Moments of Enchantment; Doña Sebastiana

M -O -E, number 180, Donia Sebastiana. Moments of Enchantment brought to you by the New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs. The night is cold and still in a northern New Mexico community. The quiet is interrupted by the airy creaking of cartwheels. Villagers hearing the squeaking wheels ask themselves the chilling question who is fated to die this night. More in a moment. In one of Hispanic New Mexico's most colorful and important folk legends, death is personified as a female skeleton named Donia Sebastiana. The death figure has long flowing hair and rides about the village's late at night in a cart which moves of its own volition, not drawn by any animal. She carries a bow and arrow, ready to aim at those who are fated to die that night. The oldest New Mexican wood carvings of Donia Sebastiana seated in the death card date back to the late 19th century. It is thought that

the death figures were made and used by a lay Catholic brotherhood known as the Penitentes. This brotherhood grew prominent in the late 19th century and incorporated the death card in their holy week processions. Earlier versions of Donia Sebastiana can be found throughout Latin America, Spain and Europe. The skeletal death figure in Europe dates at least from medieval times. These figures were often associated with the plague and were depicted carrying a scythe, walking, riding a horse or riding in a cart. In Spain, skeletal death figures carved in wood are still carried through the streets during holy week processions. The Spanish death figure can be either male or female, but usually carries a scythe. The replacement of the scythe by the bow and arrow appears to be a new world variation. The sole depiction of death as a woman is common both in Mexico and New Mexico. The name Donia Sebastiana for death appears to be unique to New Mexico. To learn more about New Mexico's rich folk legends, visit

the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe. Moments of Enchantment brought to you by the new Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs. For Moments of Enchantment, I'm David Griffin.