With the Christmas season upon us, the Christian community prepares for the celebration of the birth of the Christ child, and it also is the time for the celebration of another blessed event that took place in the Americas--specifically in Mexico--in the year 1531. (I'm publishing this blog latter than I intended due to flu bug and other issues but I hope you enjoy this one)
Nuestra Senora Virgen de Guadalupe
On Dec. 9, 1531, Juan Diego, an Indian convert was going to attend catechisim class. As he was passing Tepeyac Hill, he saw a brilliant light on top of the hill and heard beautiful celestial music. Filled with wonder, he stopped and heard a voice asking him to ascend. When he reached the top, he saw the Blessed Virgen Mary standing in the midst of a glorious light of heavenly splendor. She had a youthful countenance and spoke to him in his native language making it known to him her desire that a shrine be built there to demonstrate her love, her compassion and her protection. She told Juan Diego to go the bishop in Mexico City so he would know about her great desire.
When Juan Diego went to see the bishop, he was reluctant to believe Juan Diego's story. The bishop eventually requested a sign from the Virgen and on Dec.12, Juan Diego went to the top of Tepeyac Hill to receive the sign promised by the Virgen. There, he found beautiful flowers blooming, and the Virgen told him to cut these, and place them in his tilma, his cloak, and to take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego met with the bishop, he opened his tilma, and the flowers spilled onto the floor. On the tilma, a beautiful colored portrait of the Blessed Virgen revealed itself to the bishop, and so, this is the story of Nuestra Senora Virgen de Guadalupe, and her relationship with the Americas.
"Las Mananitas a La Virgen de Guadalupe"
--traditional
Estas son las mananitas que te vengo yo a cantar,
Me amada madrecita y reina del Tepeyac.
Despiera mi madrecita, despierta mi dulce amor,
Son tus hijos que han venido para darte el corazon.
Que linda esta la manana en que vengo a saludarte,
venimos todos reunidos con gusto a felicitarte.
El dia que tu nacistes nacieron todas las flores
y en la pila del bautismo cantaron los ruisenores.
Ya viene amanaciendo ya la luz del dia nos dio,
levantate madre mia mira que ya amanecio.
Quisiera ser solicito para entrar por tu ventana
y darte los buenos dias acostadita en tu cama.
Quisiera ser un San Juan, quisiera ser un San Pedro
pa venirte a saludar con la musica del cielo.
Ya viene amaniciendo ya la luz del dia nos dio,
levantate madre mia, mira que ya amanecio.
Pajarito mananero que cantas en su balcon,
cantale como le canta mi rendido corazon.
De las estrellas del cielo tengo que bajarte dos,
una para saludarte y otra para decirte adios.
Ya viene amaneciendo ya la luz del dia nos dio. . . . . ,
levantate madre mia mira que ya amanecio.
Bisbee Connection
As far back as I can remember, the Bisbee Hispanic community has always celebrated, just like many other American Southwestern communities have celebrated, "Las Mananitas a La Virgen de Guadalupe" as part of the culture and tradition in some manner. There have been many dedicated individuals who have either sung or played as part of the "Mananitas Group" so I will not identify them at this time, but will do so in a latter blog in order to acknowledge everyone that has done so and to give credit where credit is due.
To begin with however, The Hispanic community celebrated this yearly sacred day at the Sacred Heart church which still stands on Clawson Ave. in the heart of Old Bisbee. As a matter of fact, the church that is there now was not the original Sacred Heart church but an older, wood structure that was demolished to make way for a new Sacred Heart church which eventually became deconsecrated in 1965, and thus, is the building that stands there today. In addition, the older Sacred Heart church was originally named St. Patrick and when land was donated for a bigger Catholic church--the present site and church today, it was named St. Patrick and the church on Clawson below was given to the Hispanic community. Then, this church was renamed Sacred Heart Church--El Sagrado Corazon de Jesus. More detailed information on St. Patricks and Sacred Heart church can be found at the www.bisbeemuseum.org/ website.
