where my maternal great grandmother and great grandfather married. Historically, the plaza which envelopes the church was once known as Santa Gertrudis Lo de Mora, which is the present day town of Mora. Church registers can be found in the 1845 Mexican Census and offer a rare glimpse into early settlers of the valley.

1981 painting of Santa Gertrudis Church in 1890s
Artist- Fred Olivas
Mora, New Mexico

This church is the last remnant of the original plaza. The church was destroyed by fire in the mid 1960s, but was rebuilt a stones throw from main street in the same exact location. I will have to ask my mom and Ernie if they remember that? There are still several historic buildings on the property. This area is on the National Register of Historic Places and includes parish buildings, a small convent, educational sites, and some houses. It is amazing to think about how the population changed in Mora over the decades. I am not sure what the total population is today, however in 1860 there were over 5,500 people living in the area. By 1920, the population was just under 14,000 and by 1970 it had dwindled down to about 4,600. The 1860 census documents several carpenters in the Mora Valley who were French-Canadian. I have linked the maternal side of my family (through a prenuptial investigation) to French-Canadian ancestry.

Stained Glass Window
Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

In 1950, the famed historian, Fray Angelico Chavez said that some buildings in Mora exhibited “French rural flavor” with regard to architecture. Some of these “French” designs included Gothic Revival exteriors with the use of stone and pitched roofs, such as the “board-and-wood-shingle pitched roof” which was once on the church. I find it interesting to think that some of my relatives may have contributed to the architectural history of this small and beautiful Catholic church. My maternal grandmother was Corina Valdez y Brisal de Garcia. My grandma Corine was a Mora girl at heart, but she passed away in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was the oldest of five children born to Alfonso Valdez and Felicitas Brisal. I am named after my great grandma Felicitas. I do know that my great grandparents were married in Santa Gertrudis Church on November 27, 1915. They would have married in the original church building before it was destroyed by fire. I do wish I knew what the inside looked like then? If my grandma was still alive, I could ask her.

Baptismal Pool
Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

My grandma was born to her mother and father on September 24, 1916. She was baptized on October 2 that same year. Her godmother and godfather were her grandparents (my maternal great great grandparents) Roman Valdez and Porfiria Maes. There were four other children to follow my grandma. These children were: Maximinio Valdez (born in 1918); Jose Eugenio Valdez (born in 1920); Maria Lara de Jesus Valdez (born in 1922); and the final child was Crecencia (Cres/Chencha) Valdez (born in 1926). I am sure each and every one of these family members were baptized in this church, which made my visit to the church that much more special. I can’t explain the feeling of awe I get to travel the path of those who came before me. Visiting that church that day also reminded me how important it is for us to remember. It is important to remember those who were blessed in a sacred place and those who were laid to rest in a scared place. It is our duty to keep the historic flame alive.

Virgin Mary
Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

Stained Glass Window
Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

Angel
Santa Gertrudis Church
Mora, New Mexico
~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~

My Sun Symbol and Special Things

………………….
I will love the light for it shows me
the way. Yet I will endure the
darkness for it shows me the stars.
~Og Mandino
………………….

~~Sun Wind Chime~~
The sun is one of my symbols and after
taking the photo, I realized that another
of my symbols is in the background~ bird.
That is a bird house that my son Daryn and I
made together and then painted last summer.

On Tuesday I had a surprise visit from my godmother. She dropped by my work to bring me a birthday gift. I love that my friends and family know me so well. I did adore every single thing I was given this year. When I opened her gift, I couldn’t believe that there was yet another of my symbols~ the sun. Her gift included light (in the form of a large cherry scented candle) and a silver wind chime (with a sun face). So funny… The chime was small and sounded beautiful. I am one of the rare people who would say that the absolute best present I received came in the form of paper. I always say I am such a nerd, but I do love it! After I opened my gift my aunt Rita turned to me and said “and…….I have been wanting to give you these.” I stood silent as she pulled a blue booklet and aged paper from mid-air. She opened each and shared them with me. My first words were “this is the best birthday present I was given.” The two items belonged to my maternal grandmother who has passed away. The 5 year anniversary of her death passed only days ago. It is also her birthday on September 24. My godmother had given me my grandma’s original diploma and marriage license. These are two items I have never seen and that I do not have in my archival collection of family papers. What a gift…. I am smiling just thinking about it. I think my grandma would be happy to know they were given to me. She knew how much I adore history~and simply just how much I care.

