Original Painting of a Santiago Day Celebration – July 25th [SOLD]

Michael Padilla Oyégi Pín - Frost Mountain illustrated a part of the dance occasionally seen on Santiago Feast Day at Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. Santiago, or St. James, was one of the original disciples of Jesus. After being martyred by the Romans, it is believed his body was returned to Spain where it was buried at Compostela, a destination for thousands of pilgrims yearly. 

He is the patron saint of Spain and the protector of all soldiers and horseman and horses.  Especially revered by the Spanish who believed he spiritually intervened to help defeat the Moors, festivals honoring Santiago were brought to the New World by the Conquistadors. The Franciscans introduced Santiago to the Pueblos along with the practice of dance-dramas. Eventually the Pueblos adopted Santiago and his day into their ritual yearly cycle.

Santiago, the horse saint, is one of the few Catholic saints that has been incorporated into Pueblo dances. While the Spanish considered Santiago the protector of soldiers and horsemen, the Pueblo revered him for his powers of protection over crops and livestock as well.

Santiago Day at the pueblos is celebrated by feasts given by people named James or Santiago, gift giving, dancing and occasionally a chicken pull. The participants in the celebration come in the morning, then there are celebrations throughout the day.

In this illustration of the dance there is a drummer in the center, with a representative of Santiago on either side. The dancer wears the horse over his body. The horse is covered with a colorful embroidered woman’s manta as a saddle blanket.  On the horseman’s head is a crown with a cpaiak (short eagle feather) on top. In this image his face is covered with a multi-hued bandana. A detailed rainbow border encircles the dancers above and below.

Several New Mexico Pueblos celebrate Santiago Day on July 25th each year—San Ildefonso, Taos, Ohkay Owingeh, Laguna,Acoma, Santa Ana and Cochiti are among the ones who do.