Original St. Patrick--Sacred Heart Church
I can still remember a cold, December morning where the voices of parishoners sang the strains of Las Mananitas to Our Lady, and then, I can still remember Ernesto Chavez, one of the Bisbenos music group (mentioned in my first blog) recruiting a pair of guitareros (guitar players) from Naco, Sonora, MX to play Las Mananitas at the church. It was a very impressionable moment for me because my formal music education had not begun, but I was learning about life, music, and my culture. Years later, I had the opportunity to study with Dr. Guy Bensusan, a Humanities professor at Northern Arizona University (Arizona State College), who enlightened my mind in terms of music and society, and the evolvement of cultures through music. I am sure this topic would be better served for discussion in a later blog.
Deconsecrated Sacred Heart Church
This is the building that was the Sacred Heart Church before it was deconsecrated in 1965. Many Hispanic celebrations took place in and about this religious complex and included the priest rectory, a residence for nuns, and a building that housed religious classes, catechism, and other parish events. Rather than go into these in detail, we will leave them for a later blog. If anyone would like to share more information on this part of Bisbee history, and has any photos or other recollection, you can send them to me via my email hiralesp@gmail.com. In closing, I would like to conclude one of the traditional canciones sung by the Mananitas Music Group:
"Buenos Dias Paloma Blanca
--traditional
Buenos dias paloma blanca, hoy te vengo a saludar.
Saludando tu bellesa en tu reino celestial.
Eres madre del criador y a mi corazon encantas,
Gracias te doy con amor, buenos dias paloma blanca.
Nina linda, nina santa tu dulce nombre alabar,
Porque sois tan sacrosanta, hoy te vengo a saludar.
Reluciente como el alva, plura, sencialla y sin
Mancha, que gusto recibe mi alma, buenos dias
Paloma blanca.
Que linda esta la manana, el aroma de las flores,
despiden suaves olores antes de romper el alva.
Mi pecho con vos ufana gracias te doy madre mia
en este dichoso dia antes de romper el alva.
Cielo azul yo te convido en este dichoso dia a
que prestes tu hermosura a las flores de Maria.
Madre mia de Guadalupe dame ya tu bendicion, recibe
esta manaitas de un humilde cordazon.
Phillip Hirales aka Felipe Hirales
hiralesp@gmail.com
Nuestra Senora Virgen de Guadalupe
On Dec. 9, 1531, Juan Diego, an Indian convert was going to attend catechisim class. As he was passing Tepeyac Hill, he saw a brilliant light on top of the hill and heard beautiful celestial music. Filled with wonder, he stopped and heard a voice asking him to ascend. When he reached the top, he saw the Blessed Virgen Mary standing in the midst of a glorious light of heavenly splendor. She had a youthful countenance and spoke to him in his native language making it known to him her desire that a shrine be built there to demonstrate her love, her compassion and her protection. She told Juan Diego to go the bishop in Mexico City so he would know about her great desire.
When Juan Diego went to see the bishop, he was reluctant to believe Juan Diego's story. The bishop eventually requested a sign from the Virgen and on Dec.12, Juan Diego went to the top of Tepeyac Hill to receive the sign promised by the Virgen. There, he found beautiful flowers blooming, and the Virgen told him to cut these, and place them in his tilma, his cloak, and to take them to the bishop. When Juan Diego met with the bishop, he opened his tilma, and the flowers spilled onto the floor. On the tilma, a beautiful colored portrait of the Blessed Virgen revealed itself to the bishop, and so, this is the story of Nuestra Senora Virgen de Guadalupe, and her relationship with the Americas.
"Las Mananitas a La Virgen de Guadalupe"
--traditional
Estas son las mananitas que te vengo yo a cantar,
Me amada madrecita y reina del Tepeyac.
Despiera mi madrecita, despierta mi dulce amor,
Son tus hijos que han venido para darte el corazon.
Que linda esta la manana en que vengo a saludarte,
venimos todos reunidos con gusto a felicitarte.
El dia que tu nacistes nacieron todas las flores
y en la pila del bautismo cantaron los ruisenores.
Ya viene amanaciendo ya la luz del dia nos dio,
levantate madre mia mira que ya amanecio.
