Pasa por Aquí

Pasa por Aquí | columns by Nicolasa Chávez

Crews setting up Zozobra for the big day. September 2, 2022.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: The Burning of Zozobra and Heralding the New Season

Thu, Aug 31, 2023, 11:53am | By Nicolasa Chávez

The sweltering days of an extremely hot summer are finally cooling down. The sun sets slightly earlier each evening leaving a golden glow upon the land, and the first smells of green chile roasting...

Colonial period chocolate making implements and ingredients. Photo by Nicolasa Chávez.

Chocolate: From Food of the Gods to the Food of Love

Sun, Jan 29, 2023, 11:41pm | By Nicolasa Chávez

This Valentine season stores large and small fill up with festive chocolate items from elegant hand-crafted bonbons to heart-shaped boxes to tiny teardrop-shaped morsels wrapped in pink and red. One often...

The author’s personal altar with paper flowers, candles, autumn leaves and food items. In the center is a drawing of the author’s sister Christel Angélica Chávez, Captain U.S. Air Force. Drawing by Anthony Thielen (cousin). Credit: Photo Courtesy by Nicolasa Chávez

Celebrating the Dead: Día de los Muertos and All Hallowe’en

Tue, Sep 28, 2021, 2:05pm | By Nicolasa Chávez

Many people do not know the origins of this fun - and fright-filled night, nor of the similarities its’ origins share with Día de los Muertos

Credit: Pixabay photo by Bruce Tunget

Growing up “Coyota” in New Mexico

Thu, Jul 29, 2021, 3:49pm | By Nicolasa Chávez

Did being a coyote make me any less New Mexican? What exactly did it mean to be a “Coyota” in New Mexico?

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Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these blog posts/articles do not necessarily represent those of the New Mexico Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.