View source for Zozobra

{{short description|Giant marionette effigy burned annually in Santa Fe, New Mexico}}

{{about|the marionette burning|the metal band|Zozobra (band)|the form of existential anxiety|Zozobra (emotion)}}

{{infobox recurring event
 | begins       = Around the end of August and start of September 
 | caption      = Zozobra Burning in September 2005
 | founder_name = [[Will Shuster]]
 | frequency    = Yearly
 | image        = zozobra burning 2005.jpg
 | location     = [[Santa Fe, New Mexico]]
 | name         = Zozobra
 | organised    = [[Kiwanis]]
 | venue        = [[Fort Marcy (New Mexico)]]
}}

'''Zozobra''' (also known as '''Old Man Gloom''' and sometimes branded as '''The Burning of''' '''Will Shuster's Zozobra''') is a giant [[marionette]] [[effigy]] constructed of wood, wire and cotton cloth that is built and burned on the Friday of Labor Day weekend prior to the annual [[Fiestas de Santa Fe]] in [[Santa Fe, New Mexico]], United States. It stands {{height|ft=50|in=6}} high.

== Burnt articles ==

The name is taken from the [[Zozobra (emotion)|Spanish word zozobra referring to a strong feeling of anxiety or worries]], and as its name suggests, the effigy embodies gloom and anxiety; by burning it, people destroy the worries and troubles of the previous year in the flames.<ref name="UPI">{{cite news |url= http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2007/09/07/Old-Man-Gloom-sorrows-up-in-smoke/UPI-82601189182702/ |title= Old Man Gloom, sorrows up in smoke |agency= United Press International |date= September 7, 2007 |access-date= 27 August 2011}}</ref> Anyone with an excess of gloom is encouraged to write down the nature of their gloom on a slip of paper and leave it in the "gloom box" found in City of Santa Fe Visitors' Centers in the weeks leading up to the burn. Participants are also welcome to add their glooms at the annual ZozoFest, a festive precursor event that takes place the weekend before Zozobra burns. Those who attend the burning can also add documents at the venue on the day of the burning, up until 8 pm MT, at a "gloom tent," where they can add their woes to the marionette's stuffing. Legal papers, divorce documents, mortgage pay-offs, parking tickets, a Martin guitar and even a wedding dress –– have all found their way into Zozobra to go up in smoke.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} At the festival, glooms from the gloom box are placed inside Zozobra to be burned alongside it.

== History ==

Fiestas de Santa Fe has been held since 1712 to celebrate the Spanish reconquest of the city in 1692 by [[Diego de Vargas|Don Diego de Vargas]] from the Pueblo tribes who had occupied the city since the [[Pueblo Revolt of 1680]]. The burning of Zozobra dates from 1924, when artist [[William Howard Shuster|William Howard Shuster, Jr.]] created and then burned the first Zozobra in his backyard at a party for his friends and fellow artists.<ref>''Dances with ink: Gustave Baumann and his studio'', Tom Leech, El Palacio 2009 vol. 114 no. 4 pp. 32-37.</ref> "Zozobra" is a Spanish word for anxiety, worry, or sinking and was chosen by Shuster and newspaper editor E. Dana Johnson after a trip they made to Mexico. It is said that the idea was influenced by Mexican [[cartonería]] ([[papier-mâché]] sculpture), specifically the effigies exploded during the [[burning of Judas]] that takes place on Holy Saturday or New Year's Eve, as a way of ridding oneself or one's community of evil.{{Citation needed|date=November 2016}}

== Modern celebration ==

[[file:Zozobra (1341071479).jpg|thumb|Zozobra starting to burn]]

Each year in Santa Fe, New Mexico, over 60,000 people attend the event and hundreds of thousands watch online. The Labor Day Friday Burning of Zozobra is followed by a festive arts and crafts fair that launches the Santa Fe Fiesta over the Labor Day weekend. The following weekend welcomes the Santa Fe Fiesta Desfile de Los Niños, the Children's Pet Parade, on Saturday, the Hysterical-Historical Parade on Sunday, and a traditional mass at [[Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi|St. Francis Cathedral]].