~~1933 Public School Diploma~~
The diploma belonged to my maternal
grandmother Corina Valdez.
She graduated in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

 

~~1933 Public School Diploma~~
The diploma belonged to my maternal
grandmother Corina Valdez.
She graduated in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

 

~~1941 Marriage License~~
The license belonged to my maternal
grandparents Filadelfio Garcia and Corina Valdez.
The certificate is a civil marriage record and
was recorded in Mora, New Mexico.

The Saloon: A Piece of Me

Hillside near the Mora Cemetery where my great great
maternal grandfather Roman Valdez was laid to rest.
**Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)**

**A SHORT BACKGROUND**

Recently I was taken to see a building on the main drag in Mora, New Mexico. One of my oldest Valdez relatives gave me a personal tour of the street in the small town which my maternal ancestors called home, and my contemporaries call home. With the help of Facundo Valdez, I have slowly been collecting pieces of my Valdez family history. There was one particular building I was most interested in that day. It was the site of a former saloon and possible restaurant owned by my family. The Valdez family goes back in that area farther than people can remember first hand, but Jose Maria Valdez was instrumental in securing the Mora Land Grant. In 1851, he and Vicente Romero submitted a petition to secure the grant for the settlers of Mora. On my last visit to Mora, I captured many stories and took a variety of photographs, but for tonight I wanted to share my trials and tribulations with this particular piece of that history.

In 2004, I conducted an oral history interview with Facundo Valdez. In that interview he told me that my great great maternal grandfather Roman Valdez owned a saloon on the main street in Mora. The following week I checked the New Mexico Business Directories and did not find the saloon. I was very disappointed. Shortly after my maternal grandmother passed away in 2007, I decided to check the directories again. I had a feeling that she was encouraging me supernaturally to do so. I couldn’t believe it when I located an entry! As a writer I was very familiar with widows and orphans in typesetting, and to my amazement, I fell victim to just that. I had missed the entry a million times because it was a dangler under the next alphabetical town! My grandmother once told me that she would sing in the saloon as a young girl. I think she wanted me to find that entry and I did. There it was plain as day on page 400 of the 1906 New Mexico Business Directory, which reads “Valdez Roman A, saloon.”

**Archuleta Bar**
The former location of the saloon owned by my
great great maternal grandfather in Mora, New Mexico.
**Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)**

**TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF MY VALDEZ RESEARCH**

So far I can confirm that there was a saloon named after my great great maternal grandfather Roman Valdez. I have now confirmed the site and have taken photographs of the building which currently stands marked “Archuleta Bar” in black spray paint. This bar was “owned and operated” for over 25 years by Frances Archuleta who passed away in 2003. Her maiden name was also Valdez. In the 1880 Territorial Census, Roman Valdez was living in Herreras (Mora). He was 24 years old, and he was a “farmer.” His wife Porfiria was 21 years old. Here is my problem— I am stumped with the 1900 census records (12th US Census- Precinct 1- Mora County). There are two Roman Valdez men captured there in the same precinct, but I have a strong feeling they are the same man. Not only do they live in the same precinct, they are notably close to the same age? One man is listed as a “Bar Tender,” but was married to a Margarita Valdez. I do not recognize this woman’s name? She was 20 years younger than he, which is significant and there was an Ortega “sister” in the household?

According to a handwritten pedigree chart I obtained sometime back from Gabriel Meléndez my cousin, the Ortega surname is in this line. That chart should be accurate, as Meléndez is the Professor and Chair of the American Studies Program with the University of New Mexico. The age of this Roman Valdez and his profession is right on and in line with the 1906 ownership of a saloon, but what about the other entry in the 1900 census? That entry lists Roman Valdez with his wife, and my great great maternal grandmother Porfiria Maes. Could Roman have been married to two women simultaneously? I am not sure? Since it has been a few years since I have seen Gabriel, I may need to contact him and see what else he has come up with in regard to our family history? By 1915, the Valdez Saloon disappears from the New Mexico Business Directory, and by 1920 Roman was again listed as a “farmer” at 62 years old with Porfiria Maes Valdez (his wife) at 61 years old (14th US Census- Precinct 1- Mora County).

