Vintage Colorado Poetry / Poem of the Week / December 5, 2005

Spanish-American Singing Games of New Mexico Compiled by Workers of the Works Project Administration of New Mexico / Federal Works Agency. WPA Music Project Administration Unit No. 3 / Revised 1940

Spanish-American Singing Games of New Mexico is a stapled, mimeographed booklet of twenty-seven pages, with side-by-side Spanish and English text.

Spanish-American children, Penasco, New Mexico. July 1940. Russell Lee, photographer. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, FSA-OWI Collection, [reproduction number LC-USF33-012805-M5]

Aurelio Armendariz, compiler. Of the baker's dozen of singing games in the booklet, Aurelio Armendariz transcribed nine and co-transcribed three others.

Saint Michael's Wheel Round and round with San Miguel, Bringing honey sweet to sell ; Get to your place ... Get to your place ... --------------- the donkey, turn your face.     (name)

La Rueda de San Miguel Rueda, rueda de San Miguel, San Miguel Todos traen camote y miel- A lo maduro, a lo maduro Que se voltee ------------ de burro.                      (nombre)

Spanish-American Singing Games of New Mexico also contains the printed music and the rules for the various games.  For instance, "St. Michael's Wheel" is a circle game not unlike "Ring Around the Rosie." When a child's name is called out ( -------------, the donkey ), he or she turns to face outside the circle.

For another New Mexico WPA project, Aurelio Armendariz compiled / transcribed Spanish-American dance tunes of the rural communities he visited.  Vintage Colorado Poetry would welcome hearing from Aurelio Armendariz or family.

Spanish-American Singing Games of New Mexico was later expanded and published commercially.

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