October 03, 2008, La Alborada: Keeping traditions alive, By Edward Swift, Going to the dogs, By Jacqueline Hall, Vecinos Vigilantes holds park party at La Lejona Dos, By Judy McKay, Reptile expo adds snakes, American croc, Birthday of the world, By Carole J. Stone, Ettore Apolonio, El Amigo, has passed on, By Laura Rodríguez Torres, Eulogy for a gentle man, By Edgar Soberón

La Alborada: Keeping traditions alive
By Edward Swift October 3, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

La Alborada was introduced to San Miguel in 1924 by a group of textile workers who had come to La Aurora from Fábrica La Virgen in Ciudad Hidalgo, Michoacán, and Fábrica La Reforma in Salvatierra, Guanajuato.

The workers, under the capable direction of Don Camilio Gonzáles, organized this first Alborada in conjunction with the celebration of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, 1924. That year, the festivities started in front of Las Monjas church. That Alborada was a combination of traditions these two groups brought with them. They included music by the best local bands, processions carrying the honored saint, a colorful array of stars on poles, a 4am fireworks display, and the first appearance in San Miguel of the dancing mojigangas, the giant puppets of papier-mâché that continue to amuse us at almost every event. The task of reproducing the mojigangas fell to Don Ebodio García, and for that alone he should receive a crown or a park statue.

Today Emilio Ledesma, a former Aurora worker and union official, also known as “El Gordo,” is in charge of the construction and storage of the mojigangas. He works diligently to make sure that traditions so much a part of San Miguel’s past are preserved. He is also responsible for reproducing the giant stars on poles that are placed in front of the Parroquia by the ex-workers and families from Colonia Aurora. The stars represent the comets, the sun, the moon, the seven Pleiades, and for some reason no one seems to remember, the eyes of St. Lucy.

That first Alborada was such a success that the municipal officials and the priest from the Parroquia decided to incorporate it into the celebration of the town’s patron saint. That decree marked the first official Alborada, the feast day of San Miguel Arcángel, which was held on September 29, 1925.

Over the years there have been a few changes to the timetable and the order of events, but the festivities still culminate with the Saturday firework extravaganza that continues to attract hundreds of spectators, the most sensible of whom carry umbrellas as protection from the falling sparks.

Throughout all the changes made to the original Alborada, Fábrica la Aurora continued to play a major part in the events as well as the preparation. Early on a fund was created by the administration of the factory and the textile workers would make weekly contributions from their salaries in order to pay for the expenses, which included the fireworks and the music. When San Miguel was a small town there were no local musicians of the quality needed to honor a patron saint, so musicians were imported from various municipalities in the state of Guanajuato. A committee of textile workers would travel around the state for the purpose of listening to the various bands and selecting the best talent from such places as Salvatierra, Tarimoro, Santo Tomás, Ojo Seco or Apaceo el Alto.

For many years there were no roads in or out of San Miguel, so the musicians were brought in by train. They arrived on Friday afternoon and went directly to Fábrica la Aurora to play for the workers and other citizens of the town who would gather on the factory grounds. At 5pm, accompanied by the band and a makeshift cannon put together by the workers from Fábrica la Aurora, the procession carrying San Miguel would leave Colonia Aurora for the Jardín. In the Jardín the various bands entertained the crowd in anticipation of the arrival of the mojigangas, the stars, and the fireworks ushered in by the first blast from the factory’s cannon.

As the crowds in the Jardín grew larger and more exuberant, the Parroquia priest refused to allow the image of San Miguel to be carried through the revelry. The procession, with a smaller statue of San Miguel, was then moved to a time when the patron saint could be celebrated in a more dignified manner.

This procession now goes through several neighborhoods and finishes in Colonia Aurora, where the statue of San Miguel is kept overnight on a specially prepared altar in the home of Señora Natalia Morales, whose family has been involved in this celebration for more than 60 years.

On Friday, October 3, in keeping with the tradition started in 1925, La Banda de los Hermanos de Aguascalientes will arrive and play the first concert at 3:30pm in front of Fábrica la Aurora.

I urge you to attend this celebration, one of the happiest occasions on the San Miguel calendar. During last year’s concert we drank copious amounts of tequila, danced and made merry while the band, one of the best in Mexico, played on.

After this year’s concert, many of the artists of Aurora will open their studios and galleries for an art walk. The band will then proceed to Colonia Aurora, where the statue of San Miguel will be removed from its temporary altar and returned to the Parroquia.

For the return procession a young boy dressed as San Miguel Arcángel will ride on a float, a car elaborately decorated with flowers and tulle. He will be accompanied by several children dressed as little angels and, of course, los Hermanos de Aguascalients will provide the music for this procession. In the Jardín the music will continue into the night and the crowd will grow larger by the minute. Around 2am, the dancing mojigangas and the stars will once again arrive, and at 4am the firework display will usher in the dawn, all in honor of San Miguel Arcángel—and with special thanks to those early textile workers from La Virgin, La Reforma and Fábrica La Aurora.

