Slideshow photos courtesy of “Los Pastores”.
La Vida
BELEN — Since 1973, “La Gran Pastorela” has been an annual tradition, bringing together the community for performances of the story of that fateful journey to the Christ child.
The play, performed in Spanish by members of the group, Los Pastores de Belen, is a time-honored tradition, a part of the area’s culture that was brought back to life in 1973.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the local Christmas play, the group published a book, “Los Pastores,” filled with photos, memories, old newspaper clippings, and the script and song lyrics.
For Filomena Baca, the founder and director for 40 years, it’s been a life-long commitment she still holds dear. If not for her persistence 50 years ago, the play may have been forever forgotten.
“I had always wanted to do it because my mother was in the 1929 pastorela in Las Nutrias, which included Valencia County and Socorro County — just like it is today,” Baca said. “My mother used to talk about it, and I loved her stories. My grandfather would sing us the Bartolo song every morning. That’s how he would wake us up.”
As a member of the Jarales Choir Group of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church, the choir was asked to help raise money for building a new church. She brought up the idea of performing a pastorela, but Baca had never seen a script and didn’t know where to look for one.
Submitted photo
While Filomena Baca is no longer the director of “La Gran Pastorela,” she still sings in the choir. Baca would stay up late typing each and every word of the play.
In her search for a script, Baca looked to her boss, Tibo Chavez Sr., a local lawyer at the time who had a knack for history. He told her of a woman in Tomé who may have had a script. But when Baca approached her, the woman asked how much she would pay her to use it.
In hopes for a better outcome, Baca approached Epifanio Chavez, of Las Nutrias, who was in the 1929 play with her mother.
“He said, ‘Sure, you’re welcome to use my script.’ I borrowed the script, which was handwritten,” Baca said. “His brother had given it to him as a birthday gift.”
Excited about her found treasure, Baca would stay up late typing each and every word of the play. While the work wasn’t very difficult, it was her unfaltering interest in the words and the message that kept her up so late.
“I was so in love with it. I would stay up until 1:30 in the morning, and I would have to get up early and go to work,” she remembers.
Pruden Sanchez, a fellow choir member, helped Baca make copies of the script, and they set out to recruit cast members. Her son, Pat, was the first to play Bartolo, and his friend, Ted Padilla, portrayed the character of Bato.
“They were the youngest cast members, and the rest of us were all older,” Baca remembers.
It took about a month to find all the 16 cast members, crew members and those who could sing in the choir — usually the wives of the actors. Rehearsals began in late August that first year, Baca says.
Clara Garcia | News-Bulletin photo
“La Gran Pastorela” is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Pictured, from left, is longtime member, Dante Berry, former director Mary Santistevan, founder and former director Filomena Baca, and current director and member Sheri Armijo.
“La Gran Pastorela” is the story of shepherds, who, while herding their sheep, are visited by an angel telling them the Savior has been born. During their journey to Bethlehem, the shepherds are met by the devil.
“It’s really a battle between the angel and the devil,” Baca said. “There’s a lot of drama, there’s a lot of music, there’s comedy and it’s very spiritual.”
While Baca wanted to help raise money for the church, her main reason to reintroduce the play was to remind the community the real reason for Christmas — Jesus.
“Also, it was a very historical play, and it was being forgotten,” she said. “I wanted to revive it — we all did as a community.”
Mary Santistevan hadn’t grown up knowing about “La Gran Pastorela,” but when she and her sister, Senaida Montoya, heard about it, they decided to go see a performance.
“The first (play) we went to go see was in Sabinal,” Santistevan remembers. “We just fell in love with the whole idea of bringing Christ back into Christmas. The play was spiritual, it was funny and it taught a lesson. It was everything my sister and I believed in.”
After seeing them and hearing them sing the songs at several performances, Baca asked Santistevan and Montoya to join the choir.
“I learned the songs right away,” Santisteven remembers. “I asked my husband, Al, if he wanted to be a pastores, but he said no because he didn’t know how to read Spanish. He finally agreed, and eventually played two different parts.”
Several years later, Santistevan’s brother, Eurelio, and his wife, Odette, also joined the play.
From the very beginning, Baca said they wanted to make “La Gran Pastorela” family-oriented, and from the very first day of rehearsals, the actors and choir members would bring their children.
“Everywhere we went, the kids came along,” Baca remembers.
One of the children who tagged along also became a member, playing the baby Jesus. Dante Berry’s son, John, was only 6 months old when he made his stage debut.
Berry joined Los Pastores 29 years ago in 1994 after he also saw the play at the Sabinal church. He remembers showing up late, but more so he loved the music.
“I love to sing, and I told my wife, Margaret, that we should join,” Berry said. “She was less than enthusiastic, but she agreed.
“We joined the following season, but I think the atmosphere had something to do with it. It was snowing, there was a wood fire in the church. It was the perfect setting. It was like going back in time.”
Berry has portrayed several characters in the play, including Verlado, Bartolo and was the understudy of the man who played the devil.
When Berry’s brother, Ricardo, joined and started playing the devil, Dante took on the role of the angel.
Year after year, “La Gran Pastorela” became more and more popular throughout the valley, in the state and across the region. From the beginning, the pastores would perform between eight and 11 performances during the Christmas season, from Belen to Barstow, Calif., and Amarillo, Texas.
Submitted photo
Ricardo Berry, left, and his wife, Sheri, right, have been members of Los Pastores for nearly 30 years. He portrays the devil, while she plays Gila, the only woman in the play. She is also the director of “La Gran Pastorela.”
After 40 years as director, Baca decided not to retire, but to step down as director of the play to take care of her ailing husband, Ruperto, and because of her failing eyesight. While she’s not the director anymore, she still is a member of the choir.
It was always the plan for Santistevan to take over after Baca stepped aside. Santistevan stepped up and was the director for six years.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Santistevan also needed to step away because of health issues, but much like before, there was someone willing to stand up and take the helm.
“I have to give credit to my brother and sister-in-law, Sheri,” Dante said. “They kept it going. After two years on a break, we did it last year.”
Sheri Armijo is the current director of “La Gran Pastorela,” and has also been a member for nearly 30 years. She also portrays the character, Gila, the only female in the play.
“After COVID, there was a renewed hunger for it,” Armijo says of the play. “People remembered it and they wanted it so bad.”
Much like the early days, Armijo says Los Pastores don’t go out asking to perform. Instead, they are invited.
“I already have three shows we’ve been asked to perform this year,” she said.
While Los Pastores can perform up to eight times during the Christmas season, Armijo says they are limiting the Friday performances because of the cast members’ busy schedules.
While the message of “La Gran Pastorela” is universal, Berry says it’s a little more special here.
“This is Belen — this is Bethlehem,” he said. “It tells the story of our town. This brings hope. There are still shepherds here in Belen.”
Baca says while many look to her as being responsible for the play, she counters, asserting it is the members of Los Pastores, the people of the group and those who come to watch it every year, who have continued the tradition.
“It touches people’s hearts,” Baca said. “I said during the very first year that if I could help put Jesus back in Christmas for at least one person, I’ll be satisfied.”
The book, “Los Pastores,” has been given to the present and past cast members and a few other people. It was a historical preservation project made possible by a grant from the John D. Robb Musical Trust at the University of New Mexico.
Anyone who is interested in participating in “La Gran Pastorela” or wants to invite them to perform, is asked to call Sheri Armijo at 505-274-6750.
Clara Garcia is the editor and publisher of the Valencia County News-Bulletin.
She is a native of the city of Belen, beginning her journalism career at the News-Bulletin in 1998 as the crime and courts reporter. During her time at the paper, Clara has won numerous awards for her writing, photography and typography and design both from the National Newspaper Association and the New Mexico Press Association.
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April 18, 2024