Since receiving all rights to the Zozobra pageant in 1964 from creator Will Shuster, the [[Kiwanis Club]] of Santa Fe has built Zozobra and burned the effigy at Fort Marcy Park. The Zozobra that burned on September 7, 2007, was certified by [[Guinness World Records]] as the largest marionette in the world, at the time measuring {{cvt|15.21|m|ftin|2|abbr=on}} in height.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/1000/largest-puppetmarionette |title=Guinness World Records Entry for Largest puppet/marionette}}</ref>

The Burning of Zozobra was traditionally held in September, however, attendance at the event improved in 2014 when it was moved to the Friday immediately before Labor Day.<ref name="santafenewmexican">{{cite web|url=http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/zozobra-organizers-see-spike-in-early-ticket-sales/article_58e0b5ef-6b20-5aab-a4be-fbc27a55d296.html |title=Zozobra organizers see spike in early ticket sales |newspaper=The Santa Fe New Mexican |access-date=2 September 2015}}</ref>

=== Event description ===

Event gates open at 4 pm and live entertainment leads up to the official pageant that begins at 7 p.m., featuring live music, performances, a beachball toss and a performance of America's [[The Star-Spangled Banner|national anthem]]. Lights-out music signals the start of the ritual tradition, and the annual drama begins in earnest. Zozobra begins to move, looking side to side and calling out his "Gloomies." A group of youthful dancers symbolize the children of Santa Fe, whom Zozobra has converted into his minions by clouding their minds and robbing them of their hope and happiness.  A group of torchbearers arrives, representing brave townsfolk who come to fight Zozobra's dark intentions to destroy the city's future. Zozobra's force is great and his Gloomies frighten away the torchbearers, who drop their flaming torches and scatter. Zozobra and his Gloomies celebrate, but the watching crowd is energized and begins to chant "burn him, burn him." 

Summoned by this urgent call for help, a Fire Spirit materializes, dressed in red with a headdress, symbolizing Old Man Gloom's archenemy.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://burnzozobra.com/all-about-zozobra/history/ |title=The burning of Will Shuster's Zozobra |website=Burn Zozobra}}</ref> and representing goodness and light called forth to destroy the gloom and bad energy of the year. The Fire Spirit chases away the Gloomies and dances in a battle with Zozobra, whose arms and head move as he growls and groans.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://santafe.org/blog/burn_zozobras_gloom/|title=Join Thousands As We Burn Away Zozobra's Hold on Gloom|date=2017|website=SantaFe.org|access-date=2018-05-05|archive-date=2018-05-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505134908/https://santafe.org/blog/burn_zozobras_gloom/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Zozobra becomes incensed when the Fire Spirit takes up a pair of flaming torches to taunt him with the possibility of destruction. The struggle between light and darkness is finally consummated when the marionette is set alight by a series of internal fireworks and finally collapses, amidst a massive display of fireworks overhead, said to be creator Shuster's way of painting the sky. As the last of Zozobra smolders in a pile of glowing embers, the watching crowd joyously celebrates the victory of light over darkness. The burning of Zozobra has been followed by the playing of "La Fiesta de Santa Fe" and a fireworks display. 

Only three individuals to date have consecutively performed as the Fire Spirit: Jacques Cartier, originator of the role; James "Chip Lilienthal, his protege; and Helene Luna, the current Fire Spirit, who previously performed as the Gloom Queen, a pageant role designed to give the new trainee an opportunity to perform onstage in advance of becoming the Fire Spirit.

In 2024, an audition for a new Fire Spirit was held in anticipation of Helene Luna's retirement; her final performance will be in 2026. Than Povi Martinez a Na Poh’Woh’Geh Owingeh native, will assume the role in 2027. During the 2024 event, Ms. Martinez keenly observed the logistics and pageant flow  in preparation to perform as the Gloom Queen in 2025 and 2026. Once Ms. Martinez becomes the Fire Spirit in 2027, the role of the Gloom Queen will be retired again until a new Fire Spirit once again needs to be selected.