21st Annual Dog Show
San Miguel Kennel Club
Sat, Oct 11, 10am
Sun, Oct 12, 9am
Hotel Real de Minas
Ancha de San Antonio, cnr Stirling Dickinson
Free

The San Miguel Kennel Club, affiliated with the Mexican Canine Federation (FCM) and the FCI of Brussels, hosts its annual All-Breed Dog Show next weekend.

Admission is free for spectators, there’s lots of parking and it’s an opportunity to see hundreds of Mexico’s best show dogs. The grounds of the hotel are beautiful; there are stalls for you to buy a present for your own champion and lunch is available at the hotel.

Bring your camera and make a day of seeing the Mexican champions perform in the ring!

All entries must be registered with the FCM and have microchips. The judges for this year will be Dr. Riad Mir Katrib (Mexico) and David Powers (California).

Registrations (150 pesos) may be sent by fax to 01(415)152-2347 accompanied by a deposit slip from Bancomer 134 Account #044-307-5494, Club Canofilo de San Miguel. Registration closes October 4, and a late charge will be levied up to October 8.

For further information, call (415) 152-0286.

Vecinos Vigilantes holds park party at La Lejona Dos
By Judy McKay

La Lejona Dos Park Party
Sat, Oct 18, 3–6pm
Calle Vicente Arias
Colonia La Lejona Dos

Sanmiguelenses are invited to bring their families to a “party in the park” celebration at the La Lejona Dos park and playground. The kermesse is in honor of local residents who, under the umbrella of their Vecinos Vigilantes (Neighborhood Watch) organization, are raising funds to complete improvements in the park, including a jogging/walking path made with bricks donated by the city. Further playground improvements include a kiosk and basketball court. The city’s donation of the bricks was made with the proviso that work on the project had to be started within one month of the donation, so the La Lejona group, joined by residents from adjoining Paseo Real, got to work immediately and organized a sale of raffle tickets at 25 pesos each to raise the approximately 100,000 pesos needed for labor and added materials to complete the project. The holder of the lucky ticket (which will duplicate the numbers drawn on the national lottery ticket of October 17) receives a prize of 5,000 pesos to be presented at the party, according to the Vecinos president, Sylvia Mendoza.

Workers Gerardo Ramírez and Leno Gonzáles work laying the new jogging/walking path.

Working together harmoniously, La Lejona Dos Vecinos Vigilantes have initiated a number of environmental improvement projects in addition to the creation of the local park and playground. These include recyling PET (plastic bottles), glass and cans; “clean-up days” during which residents pick up litter and trash from vacant lots and sidewalks; and the distribution of traffic and road safety alerts for residents. For more information on participating in the party in the park or to purchase raffle tickets, call Vecino Vigilantes public relations representative Judy McKay at 120-0920.

Reptile expo adds snakes, American croc

Expo Reptiles 2008
Daily through Oct 31, 10am–7pm
Bóveda de usos multiples
El Charco del Ingenio
10 pesos

The Expo Reptiles 2008 at El Charco del Ingenio has had about 3,800 visitors since it opened September 7. Entire families and students from various local schools have come to learn about the serpents and reptiles in the Expo.

The Bóveda, a multi-use space, is the site of the Expo. Twenty terrariums are strategically placed, ensuring that each species is clearly visible. Hermes Arroyo, an enthusiastic supporter of El Charco, installed the exhibit. General information about each species is available, and herpetologist Raúl Hernández and his assistant, Gustavo Contreras, from the herpetarium of San Luis de la Paz, are on hand to give explanations and answer questions.

Since last weekend, Expo Reptiles has added various types of pythons, the Querétaro rattlesnake, a cobra from India, an African snake and an American crocodile.

Unfortunately, many of us know little about the latter, even though this species evolved approximately 200 million years ago. There are currently 22 species in tropical areas around the world, of which three can be found in Mexico.

Every weekend at 11am and 5:30pm a one-hour talk about reptiles and the prevention and treatment of wounds inflicted by them is given.

Birthday of the world
By Carole J. Stone

Yom Kippur
Shalom San Miguel
Wed–Thu, October 8–9, evening
TV Salon, Hotel Quinta Loreto
Loreto 15

There are many names for the Jewish holidays that occur at this time of year. They are called, collectively, the “Days of Awe,” because at this time Jews are very close to G-d, asking forgiveness from sins and hoping to be “inscribed in the Book of Life” for another year.

They are also known by their separate names, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.