(LEFT) Photograph of my great great maternal grandfather Roman Valdez. The photo was given to me by Facundo Valdez Jr., and was found in Santiago Chapel behind a picture of the Virgin Mary. My great maternal grandfather Alfonso Valdez helped rebuild the chapel for the 3rd time in 1942 along with his brother Candido Valdez and other builders from the Mora Valley who cared to restore it.
(RIGHT) Tombstone of Roman Valdez in Mora, New Mexico
**Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)**

I will need to confirm that Roman died on April 2, 1924. My uncle took me to the grave site and I took beautiful photos of the tombstone and the hillside near the cemetery. Maybe I will ask to be buried there as well? I will need to track down a sacramental burial record and a certificate of death to confirm that he was about 67 years old when he died. He was still very young if that’s the case. So you see there is still so much to iron out, but at least I now have photographs of a site I have been wanting to visit for a very, very long time- the Roman Valdez Saloon.

Becoming a Thriller

Last week I attended the funeral of one of my Valdez cousins in Mora, New Mexico. The day was bitter sweet and the emotional extremes seemed endless. I went to Mora to say my final goodbyes and pay condolences to my Tia Nelly. Funerals there are always beautiful. When I die, maybe I will request that Mora is my final resting place- there on the mountain- close to nature- so that my spirit can be released into endless clouds. That day I took my notebook, pencils, some old notes, my iPod, and a list of things I wanted to do while I was out there with history in mind. I shed many tears that day. I thought about many things. I contemplated what had transpired in the place where many of my maternal ancestors laid their heads. With my list in hand, the Virgo in me neatly checked off each task. The task I will talk about tonight involves one of my many memories of Mora.

Cresencia Valdez’s Old Home in Mora, New Mexico

This memory is tied to my Grandma’s sister, Cresencia. Cresencia went by a few nicknames- Cres, Chencha, Chench, and I liked to call her Chenchi. She passed away several years ago. Chenchi grew up in Mora and passed away in Santa Fe. She had a home in Mora until right before she died. When she moved to Santa Fe as a young woman, she kept the home. She and other family members stayed in the home when they visited Mora. This was usually during the Fiestas. As the years marched on, the home was slowly used less and less, except by us kids. This is one reason that the home was on my list of places to document. When I asked about the home, my mom told me that a cousin from Albuquerque had purchased the home and that all the windows and doors were boarded up. It seemed like it may not be worth a try to take a look at the old home, but I still wanted to go and check it out. The day had grown dark and it was raining.

Cresencia Valdez’s Old Home
Mora, New Mexico
Rain was moving through when I took this picture.

After the funeral I visited the home. I went in alone… I was lucky that I found a way in! I have to say that it was really scary in there. The house was completely dark except for the light coming in from the opening I found, and the attic window. Ahhhh- the attic– this was where I needed to be. I fought back all my fear of the dark and grasped my love of it. I held my breath and went up the stairs. I couldn’t believe it. It still looked the same. Me and all of my cousins would sneak into the house to play when we were not supposed to. As we got older, we would sneak off from our property after midnight to tell scary stories in that attic. The best memory I have of the attic was becoming a Thriller. That was back when ghetto blasters, and pants with zippers were hot. Looking back, I guess I have always been intrigued with the darker side of things and music. I had a Michael Jackson cassette tape and some nice speakers to ooze the sounds which declared “cause this is Thrilla…” I have to laugh thinking about it now. I was one of the oldest cousins and I remember making all the younger ones play the zombies from the Thriller music video. My cousins would all hide behind things in the attic and would slowly creep out when you heard the “da, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun…” Anyone who has heard that song will know that beat- haha… Who hasn’t heard that song??

Stairs to the Attic- Valdez Home
Mora, New Mexico

The Attic- Valdez Home
Mora, New Mexico

Window in the Attic- Valdez Home
Mora, New Mexico

Those were the times. I love to remember those times. We had a blast back then. I snapped a few pics of the attic after sifting through illusions of laughter and music. I made my way back down the stairs to look around. It was so dark in the rooms that I couldn’t see anything at all. Maybe a chair or two and an old TV. I kept thinking how scary it would be if there was someone in there. The fear got the best of me at one point and I almost turned around and walked out. When I was about to bail, I looked up and saw a wooden cross hanging above the door still. All of the sudden, the fear disintegrated. I took my iPod and tried to use it for light to no avail. Then the most freaky thing happened. Out of the shadows came a real pitbull. No really- a big, huge, bigger than hell pit. Well that did it. My feet had left the building faster than my mind could react! I may have sprinted faster then ever after that happened. What the? Anyhow— I did “run” away with some memories in hand! Now that’s a Thrilla!!!