== List of Zozobra-burning events & Voices Of Zozobra ==

[[file:Zozobra Dusk.jpg|upright|thumb|2007 Zozobra with red hair]]

The color of his hair changes each year.{{cn|date=May 2024}}

* {{date table sorting|1993|09|03}}— silver
* September 9, 1994 — copper
* {{date table sorting|1995|09|08}} — neon yellow
* {{date table sorting|1996|09|06}} — silver
* {{date table sorting|1997|09|05}} — red
* {{date table sorting|1998|09|10}} — [[salt and pepper (hair)|salt and pepper]] hair made out of grey and white cheerleader [[pom-pom]]s with mirrors for silver eye pupils (also the first Zozobra to burn on a Thursday)
* {{date table sorting|1999|09|09}} — orange with red [[hair highlights]]
* {{date table sorting|2000|09|07}} — yellow
* {{date table sorting|2001|09|06}} — purple
* {{date table sorting|2002|09|05}} — turquoise 
* {{date table sorting|2003|09|04}} — lavender 
* {{date table sorting|2004|09|09}} — orange 
* {{date table sorting|2005|09|08}} — brown<ref>{{citation |last=Wikipedia |first=The original uploader was Jweiss at English |title=English:  Old Man Gloom a.k.a. Zozobra burning at Fiestas de Santa Fe, September 8, 2005.  Photo by Jeff Weiss. |date=2005-09-09 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zozobra_burning_2005.jpg |access-date=2024-06-03}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2006|09|12}} — silver<ref>{{cite web |title=Cielo Azul Happenings |url=http://cieloazulhappenings.blogspot.com/2006/09/zozobra-2006.html |access-date=2024-06-03 |language=en}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2007|09|06}} — red
* {{date table sorting|2008|09|04}} — green<ref name="burnzozobra2">{{cite web|url=http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra-2008-kabeyta1.jpg|title=Image: zozobra-2008-kabeyta1.jpg, (700 × 525 px)|publisher=burnzozobra.com|access-date=2 September 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304140101/http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra-2008-kabeyta1.jpg|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2009|09|10}} — red<ref name="burnzozobra3">{{cite web|url=http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra-2009-kabeyta2.jpg|title=Image: zozobra-2009-kabeyta2.jpg, (525 × 700 px)|publisher=burnzozobra.com|access-date=2 September 2015|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305001953/http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra-2009-kabeyta2.jpg|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2010|09|09}} — blue<ref name="burnzozobra4">{{cite web|url=http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra_2010_photo_by_lisa_law.jpg|date=9 September 2010|title=Image: zozobra_2010_photo_by_lisa_law.jpg, (1952 × 3264 px)|publisher=burnzozobra.com|access-date=2 September 2015|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305035310/http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra_2010_photo_by_lisa_law.jpg|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2011|09|08}} — purple<ref name="burnzozobra5">{{cite web|url=http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra_2011_photo1_by_lisa_law.jpg|title=Image: zozobra_2011_photo1_by_lisa_law.jpg, (482 × 365 px)|publisher=burnzozobra.com|access-date=2 September 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304214344/http://burnzozobra.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/zozobra_2011_photo1_by_lisa_law.jpg|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2012|09|06}} — yellow<ref name="abqjournal">{{cite web|url=http://www.abqjournal.com/450054/north/our-picks-for-the-week.html/attachment/em090412g-2#main|title=News photos and pictures from the Albuquerque Journal|publisher=abqjournal.com|access-date=2 September 2015}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2013|09|05}} — green<ref name="blogspot">{{cite web|url=http://egad-ybnormal.blogspot.com/2013/09/zozobra.html|title=Adventure Nickel: Zozobra|publisher=egad-ybnormal.blogspot.com|access-date=2 September 2015}}</ref>

