Tortugas, NM: Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, Part 3

Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, Tortugas, New Mexico

In Part 1, Carol and I attended the Fiesta Mass, and I introduced you to historical resources about Our Lady of Guadalupe and the fiesta in Tortugas. (By the way, tortugas means turtles in Spanish.)

Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, Tortugas, New Mexico

In Part 2, we enjoyed la comida and a day of dances. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, Tortugas, New Mexico

At about 3:30, all of the dance groups convened in front of the church except for one, which assembled just outside the church courtyard.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, Tortugas, New Mexico

Presently, the procession began, with dance groups taking the lead, followed by the priest and la Virgen, accompanied by brothers, mayordomos (fiesta leaders), other fiesta or community dignitaries, and the onlookers. The priest sang. Sometimes the Pueblo dance group chanted. One or two gunmen escorted the procession, periodically firing into the air.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, Tortugas, New Mexico

Here was the most interesting thing to me: The dance groups walked in front of la Virgen and the other processioners. But each dance group took turns to:

1. Turn around to face la Virgen;
2. Dance (in two columns) toward la Virgen; 
3. Each row bow in front of la Virgen; and
4. Then that row would go to the end of its column and face forward again (away from la Virgen and in the direction the procession was going), then the next row would bow and move out ... repeat ...
5. When one dance troupe completed its homage, another dance troupe took its turn

This process occurred throughout the procession.

Below is a video that shows the process getting underway.  A lot is going on in this video. If you watch carefully, you'll hear the singing, hear the shotgun fires, hear the drumming, see the dance troupes approach to give their respects to la Virgen and make way for the next dance troupe.

It is a richly layered, beautiful process, I think.

And it's all a part of America.

Here's a photo slideshow of the day's events: