You’d have to be quite a nerd to want to be in Fiestas court, haha.
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It’s meant to celebrate the “miracle” of the supposedly bloodless reconquest of New Mexico. Essentially, it’s a fabrication designed to suggest that God sanctioned the Spaniards’ harsh rule over the native people, which understandably disgusts many.
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I believe we’re still trying to navigate discussions around nonwhite colonialism, and Fiestas in Santa Fe plays a significant role in that dialogue. It presents various perspectives, as it’s not only a celebration of Spanish colonialism over the native Pueblo people, but also reflects how, after the U.S. took over New Mexico, Spanish heritage was emphasized over Mexican heritage due to anti-Hispanic racism. These complexities make the conversation challenging, offering more nuance than discussions about Confederate history.
At the very least, I think participation in Fiesta should be optional in public schools. Native students shouldn’t be compelled to partake in sanitized celebrations of their colonization.
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I’m new to this and just learned about Fiestas from a forum, even though I’ve lived in Santa Fe for two years. I understand that they include kids and a pet parade, and it appears to be a local religious holiday. However, since I don’t have children and I’m not Catholic, could someone explain what Fiestas are? Is this the holiday that caused a stir in the newspaper editorials regarding school celebrations a few years ago?
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It’s really not much different from the Confederates clinging to their shameful “heritage.” Both are celebrating failures and morally questionable figures while intentionally disregarding any context beyond “my culture.”
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