Democratic rally draws state legislators, highlights matanza tradition

Democratic legislators and party members gathered Saturday (Oct. 8) in Kit Carson Park for a rally that aimed to invigorate voters in Northern New Mexico while highlighting the local tradition of matanzas — or the slaughter and butchering of meat, made available by local ranchers.

The “Democrats Deliver Matanza” event was sponsored by the Taos County Democratic Party and featured speeches from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján and others, along with serving over 350 plates of locally-sourced and freshly-roasted pork.

Chef Adam Medina, who heads up the Taos High School Culinary Arts Program, said he and his students were glad to participate in the event — to which they were invited by John Rush, who heads up the Great Chefs of Taos. “Anytime they ask us, we say, ‘Of course.’ We’re always going to help them, because they always help us out with everything,” said Medina as they prepared to serve a long line of hungry Democrats.

As local voters waited in line for the fresh pork, Gov. Lujan Grisham got up to speak. “It’s a beautiful crisp, cold day — and you know what fall days are good for, in addition to green chile stew and red chile and tortillas — it’s a good day you gotta make sure you plan to vote!” she exclaimed.

Lujan Grisham, who waited in line for a plate of the locallysourced pork, said she didn’t get very far “because every woman, their partner, their family, their neighbors are really clear: Our democracy is under attack. The state and state governors are in the best position to do, frankly, everything about it,” she said to applause from the crowd.

Lujan Grisham was followed by Leger Fernández, who encouraged voters to turn out in large numbers to support the future of democracy. “You are our democracy heroes, because you are the ones who are going to take us to November; you are the ones who are doing all of that amazing work, because our democracy is beautiful. But it only works when we come out and vote,” the congresswoman said.

While the primary focus of the event was on the multiple Democratic re-election campaigns, the number of visitors who appeared for the fresh pork and side-dishes saw no end in sight, with a line of hundreds of attendees lasting until the food was gone.

Taos County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Darlene Vigil, in partnership with the Taos County Economic Development Corporation, has been waiting several months for the repair and return of the “mobile matanza,” which will provide a moveable space in which farmers and ranchers are able to slaughter and process their locallyraised animals.

Town Council member Darien Fernandez and town Planning and

Zoning Commissioner Tetsuro Namba spent the day prior to the event slowly and carefully roasting the three pigs they purchased from Padilla’s Meat Processing in Arroyo Hondo.

Fernandez said he and Namba built an outdoor grill with cinder blocks, rebar and metal grading. They then watched over the meat for eight hours, keeping it at a consistent temperature.

He said the tradition of matanzas originated in Spain, where it was a fall celebration where multiple families would harvest a pig and share the haul for the upcoming winter. “In our case, I think it was more about bringing people together to break some bread, share a meal and raise some spirits in advance of the start of early voting.”