Rosh Hashana literally means “the head of the year.” This two-day holiday marks the beginning of the lunar Hebrew calendar. On Rosh Hashana, the Book of Life is said to be inscribed, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed. This is the book by which G-d judges us and our behavior both toward our religion and toward others. This holiday is also said to be the birthday of Adam and Eve. Rosh Hashana thus emphasizes the special relationship between G-d and humanity.

The central observance of Rosh Hashana is the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, which represents the trumpet blast of a people’s coronation of their ruler. The cry of the shofar is also a call to repentance, for Rosh Hashana is also the anniversary of humankind’s first sin and repentance and serves as the first of the “Ten Days of Repentance” culminating in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Another significance of the shofar is to recall the Binding of Isaac, which also occurred on Rosh Hashana, in which a ram took Isaac’s place as an offering to G-d; we remember Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice his son as we pray for a year of life, health and prosperity. Altogether, the shofar is sounded 100 times in the course of the Rosh Hashana service, which this year was observed September 29 through October 1.

Yom Kippur is known as the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It is considered the “Sabbath of Sabbaths.” Many otherwise secular Jews will refrain from working and attend religious services on this day. Yom Kippur is a fast day. Neither food nor drink is permitted. Many observant Jews also refrain from wearing leather and jewelry and from bathing and using lotions or perfume on this sacred day, in order to “afflict the soul.” At the end of this day the Book of Life is said to be sealed, so this is the last opportunity to demonstrate repentance and make amends. This holiday atones only for sins between people and G-d, and not for sins between people. For those sins, one must seek reconciliation with the wronged person. Ideally, this should be done during the month prior to these holidays, as a means to focus on self-improvement and repairing one’s soul (cheshbon ha-nefesh).

As the pious day of Yom Kippur draws to a close, the tension increases. The Gates of Heaven are opening! The Book of Life will be sealed! By now, of course, those who are fasting are anxiously awaiting the end of the holiday and the break-fast that follows.

At last, the day is over. Amends have been made to G-d and to others, we have confessed our sins and asked for forgiveness. Now it’s time to share a meal with our friends and fellow congregants. This meal traditionally consists of dairy foods, herring, noodle pudding (kugel), bagels and lox and other such foods. Another Yom Kippur has come and gone, and we are set for another year.

On the morning of September 15, Ettore celebrated Mexican Independence Day like few others: by drinking a cup of coffee, smoking one last cigarette, and, with a mischievous wink, bidding us farewell.

Here in San Miguel, the sky shed a tear, like many of us who remember Ettore, but not without joy in our hearts for having had the privilege of knowing him.

We are thankful that his feet were guided to this town of hopeful dreamers with whom he helped create incredible follies such as La Carpa, with its many madcap events, opening its doors to the children of DIF; the Babel Project; the annual equestrian therapy for Centro de Crecimiento; the Organic Growers’ Cooperative (later, Integradora de Productores Orgánicos); and finally his own ranch, where he produced the best gourmet delicacies and prosecco in the entire region. But what Ettore built best was a network of like-minded people and friends to enjoy life with. He generously shared his vast knowledge of organic cultivation and passion for wine with any and all who sought his advice.

There are many lessons to be learned from a man who lived fully. At the end of the day, it’s not sorrow that we are left with, but the millions of images of happy times, reminding us what life is all about.

With respect, love and peace we bid you adiós, my friend.

Ettore’s widow, Estella, and their daughter, Aisha, invite you to celebrate the return of his ashes from Italy to the land he called home, San Miguel de Allende. This is an open invitation for everyone who knew him to gather together and celebrate his life. Festivities will take place next Sunday, October 5, at 2pm in front of Rancho La Romita at his beloved restaurant, Fellini (across from Candelaria on the way to Dolores). No black is allowed, and everyone can bring food. The wine is on the house.

(Editor’s note: Although Ettore Apolonio has left us, the ranch continues on and Fellini remains open through the love and labor of his widow and daughter.)

On the morning of September 2, 2008, James Hawkins, my father-in-law, passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was 81 years young, as I like to say, for he was not just youthful in appearance but in his heart and mind. All of us who knew him well, family and friends alike, will always remember him for his kind and gentle manner as well as for his endless curiosity, knowledge and wisdom.

Jim’s capacity for in-depth conversation on just about any subject was daunting. This, in addition to his humane character, gave him the rare capacity to relate to people from all walks of life. I have met few people with such a broad span of knowledge and a gift for communicating it while making others feel completely at ease regardless of their background. Jim was as engaged talking about art, music or history with an artist or intellectual as he was talking with the gardener about birds, flowers or plants. I once asked him jokingly how long it had taken to make his way from A to Z in the Britannica, which he kept on his shelf; he only looked at me and smiled.

