Fall-Winter 2000-2001 Bulletin

Día del Río 2000

Up and down the Río Grande the people came out to acknowledge the big river from its headwaters in Colorado to where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The Taos area celebration began with a sunrise river cleanup at the Taos Junction Bridge. Amigos Bravos provided hot drinks and treats for the early rising stewards. Later in the morning Danza Azteca led the way to a beautiful river blessing at the Orilla Verde Campsite. It was unusual to see all female dancers in the troop this year and it felt very right for an earth blessing. Two young girls were dancing in full regalia and elder, author and activist, Enriqueta Vasquez accompanied the dancers with lively mandolin. Poet, Stewart Warren, offered up somber words for the river and for renewal. The dazzling cottonwoods, yellow with autumn leaned over the gathering and seemed pleased, "They remember," whispered in the breeze. The dancers handed flowers out to each of the participants and led them down to the river. Each person offered up his own silent words for the Río Grande and placed the flower into the flowing brown-green water. A small meal was shared and new friendships were made. Celebrants from Vermont handed out homegrown honey and maple syrup to all of the dancers and to Stewart our poet. A visiting photographer handed out postcards of his work to the gathering as an offering. The Taos love affair with the river went flowing down to the other gatherings, vows renewed for another year.

Please return to Fall-Winter 2000-2001 Bulletin Index.

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