Why Wait to Learn About Crypto Connections?

Journal of Spanish, Portuguese,
and Italian Crypto-Jews
Cover of Volume I, Spring 2009

One thing I hate about the summer is my lack of time. There are always so many things going on- far more than I can successfully grasp! One conference I am sorry that I will miss is the 22nd Annual Conference of the Society for Crypto Judaic Studies. The conference will be held next week in Albuquerque, New Mexico from July 22-24, 2012. I would have loved to attend a special session being presented by a group of scholars, historians and genealogists. I know two of them very well. Exploring Hispano Family History, a genealogy workshop, will be presented by historian and genealogist José Antonio Esquibel, Henrietta Martinez Christmas, and a few others. I have been very interested in the scholarly studies being unearthed in this area. The oral history of my maternal line denotes a possible connection to Crypto-Jewish ancestry. When the DNA of my maternal line was analyzed not long ago, the DNA came back Native American. I believe that oral traditions hold firm ground in history, and so there must be a connection somehow linking the great grandmother I was named after to Crypto-Jewish ancestry. Her family came from Portugal through Canada in the 1800s. A great publication to check out is the Journal of Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian Crypto-Jews. The journal contains the comprehensive research of contemporary scholars if you are interested in studies of this nature. My maternal DNA or mtDNA did return with a Native American result, so I have come to an educated conclusion that the Crypto-Jewish connection is not directly maternal. I think that the missing link may actually be my great grandmother’s father. If I wasn’t already attending the NAGARA/CoSA Conference here is Santa Fe, I would have planned to learn more about Crypto Judaic Studies. The Chair of the agency I work for is a Senior Adviser to the Board of the Society for Crypto Judaic Studies. He is also a founding member of the society. Dr. Stanley Hordes is a Former New Mexico State Historian who wrote a book titled To the End of the Earth (a must read). I have had many, many conversations with Dr. Hordes, who always insists I call him Stan.  At one point when my grandmother was alive, he wanted to interview her. Unfortunately, she passed away before he ever had the opportunity. I could kick myself a million times because I have missed so many chances to learn more about my family history just waiting for tomorrow. Don’t wait! Learn more today…

Our Market: Chicken, Candy and Smiles

Photograph I took of Johnny’s Market
May of 2012 – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Photograph I took of some of my Garcia Cousins
September 2007 – Santa Fe, New Mexico
Grandma Corine’s Funeral
From left to right and top to bottom- Marcus, Andres,
Mark, Toby, Lawrence, Michael, Julian, Jessica,
Evangeline, Melanie, Audrey, Corine, Jeremy, Jamie,
Shaylina, Miranda, Elora, Jasmine, Jackie, Isaiah
(my nephew), Thomas (my brother), Phillip, Justin, and Chris.

From the late 80s to the early 90s, I spent a large amount of time in Santa Fe, even though I was from Pojoaque. We were in Santa Fe at my maternal grandmother’s house every weekend. My grandma Corine passed away in September of 2007. I spent many hours in and around her home playing with my cousins. There were so many of us. We were all so different, still we had so much fun together. I am excited to share some of the best stories of my childhood not only with my readership, but with my cousins. I am sure they will enjoy a stroll down memory lane just as much as I.

In May of this year I went to Johnny’s Park. I’m not even sure that this is the real name of the park since it is a city park, but that was what we all called the park when we were growing up. Even today, we all still refer to the park as Johnny’s Park. That is because the park is right next door to Johnny’s Market. The market is now closed, but the original building still stands. The day I took a picture of the market there were so many memories which flickered in my mind. I miss those days. That market played a key role in my childhood. All of the kids who were at my grandma’s house on the weekend would walk to the park to play (even though I tell my nephew today that it is not safe to do that). After we played at the park, we were all very tired.