We had lunch just about every day of the week and often ended up talking about the New York of the late 40s and 50s and, of course, about painting, sculpture and jazz, his greatest passions.

Jim had lived in New York during those thrilling years and had worked both as a professional jazz musician and artist. He had come to New York from Portland, Oregon, where he grew up. After serving in the armed forces, in 1945 Jim began studying fine arts at Reed College in Portland and later received a scholarship to study at the famed Brooklyn Museum School, where he majored in both painting and sculpture. Upon his arrival in New York he moved into what was then known as a “cold-water flat” on West 10th Street, right in the heart of the New York art scene. Nearby, off 9th Street at University Place, was the Cedar Tavern, where he would meet and befriend the now famous painter Jackson Pollock, whom he later visited out on Long Island. Jim told the story of that first visit: upon arriving at Pollock’s home, the first thing his host did was send him to the local store to purchase a case of beer. Pollock was by then persona non grata with the store’s owner, given his relish for liquor and his volatile temper.

Another interesting personality from those days was the avant-garde dancer, choreographer and filmmaker Maya Deren, who became a close friend of Jim’s. With the guidance of the late Joseph Campbell, Deren was then writing the definitive book on Haitian Vodoun religion entitled The Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1953). Jim showed me a signed copy of the book, which Deren dedicated to him. At the time Deren was also involved in shooting 16-mm documentary films about Afro-Caribbean religious ritual. Being a jazz drummer and artist, Jim quickly became the focus of Maya’s attention.

After his studies at the Brooklyn Museum School, Jim shifted his focus toward painting, a discipline that at the time was experiencing a boom in New York art circles. Though he always spoke of himself as a sculptor, I felt his abstract paintings were as good as, and often superior to, those of many of his contemporaries. I never did ask why he stopped painting, but it saddened me to think that he had when he had been so gifted.

His abilities as a sculptor are evident if one takes a closer look at the bronze portrait he did of his wife, Carmen, which now stands outside of Bellas Artes. Jim had not sculpted in more than 40 years when he began that portrait, which he completed in three weeks.

It was Jim’s adventurous spirit that brought him to Mexico. He arrived in San Miguel on June 16, 1954, along with an artist friend. They drove down from New York by car and checked into a pension on Calle Hidalgo. It was there that he met his future wife, Carmen Masip, who at the time was already organizing concerts. She sold him a ticket to a classical guitar concert, and a year later they were married. Jim and Carmen’s daughter, Paulina, now runs the Academía Hispano Americana. Along with his wife and his in-laws, who were Spanish intellectuals exiled from the Spanish Civil War, Jim would learn Spanish by ear in a matter of months. He used to say that if you could “get the music of the language, the lyrics would follow,” a sound musical analogy regarding language learning.

Together, Jim and Carmen would be key in establishing the cultural legacy that today is San Miguel. In 1955, together with their longtime friend Helen Wail, they launched what today is the Biblioteca Pública. Jim told the story many times of how Helen had had the idea of placing magazines in the open window of her house on Calle Hospicio for children to take and read. Soon, children and their parents began to borrow not only magazines but also books, which led to the beginnings of a children’s library. In 1957, Jim and Carmen opened the first bookstore in town, El Colibrí, where they also sold art supplies and framed paintings for local artists. In 1959 they opened the Academía Hispano Americana, today the oldest Spanish language school in town, where writers such as Jorge Ibargüengoitia would lecture.

From 1968 to 1978 Carmen ran the Teatro Ángela Peralta, after having convinced the local authorities not to tear it down. Carmen would recall years later that, although she seemed to be the protagonist of that and other ventures she embarked on, Jim remained the silent partner on each and every venture.

In 1978 this husband-and-wife team, along with other San Miguel friends, launched what is today the longest-running chamber music festival in Latin America, the Festival de Música de Cámara de San Miguel de Allende, this year in its 30th season. Carmen was its organizer and president for 25 years.

These, among many other contributions, mark the life of a man who with his wife and lifetime partner left a long-lasting imprint on the cultural legacy of this town and on the lives of everyone they touched.

I once read an excerpt from a eulogy delivered by the Nobel poet Joseph Brodsky upon the death of W. H. Auden. In it Brodsky said the following: “People are what we remember about them. What we call life is in the end a patchwork of someone else’s recollections. With death it gets unstitched and one ends up with random disjointed fragments, with shards, or if you will, with snapshots filled with their unbearable laughter or equally unbearable smiles. Unbearable because they are one-dimensional. I should know, for I am a photographer’s son.”

It is these fragments that underscore our sense of loss for the “whole,” which was embodied in the person we knew and is no longer present. This was made clear to me with Jim’s passing, but now I further realize that the person he was and all that he accomplished remains whole with each and every one of us: his family, his friends and the town he made his home 54 years ago.