Abstract
As Spain colonized the southwestern areas of North America, Conversos, Jewish citizens who converted to Catholicism to maintain citizenship and avoid the Spanish Inquisition, moved in significant numbers to these areas. Many of the Conversos who undertook this journey were Crypto-Jews, a group who maintained their Judaic practices, culture, and identity in secret to avoid persecution. In the 1600s, a significant number of Crypto-Jews settled in what is now the American state of New Mexico. Several forms of music in this region, including Ladino musics and the romancero and villancico song genres, helped Crypto-Jews maintain their Jewish identity. These musics also help contemporary scholars track the historical movement and modern expression of this vulnerable ethnoreligious group. Many of these musical practices are still performed, and the music, as well as other cultural expressions, has blended with those of other culture groups in the area, creating a unique expression of cultural identity. This paper discusses how the musics of the Crypto-Jewish community in the southwestern region of the United States reflect, express, maintain, sustain, and transmit their identity.
Presenters
Cara SchrefflerAssistant Professor, Music, Rocky Mountain College, Montana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Community and Socialization
KEYWORDS
Music, Identity, Crypto-Jews