There were always a few things that we scraped our change together to buy from the market after a long hard play. Of course you know we just had to have some of the novelty candy. One of our favorite candies to buy were sugar straws. We also bought fire balls, ring pops, lemons, pickles, and anything else that would eat our teeth! The other things we always wanted to have enough in the money pool for was a Wonder Rotisserie Chicken. We also needed a jar of mayo and some white tortillas to go with that. As a team we headed back to my grandma’s and ate up! I don’t remember seeing so many smiles. Believe it or not, today I still eat rotisserie chicken like it’s going out of style. A rotisserie chicken is healthy if you remove the skin and pair it with other good things. I like to make tacos (not fried shells- no oil), chicken salad (no mayo), chicken and brown rice, or chicken wraps (on wheat tortillas).

In June I looked at the photo I took of the market several times. I decided since I didn’t know much about the history of the place I wanted to look into it. When we were small all we knew was that Harold was always working there. I think we may have caused him to get a few gray hairs back then because there were a bunch of us. We all loved that market and the park. After looking into the history of Johnny’s Market, to my surprise I discovered the owner was a Lujan! What the? I have been a Lujan since birth (shhhsss DNAerz)! Maybe I was related to the owner in some way? I don’t think so, but maybe?

John P. Lujan in Memories of War
Santa Fe New Mexican
July 10, 2005

I located the obituary of John P. Lujan. He passed away in March of 2003. His obituary said that “John was the original owner of Johnny’s Market on Tesuque Drive. He owned and operated his business from 1945 until his retirement in 1975. The business remained open until 1993 operated by his daughter (Patricia) and son-in-law (Harold Romero).” On July 10, 2005, the Santa Fe New Mexican ran a piece titled Memories of War and that piece featured John P. Lujan. It turns out that he also served his country, so he must be buried in the Santa Fe National Cemetery. The 2005 article says that Lujan “grew up in Espanola,” and he “was stationed with the US Army in Kansas City during the war.” His daughter Patricia was quoted as saying that her father “was an adventurous man who liked to experience new things in life.”

I don’t think I ever had the chance to meet Johnny, but I do know that his market will forever be remembered by everyone in my family. Even my mother Gloria (or Irene back then) and her siblings were patrons of the market! This man who “liked to experience new things,” gave the Garcia clan some of our most memorable childhood experiences. I will forever remember him for that. There is really nothing like community markets— they are one thing missing from our corporate world.

Article on Johnny’s Market
Santa Fe New Mexican
December 8, 1992

The Power of Scent: Yerba Buena

**Antique Peppermint Oil Bottle**
My grandma Corine always kept a bottle
like this near her bed. I do not remember a
label, but this looks just like the bottle
she kept there when she was alive.

Humans have such an intricate olfactory. The sensations and power we can get from the slightest or strongest smells have the ability to attract us, repel us, awaken us, and heal us. When I evoke memories of the past, one memory reminds me of my maternal grandmother and her love of peppermint oil. Today I read a post by my beautiful cousin Jessica, and it reminded me that I had been wanting to write about this. My cousin is a doula who has a deep appreciation and respect for natural healing as well as the world around her. Her most recent post featured a book about identifying, harvesting, and preparing wild plants which are edible. After reading about the book I remembered that even my mother loved peppermint. For many years we grew wild hierbabuena, a perennial herb which we used to make sun tea on a regular basis.

There were many staples my grandmother kept in her bedroom. Most staples were kept very close to her. I still remember her light colored bed with shelves where she kept pictures, prayer books, a rosary, and her little brown bottle of peppermint oil. Today I could swear that she used that bottle for literally everything that caused her pain. Before I looked up both the folk and scientific healing properties of this plant tonight, I may have thought the oil didn’t work for everything. The main things I remember her using it for was for what she called “a crazy head,” which was dizziness, a headache or maybe motion sickness. She also used it for her “dolores.” I would be talking with her and she would pop the top off and place the bottle right under her nose. Breathing in the scent of this essential oil always seemed to help her. I know she also rubbed it on her muscles and on her temples for a headache. I am sure that my grandma’s use of the peppermint plant and the oil went back even further, possibly to her grandmother. It is sad that I can no longer ask these questions as my grandma passed away several years ago.

**A Scent for Whatever Ails**
Santa Fe Reporter 9.2.1987
Here you can see some local
use of peppermint.

The absolute best source I found on medicinal plants was an online 458 page guide on the New York Botanical Garden web site. The online resource is titled Dominican Medicinal Plants: A Guide for Health Care Providers (2010). The guide was compiled and edited by Jolene E. Yukes and Michael J. Balick, PhD.  It also featured the input of close to 20 doctors, a vast array of health care professionals, and members of the community. The guide features Hierbabuena, and says that “other common names” are “Hierba buena, mentha, menta, toronjil, yerba buena (Spanish); mint, peppermint, spearmint (English).” This guide was the best one I found as it features aspects of folk medicine as well as scientific studies of the plant. The Dominican medicinal uses for peppermint included: anxiety, burns, muscle relaxant, diabetes, indigestion, menstrual cramps, minor skin abrasions, stomach aches and abdominal pain, stress, and uterine fibroids. Yes indeed the “traditional preparation” of the plant involved making “a tea by infusion or decoction.” I know I did drink a lot of tea with mint in it when I was a child. Even in adulthood, my mom would bring me baggies with fresh mint.

**Memorial Wreath for Corine Garcia**
When my grandma passed away, I made
her this wreath with my famous gold tipped
roses. There was one rose to represent
each of her children on the wreath.

Today I use peppermint oil daily. I also recently purchased a bottle for my mom and one for my sister. I do believe in the healing power of scent. This essential oil is invigorating. I have used the oil to make soaps and lotions. Putting a bit of that lotion under my nose and on my face before I hit the gym opens up my airways and energizes me. Like my grandma, I use it on my temples if I have a headache and on my muscles when they hurt. My favorite use of the oil is in a diffuser. A few drops of oil in some water can alleviate stress and promote warm feelings. The drops are even great directly in a candle to fill your room with a unique scent. I am a human with an intricate sense of smell. Scents can attract me, repel me, awaken me, and heal me, just as my memories do. Until today, I didn’t recall my mother’s use of mint? I do not recall her using it for medicinal purposes, however, I do recall her mother (my grandmother) doing so. It is always amazing to me when I make a generational connection like this- especially something passed from mother to daughter. Since I do not have a daughter, I will need to pass this tradition and knowledge on to my son.

Ancestral Puebloan Cry

*****Ancestral Puebloan*****
19 x 25 inch colored pencil and ink drawing
created by Felicia Lujan in about 1993.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom called me and told me that she had a couple of things to give me. She had come across an old colored pencil/ink drawing I created almost 20 years ago, and she also had the video footage of my college graduation. Of course I told her I wanted both back. Last weekend I watched the video footage. It was fun to watch in retrospect, but what was most important was a tiny piece of footage unrelated to my graduation. It was footage of my grandmother (now deceased) right at the beginning. I could have gone without the hour long video of me smiling and making funny faces at the camera for less than a minute of footage of my grandma. There were a few people in the shot, and I was apparently standing off to the side. My grandma Corine urged me to get in the frame. I cried when I heard her say my name in her cute little voice. After I watched the video, I stayed looking at my old, oversized artwork. It is rather mind blowing that I penciled this Ancestral Puebloan almost two decades ago way before I cared about my family history. I made the picture for my mother so many years before and had it framed for her. Ironically, I got my picture back from my mother, with a moving image of her mother, and my direct maternal DNA is tied to Native ancestry. Thinking back, I don’t remember why I selected that particular subject matter for the colored pencil/ink drawing? What matters now is the connection between each item and the subject matter, as well as how I feel about it. Everything happens for a reason. It was time for those two pieces of history from my maternal line to return to me.

*****Ancestral Puebloan*****
Framed 19 x 25 inch colored pencil and ink drawing
created by Felicia Lujan in about 1993.

********************
Ancestral Puebloan Cry

Earthen paths of directions lost,
link me to the strand of time.

Guide steps through knowledge gates
so I connect each dot to line.

Untie my hands to feel the past.
Tie what’s inside me to the stars.

Draw water from this flowing
stream and teach me of your wars.

I am bound by fire. Ancestor I
will endure and live another day.

Reveal the path, I’ll hear your cry
and bless your body where it lay.

Forge the sky to feed my heart,
which beats with Native drum.

Whisper to me on the wind–
where is my mother from?

********************

by Felicia Lujan_6.27.2012