Zozobra- Burning away your troubles and gloom

In the Life in New Mexico Section B of   Albuquerque Sunday Journal, Elaine Briseño summarizes the long standing tradition of burning "Old Man Gloom."  This annual festival needs to be added to many unusual festivals such as the massive tomato fight that Spain puts on, or the Punkin Chunkin festival where Delaware determines who can catapult a pumpkin the most distance.  Of course the Pamplona running of the bulls could also be included, but that one is quite serious. While Nathan's hot dog eating contest in Coney Island has long since become big business.

In  New Mexico the zozobra (meaning doom and gloom or anxiety in Spanish) festival began in 1924 when a Santa Fe artist William Shuster first burned his large zozobra paper mâché puppet to protest fees being charged for the festival described below.  The idea came to him after a visit with the Yaqui indians in México, the latter setting their paper mâché Judas statue ablaze.  Long before 1924 Santa Fe folks annually celebrated annually the Fiestas of Santa Fe commemorating the 1692 reoccupation of Santa Fe.

On September 4, 2020 the Kiwanis of Albuquerque will host the event again this year.  It will be an on-line only event this year.  The Newbie Guide to the festival can be found here.

https://burnzozobra.com/first-timers-guide-zozobra/