[CH] Chimayo

Byron (byronbromley@tellink.net)
Wed, 01 Feb 2006 19:49:32 -0500 

Stumbled across and interesting article about  Chimayo Chile's

~~~~~~~~~

 

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 31

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2005

INTRODUCED BY

Nancy Rodriguez

 

 

 

 

 

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE STATE RECORDS CENTER TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO DOCUMENT 
CHIMAYO CHILE'S CULTURAL, TRADITIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL CONNECTION TO 
PRESENT WAYS OF LIVING IN CHIMAYO AND THE SURROUNDING NORTHERN NEW 
MEXICO COMMUNITY; REQUESTING THE NEW MEXICO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO 
CONDUCT A SEED, SOIL AND INDUSTRY STUDY OF CHIMAYO CHILE AND WORK WITH 
THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN PLANNING CHIMAYO CHILE'S LONG-TERM CULTURAL ASSET 
PRESERVATION AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT; RECOGNIZING CHIMAYO CHILE AS A 
LIVING HEIRLOOM OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO HISPANIC CULTURAL, FOOD AND 
AGRICULTURAL TRADITIONS.

 

     WHEREAS, it is the desire of the New Mexico legislature that 
Chimayo chile as a New Mexico Hispanic cultural asset be preserved as a 
living tradition; and

     WHEREAS, to preserve the traditional and cultural value of chile as 
a symbol of a way of life and a living cultural asset of the great state 
of New Mexico, it is imperative that a written document be compiled, 
that historic records be maintained and that the story be made 
accessible to the citizens of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, it is right and proper for all people to know and 
understand the unique history of chile, the role it has played and the 
legendary status it has achieved in the formation of the state's food 
traditions; and

     WHEREAS, Chimayo chile followed a cultural, industrial, 
agricultural and political pathway from 1598 to 1821, when the Spanish 
flag flew over New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, between 1821 and 1846, when the Mexican flag flew over New 
Mexico, Chimayo chile acquired a legendary status on established trade 
routes due to its particular taste; and

     WHEREAS, Chimayo chile is still grown in the northern New Mexico 
mountain valley that the early Spaniards called La Canada and that is 
now known as Chimayo; and

     WHEREAS, for the first two hundred fifty years of northern New 
Mexico Hispanic history, Chimayo proudly maintained its food traditions, 
customs and culture, adapting and integrating chile traditions with 
native counterparts as an act of thanksgiving and faith; and

     WHEREAS, in 1846, New Mexico became a territory of the United 
States, achieving statehood in 1912; and

     WHEREAS, four hundred three years later, Chimayo chile still enjoys 
the legendary status begun by the industrious growers who developed the 
first chile trade routes to the north; and

     WHEREAS, Chimayo growers continue to proudly herald and celebrate 
the state's living food traditions, customs, culture and faith; and

     WHEREAS, the Hispanic children of New Mexico should understand that 
their roots are in the proud status of Chimayo chile and the land where 
it grows; and

     WHEREAS, Chimayo chile has achieved legendary status as a food 
heirloom in oral history; and

     WHEREAS, that status as an oral heirloom enables ongoing 
cultivators of Chimayo chile to take pride in the four-hundred-year 
development of their living food traditions along with the economic 
well-being it affords them; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's Hispanic history and food traditions are 
unique among all the states in the union; and

     WHEREAS, it is important to keep Chimayo's agricultural and 
cultural asset alive and well preserved through organized study and 
practicums;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF 
NEW MEXICO that Chimayo chile be recognized as a living heirloom of 
northern New Mexico Hispanic cultural, food and agricultural traditions 
that is worthy of preservation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state records center be requested 
to conduct a study to document Chimayo chile's cultural, traditional and 
industrial connection to present ways of living in Chimayo and the 
surrounding northern New Mexico community, and that a written report on 
the history of Chimayo chile be provided to the governor and the 
legislature by December 31, 2005; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the New Mexico department of 
agriculture be requested to conduct a seed, soil and industry study of 
Chimayo chile; to work with the local community in planning Chimayo 
chile's long-term cultural asset preservation and industrial 
development; and to provide a written report of its recommendations for 
preserving Chimayo's chile seeds, soil composition, land, growers and 
industrial development to the governor and legislature by December 31, 
2005; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted 
to the New Mexico department of agriculture and the state records center.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tis interesting that a State Senate would use their time with Chiles.  I 
didn't think that there  would be enough PAC  money in chiles