THE DECADES PROJECT OF ZOZOBRA:

* {{date table sorting|2014|08|29}} — neon yellow
* {{date table sorting|2015|09|04}} — bald<ref name="burn zozobra main">{{cite web|url=https://burnzozobra.com/|title=Burn Zozobra Main Page|access-date=2 September 2015}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2016|09|02}} — black [[combover]] with Fedora{{efn|with black-and-white [[fedora]], after Santa Fean boy Seth Cole suggested at the annual community meeting that Zozobra should wear a hat}}<ref name="very dark time">{{cite web|url=http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/zozobra-revisits-very-dark-time/article_00026dd7-74f9-5fdc-9fde-236c156975cf.html|title=Zozobra revisits 'very dark time'|access-date=December 18, 2016|work=Santa Fe New Mexican}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2017|09|01}} — orange-red
* {{date table sorting|2018|08|31}} — silver
* {{date table sorting|2019|08|30}} — mustard yellow
* {{date table sorting|2020|09|04}} — COVID-Zozobra had silver hair with red triangles and orange ping-pong balls to represent the coronavirus. His buttons read "2020" and he wore gold murder hornet cufflinks.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Davis|first=Charles|title=New Mexico's Zozobra 2020: Burning gloom away in the age of COVID-19|url=https://www.insider.com/zozobra-2020-burning-gloom-away-in-the-age-of-covid-2020-9|access-date=2021-08-10|website=Insider|language=en-US}}</ref>
* {{date table sorting|2021|09|03}} — white
* {{date table sorting|2022|09|02}} — copper with gold [[frosted tip]]s
* {{date table sorting|2023|09|01}} — turquoise
* {{date table sorting|2024|08|30}} — gold
* August 29, 2025 — turquoise with brown hat
* September 4, 2026 — TBA
<!--* {{date table sorting|2025|09|01}} — color--> 

Voices Of Zozobra:

* [[Harold Gans]]: 1982-1993

* Michael Ellis: 1994

* Harold Gans: 1995-2002

* [[Ken Garley]] and [[Rod McNamara]]: 2003-2012

* Michael Ellis: 2013-2019 

* [[Anthony Michaels Moore]]: 2020-2021

* [[Bill Parnall]]: 2022-present (Elmer "Butterfly" Garcia and Evan Galpert, understudies)

== Related practices ==

The Burning of Zozobra, which predates the [[Burning Man]] festival, is similar to related activities such as the [[Cremation of Care]], the [[burning of Judas]] in Europe, the druid concept of the [[wicker man]] and the idea of [[Pappanji]] in [[Kerala]]n culture.

== Popular media ==

Zozobra was briefly seen in [[Eddington (film)|Eddington]] (Movie Poster)

== Gallery ==

{{commons category}}
<gallery widths="200px" heights="200px" class="center">
Zozobra Commencement.jpg|Commencement of ceremonies
Zozobra Smoke.jpg|Smoke before the fire
Zozobra Clarity.jpg|A moment of clarity before the burn
Zozobra Fire.jpg|Zozobra burning
</gallery>

== Notes ==

{{notelist}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

* ''Zozobra: The Story of Old Man Gloom'', Jennifer Owings Dewey; photographed by Jeanie Pulsen Fleming, Santa Fe: University of New Mexico Press, 2004

== External links ==

{{wiktionary|zozobra}}

* [http://burnzozobra.com The Burning of Zozobra - official site]
* [http://santafefiesta.org Santa Fe Fiesta Council] - official Santa Fe Fiesta site
* [http://freenewmexican.com/news/32357.html Video of Zozobra burning, 2005] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927210649/http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/32357.html |date=2007-09-27 }} - The Santa Fe ''New Mexican''

[[category:culture of Santa Fe, New Mexico]]
[[category:festivals in New Mexico]]
[[category:recurring events established in 1924]]