Quisiera ser solicito para entrar por tu ventana
y darte los buenos dias acostadita en tu cama.
Quisiera ser un San Juan, quisiera ser un San Pedro
pa venirte a saludar con la musica del cielo.
Ya viene amaniciendo ya la luz del dia nos dio,
levantate madre mia, mira que ya amanecio.
Pajarito mananero que cantas en su balcon,
cantale como le canta mi rendido corazon.
De las estrellas del cielo tengo que bajarte dos,
una para saludarte y otra para decirte adios.
Ya viene amaneciendo ya la luz del dia nos dio. . . . . ,
levantate madre mia mira que ya amanecio.
Bisbee Connection
As far back as I can remember, the Bisbee Hispanic community has always celebrated, just like many other American Southwestern communities have celebrated, "Las Mananitas a La Virgen de Guadalupe" as part of the culture and tradition in some manner. There have been many dedicated individuals who have either sung or played as part of the "Mananitas Group" so I will not identify them at this time, but will do so in a latter blog in order to acknowledge everyone that has done so and to give credit where credit is due.
To begin with however, The Hispanic community celebrated this yearly sacred day at the Sacred Heart church which still stands on Clawson Ave. in the heart of Old Bisbee. As a matter of fact, the church that is there now was not the original Sacred Heart church but an older, wood structure that was demolished to make way for a new Sacred Heart church which eventually became deconsecrated in 1965, and thus, is the building that stands there today. In addition, the older Sacred Heart church was originally named St. Patrick and when land was donated for a bigger Catholic church--the present site and church today, it was named St. Patrick and the church on Clawson below was given to the Hispanic community. Then, this church was renamed Sacred Heart Church--El Sagrado Corazon de Jesus. More detailed information on St. Patricks and Sacred Heart church can be found at the www.bisbeemuseum.org/ website.
Original St. Patrick--Sacred Heart Church
I can still remember a cold, December morning where the voices of parishoners sang the strains of Las Mananitas to Our Lady, and then, I can still remember Ernesto Chavez, one of the Bisbenos music group (mentioned in my first blog) recruiting a pair of guitareros (guitar players) from Naco, Sonora, MX to play Las Mananitas at the church. It was a very impressionable moment for me because my formal music education had not begun, but I was learning about life, music, and my culture. Years later, I had the opportunity to study with Dr. Guy Bensusan, a Humanities professor at Northern Arizona University (Arizona State College), who enlightened my mind in terms of music and society, and the evolvement of cultures through music. I am sure this topic would be better served for discussion in a later blog.
Deconsecrated Sacred Heart Church
This is the building that was the Sacred Heart Church before it was deconsecrated in 1965. Many Hispanic celebrations took place in and about this religious complex and included the priest rectory, a residence for nuns, and a building that housed religious classes, catechism, and other parish events. Rather than go into these in detail, we will leave them for a later blog. If anyone would like to share more information on this part of Bisbee history, and has any photos or other recollection, you can send them to me via my email hiralesp@gmail.com. In closing, I would like to conclude one of the traditional canciones sung by the Mananitas Music Group:
"Buenos Dias Paloma Blanca
--traditional
Buenos dias paloma blanca, hoy te vengo a saludar.
Saludando tu bellesa en tu reino celestial.
Eres madre del criador y a mi corazon encantas,
Gracias te doy con amor, buenos dias paloma blanca.
Nina linda, nina santa tu dulce nombre alabar,
Porque sois tan sacrosanta, hoy te vengo a saludar.
Reluciente como el alva, plura, sencialla y sin
Mancha, que gusto recibe mi alma, buenos dias
Paloma blanca.
Que linda esta la manana, el aroma de las flores,
despiden suaves olores antes de romper el alva.
Mi pecho con vos ufana gracias te doy madre mia
en este dichoso dia antes de romper el alva.
Cielo azul yo te convido en este dichoso dia a
que prestes tu hermosura a las flores de Maria.
Madre mia de Guadalupe dame ya tu bendicion, recibe
esta manaitas de un humilde cordazon.
Phillip Hirales aka Felipe Hirales
hiralesp@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment