Festival,
symposium explores Los Pastores tradition
Plays,
concerts and lectures Nov. 20-24
By Misty
Salaz
UNM, the
National Hispanic Culture Center, New Mexico Endowment for the
Humanities and Cervantes Institute are presenting a historic,
multi-venue gathering of performers and scholars from the southwest
and northern Mexico in a series of plays, concerts and lectures
Nov. 20-24 on the UNM Main Campus, UNM Valencia Campus and at
the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
La
Gran Pastorela: Festival / Symposium, The Shepherds
Plays of New Mexico, is one of the most enduring New Mexican
folk traditions. The Pastorelas, or allegorical shepherds plays,
are best known in central New Mexico as the Gran Pastorela
de Belén, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this
year.
Plays include
the Belén and Taos productions, El Coloquio de
los Pastores (Colloquy of the Shepherds), The
XIII century Auto de los Reyes Magos (Drama of the Magi Kings)
staged by UNMs Department of Spanish & Portuguese
and a gala production by UNMs Department of Theatre and
Dance called La Posada Mágica, a contemporary
Chicano Christmas musical.
At center
stage is Los Pastores, which means the folk drama tradition.
Since medieval times this tradition has taught ethics, theology,
social satire and protest. The overall message of Los
Pastores is epiphany, the incarnation of divinity in earthly
form. The Pastorela has been banned by both church and
state on numerous occasions in the history of New Spain and
Mexico.
An international
lineup of researchers from Mexico, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona
and California will join community scholars in a series of public
roundtables and presentations.
Sponsors
include the Literary and Performing Arts Divisions, UNM's Office
of the Vice President for Student Affairs, College of Arts and
Sciences, Theatre and Dance, Department of Spanish and Portuguese,
Arts of the Americas Institute, Latin American & Iberian
Institute and UNM Valencia Campus.
These events
are free and open to the public.
Call Kevin
Paul at 277-2442 or e-mail kpaul@unm.edu.