Contemplating how many readers of this blog are likely fans of the cult horror flick The Wicker Man and/or repeat attendees at the Burning Man hoe down, I thought this article about the annual burning of Zozobra in Santa Fe, NM would make a good posting. Here’s an excerpt:
“The explanation is a touch nonsensical: This is Zozobra, a beast who lives in the mountains nearby. The people of Santa Fe invite him into town every year on the pretext of a party in his honor. He arrives at the party dressed in formal attire, thrusts the town into darkness and takes away “the hopes and dreams of Santa Fe’s children,” whom he also kidnaps. The townspeople try and fail to subdue him with torches. But then the Fire Spirit, summoned by an atmosphere of cooperation among the town’s citizens, appears and, flying high off the good vibes, battles Zozobra until he is consumed by fire.”
read the whole article: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/07/magazine/santa-fe-zozobra-burning.html.
