Blog | LomiMonk Photography

Feb

2013

Sketches: Matanza

Last week’s sketch provided a glimpse into the Hispano tradition of a Matanza –a pig roast – believed to have begun in Spain during the Moorish occupation. When the Spaniards discovered their Muslim overseers distaste for pork they would periodically slaughter a pig, hold a festival, and enjoy life without the Moors for several days.

This tradition of a pig butchering and festival continued into the new world and exists today in rural New Mexico where families and friends gather to butcher a pig, cook it into Carne Adovada, ribs, chicharrones and other tasty dishes. Often times much of the pig is stored for consumption later in the winter; sometimes the entire thing is consumed.

Each year in Belen, Valencia County, New Mexico the Valencia County Hispano Chamber of Commerce hosts a large Matanza as a fundraiser. 39 sponsored teams gather to butcher pigs and take part in a day long festival celebrating Hispanic heritage in New Mexico. This is serious business as bragging rights for best ribs, Carne Adovada, Iron Pig and other dishes are at stake.

Once again this year I had the pleasure of joining Joe Jaramillo’s team for most of the day getting up close and personal with the pig, the preppers, the cooks, the families, and a raunchy joke or two. I also made friends with Ray Chavez and Danielle Griego, on the Fat Sats Bar & Grill team who featured a large rotisserie slow roasting a full pork loin which attracted a fair share of attention and caused Pavlovian reactions among attendees.

This is not a photo story or essay in the strict sense. This is a sketch, a series of images as I learn the intricacies of the New Mexico Matanza and those that are skilled in its preparation. This is also a big thank you especially to the members of Jaramillo’s Custom Meat Processing of Los Lunas Team and also the Fat Sats Bar & Grill Team for welcoming me into their prep spaces and helping with all my efforts to make some pictures. I hope you enjoy the images.

The day begins before it begins: in the dark. Fires are lit, cook areas prepped, water is boiled, and traditional New Mexican breakfast is prepped: green chile breakfast burritos, potatoes, frijoles. The crew needs to be fed; they have a lot of work to do.

Time moves quickly, as do the preppers. Joe, a custom meat processor by trade, begins the labor intensive process of butchering the pig. There is a chill in the air, but the mood is jovial as families, extended families, and friends meet and greet and pitch in. Everyone, it seems, has a place and a purpose and takes part. This is a family affair; a community affair.

In anticipation of thousands of hungry mouths to feed, the excitement rises as the scent of frying sopapillas and carne adovada begins to fill the air mixing with wood smoke. Food is on the fire!

It’s not all hard work – though there is plenty of that – as the morning progresses the PA system comes to life, followed by the pledge of allegiance (in both English and Spanish) and the Star Spangled Banner. Eventually a series of musical acts take the soundstage with the music piped around the Valencia County Sherriff’s Posse Fairgrounds, the location of the Matanza. Below, a couple takes a break from cooking to dance while Carne Adovada (pork stewed in red chile) is expertly cooked nearby.

“El Perdido” (the Lost One) made an appearance and graced me with a picture.

Periodically through the day I visited the Fat Sats Bar & Grill Team’s prep location. After a few conversations about their recipes for the competitions I was invited behind the scenes to make some picture. Here I met “Country”.

Not content to be one of the most interesting people I’ve met, Country is also the proud owner of this object of male envy, the antique cast iron wood fired soap stove turned cook pot which he lovingly stoked and stirred. He also happily regaled all the curious onlookers with the story of how he came to be the owner of this unique – and hefty – cook pot.

Danielle Griego is a fascination to watch. Responsible for creating most of Fat Sats competition dishes she is a dynamo of creativity, organization, and motivation, and a gracious hostess sharing with me her recipes and samples of her creations.

Jan

2013

Sketches: Preparation

In New Mexico, in the colder months – though not necessarily so – there continues the Hispano tradition of the Matanza. A pig is raised yearlong with the intention that on a special day, perhaps a birthday or an anniversary or a wedding, it is slaughtered, cooked, and consumed at a gathering of extended family and friends. On the first cold and eventually snowy morning in November Jaime awaits the signal from his Abuelo – his grandfather – to begin.

Jan

2013

Sketches: A Nervous Habit

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Jan

2013

Sketches: Audience

There is more to this image than meets the eye. I suppose that is why many pictures are valued more by the photographer who made them than the audience. Often images have a backstory the viewer is not privy to and this leads to the photography of self interest. I have fallen prey to it; you probably have too. We see such self-interest a lot these days of social media, especially in apps like Instagram. Most of the time I try to let – or make – the images I create stand on their own. There is something in me that believes this is the mark of good photography.

But there are also times when an image augments the words associated with it; and when words augment the image. I think this is one of those times.

This image shows a lone guitarist, on stage, playing to a single audience member who seems to be nursing his beer slowly, sip by sip. To my mind he is intrigued enough by the guitarist to draw out his enjoyment of his ale, but not enough to commit to another glass. There is a feel of sadness to this image for me – a solitariness for both men sharing this experience. One performs; the other absorbs. But each seems in their own world, with their own emotions and thoughts. I am reminded of the reality that we are each alone with our introverted nature: the thoughts and feelings of our mind.

And yet this image is anything but that. The performer, Keith Sanchez, a fantastic guitarrista from Belen, New Mexico who plays the music circuit of central New Mexico and runs the New Mexico Academy of Rock and Blues teaching children a love and appreciation for the musical style, is the son. The single audience member, his father.

This is a father and son connection. Having sons myself I can’t help but wonder at the thoughts and emotions present within the father. I’d love to know.

We spoke at length, Keith, his father, his mother, my wife, my sons, and me. I was taken with Keith’s playing style, his set list, and his choice of languages. You see, despite his heritage and name, Sanchez did not grow up speaking Spanish but rather learned while living in Ecuador with his family during his teen years. Have you ever heard “Hotel California” in Spanish? I have! He rocks it!! And he was friendly, and open, and clearly close with his parents. And he made a point to entertain my young sons from the stage. Not too big for his britches, this guitarrista.

I look forward to hearing him play again and perhaps continue our conversations. He performs at Il Vicino Cantina the last Sunday of the month, at the Luna Mansion in Los Lunas every Friday night, and periodically at Scalo’s Il Bar and Opa’s bar in Nob Hill.

On a side note, there were more audience members than myself and the father. This is a long room and the tables behind me were filled with local families and groups of friends enjoying a freshly made pint, the music, and good company.

Jan

2013

Sketches: Brothers

A bonus treat today for you: a two-fer! While I haven’t stated it publicly, these sketches on Wednesdays are an opportunity for me to practice a necessary – and very important skill – in photography: that of the edit. Edit, that is, in terms of selection rather than post-processing. These Wednesday posts offer an opportunity to ruthlessly edit my work, my play, down to one meaningful image. A little glimpse of irony perhaps, or something representative of New Mexico, of culture, of fitting in, of not fitting in, or a glimpse into my life, or your life.

I struggle with these edits. What should I show in this one image this week? What is worthwhile? And why, once the choice is made, this image?

It hurts throwing out images. This is a painful process. But it is necessary. Arriving at good images requires it. By throwing out the chaff ruthlessly we come to the wheat; the good stuff. There will be a few, I think. Not many, but a few. I am curious about those.

Today, a glimpse into my life. Brothers. A theme I have my eye on as these young brothers grow their relationship. I am curious how it will play out for them. I am curious what I can record for them. A bonding. A sharing. Differences. Similarities. Shared experiences.

Jan

2013

Sketches: Bells

There is something about the Asian aesthetic that I just love. I live in a land dominated by Catholic Christian mythology, rites, and art which I am slowly appreciating. But there is always something calming and peaceful for me in Asian religious artwork. These bells were a gift to me and reside in my office.

Dec

2012

Sketches: Be|Longing

Every “in” group creates an “out” group.

Dec

2012

Sketches: Spectating

Spectators and competitors watch bareback bronc riding at the 2012 International Indian Finals Rodeo in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Dec

2012

Sketches: Not Responsible

A Professional Bull Rider from Belen, New Mexico greets his wife and daughter before his comeback from injury ride in the Casper Baca Roughstock Rodeo in Belen, New Mexico, Spring 2012.

Dec

2012

Sketches: Cowboy Campfire

A cowboy warms himself by a cinderblock ringed campfire made of wood and Bud Light beer cases at a family matanza in the mountains of central New Mexico.