Learn about the origins of Santa Fe’s century-old public art spectacle and how it provides catharsis for its attendees.
He is made of wood, wire, and cotton cloth and stuffed with bushels of shredded paper and bad luck notes that Santa Fe folks donate, such as old police reports, mortgages, and divorce papers.
This annual “visitor” known as Zozobra waves his arms, shakes his head, and growls at the crowd before meeting his demise. He is surrounded by “Glooms” in white who are chased away by his archenemy, the Fire Spirit, in a flowing red costume and headdress, swinging a pair of blazing torches with which to seal Zozobra’s fate.
Zozobra mural by artist Will Shuster (PHOTOGRAPHY: Mark Lennihan, HP.2014.14.1636; Courtesy of New Mexico Museum of Art).
The Fire Spirit taunts Zozobra before lighting the fuse that sets him ablaze to the crowd’s screams of “Burn, Burn!” Old Man Gloom is engulfed in a torrent of flames, and he crumbles in ashes as fireworks light up the sky behind him. The good folks of Santa Fe can leave the bad luck of the past year behind as they celebrate another joyful Santa Fe Fiesta.
The pageantry and color of the yearly burning of Zozobra are etched in the memories of generations of Santa Feans and visitors who have experienced it, but this year’s edition is about to take on a new grandeur. August 30th will mark the 100th anniversary of 1924’s original establishment of the tradition. Preparations are in full swing for a momentous commemorative event for the iconic figure of Zozobra and its rich history.
A large crowd in front of Zozobra during the celebration in Santa Fe. The ceremonial burning celebrates its 100th iteration this year (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of the Governors Photo Archives/Sydney Brink, HP.2014.14.1939).
It Sprung From Fiesta
The transformation of Zozobra into the epochal (or notorious, depending on one’s perspective) giant luminary that marks the start of the Santa Fe Fiesta is a vibrant tale steeped in history and culture. The fascinating journey that led to the birth of Zozobra began in 1712 when Spanish leaders passed a resolution to commemorate the reconquest of Santa Fe and General Don Diego De Vargas’ memory with an annual Fiesta.
Pieces of art depict Fiesta culture in Santa Fe, from Will Shuster’s The Santa Domingo Corn Dance to a promotional print depicting the Hysterical Parade (PHOTOGRAPHY: Gift of Will Shuster/1934, Courtesy Wikimedia Commons/Published by Southwest Arts & Crafts, Santa Fe).
During the early years of the Fiesta, the event was mainly religious in nature. As the character of Santa Fe began to change after New Mexico became a U.S. territory in 1850, the Santa Fe Fiesta was also gradually transformed into a more civic celebration that featured city history and culture in addition to religious devotions. In the 1920s, a program of free Fiesta activities called “Pasatiempo” was initiated by locals and transplanted Eastern U.S. artists and writers to rival the organized Fiesta. These new activities included a “Hysterical Parade” featuring exaggerated dress, community street singing and dancing, a children’s animal parade, and, most notably, the tradition of Zozobra.
Zozobra Is Born — And Burned
Artist Will Shuster created Zozobra when he built a six-foot puppet based on a story that he had heard about an effigy of a Judas figure that was burned in a ritual in Mexico during the Holy Week celebrations of Yaqui Indians.
In 1924, Shuster burned his effigy in his backyard for a group of friends and curious onlookers. Shuster’s creation was originally a protest against the organized Fiesta, which he saw as “dull and commercialized.” The following year, with the assistance of E. Dana Johnson, the editor of The New Mexican newspaper, he increased the puppet’s size to 18 feet, and Johnson christened him “Zozobra,” a name that Johnson dug up from a Spanish dictionary that roughly translated as the “gloomy one.”
An archival shot of Michael Ellis putting an eye onto Zozobra’s head (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Palace of the Governors Photo Archives: Jeff Klein/HP.2014.14.1943, Courtesy New Mexico Museum of Art).
In 1926, the first public burning took place, and a Fiesta tradition was born. The initial public burning happened in the back of the old City Hall. By all accounts, it was an outrageous affair. Copper sulfate was swathed on burlap to create green flames, and according to Shuster, Zozobra’s head was undersized for his body. Bonfires were lit around the puppet and brightly dressed, merry pranksters cavorted to the strains of “La Cucaracha” while waving colorful whips as Zozobra went up in flames. Zozobra’s burning was to become an established, pre-Fiesta annual event, endorsed by the Santa Fe Fiesta Council in subsequent years. Shuster’s creation was soon a cherished part of the celebrations.
Zozobra creator and artist Will Shuster (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Palace of the Governors Photo Archives/030476).
Forever Rising From Ashes
As the years passed, Zozobra’s appearance became more elaborate and grew in size and popularity. Eventually, it was decided that the space behind City Hall was no longer adequate for his burning. A new venue was secured at Fort Marcy Park just north of the Santa Fe Plaza, where he is incinerated to this day.
During World War II, Zozobra’s appearance was altered to resemble the leaders of the Axis countries that the U.S. was at war with — Emperor Hirohito of Japan, Italian dictator Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler of Germany. Zozobra became more embellished over time, as did the rituals and festivities surrounding him. By the 1960s, Zozobra stood 40 feet tall and required the support of a steel pole. Amplified speakers broadcast his piteous groans as he waved his hands and rolled his eyes to a backdrop of smoke and fireworks.
Caballeros de Vargas in front of Zozobra during Fiesta (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Palace of the Governors Photo Archives: Leslie Talent, HP.2014.14.922).
The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, which had assisted Shuster from the early days of Zozobra’s creation, officially inherited responsibility for constructing and presenting the Zozobra event in 1964. Kiwanis Club members carefully planned and prepared Zozobra’s assembly and burning. Over the years, a dedicated core of community volunteers has also played a vital role in making the event an ongoing success. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe has used proceeds from the annual burning of Zozobra to serve the youth and community of Santa Fe.
By the beginning of the 21st Century, Zozobra had grown to be over 50 feet tall every year — technically one of the world’s largest functioning marionettes. Zozobra’s burnings between 2013 and 2023 witnessed the fruition of the “Decades Project,” which highlighted each successive decade since Zozobra’s birth in 1924.
The “Gloomies” dance in front of Zozobra (PHOTOGRAPHY: Mark Lennihan, HP.2014.14.1636; Courtesy New Mexico Museum of Art).
With history at its back, the city embarks on Zozobra’s centennial festivities, which promise to celebrate and shine light on a hundred years of a beloved tradition that has enchanted locals and visitors alike.
Room For All Glooms
Preparations have been in the works for many months to make the 100th burning of Zozobra a red-letter day in Santa Fe’s colorful history. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe has already launched its “Burn My Gloom” website. Folks can make sure their “gloom” — whatever is bothering them and needs to be released — is stuffed into this year’s Zozobra to burn. It’s quite the deal, starting at only a dollar — but it can cost a little more depending on where you want your “gloom” stuffed inside the Zozobra. Want a copy of your divorce papers burned right where Zozobra’s heart would be? That’ll be $15. How about a long-held insecurity set ablaze right inside Zozobra’s head? Ten bucks, please.
Zozobra is a citywide celebration that gets all ages excited about burning their glooms and releasing their misfortunes. Here, school children watch the construction of “Old Man Gloom” (PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Palace of the Governors Photo Archives/Steve Northup, 010909).
Santa Fe native Andrew Lovato became the city’s official historian earlier this year. The 100th Burning of Zozobra takes place on August 30, 2024. Find more history, tickets, and merch at burnzozobra.com.
From our August/September 2024 issue.