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N0KFQ > XMAS 25.12.13 02:16l 124 Lines 4874 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Santa Clause or Pancho Clause?
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Born from the Chicano civil rights movement, Pancho Claus is a
mostly Texas thing, historians say, though there may be one
somewhere in California. Lorenzo Cano, a Mexican-American studies
scholar at the University of Houston, says Pancho was apparently
conceived north of the border as Mexican-Americans looked to
"build a place and a space for themselves" in the 1970s. His rise
coincided with a growing interest in Mexican art, Cinco de Mayo,
Mexican Independence Day and other cultural events.
Now, Pancho is an adored Christmas fixture in many Texas cities.
"We have kids that we ask, `Did Santa Claus come to see you?' and
they say, `No he didn't. But Pancho Claus did,'" says Robert
Narvaiz, vice commander for Lubbock's American GI Forum and
coordinator of that city's Pancho project.
Each city's Pancho has a unique local flavor, but all share roots
that set Pancho apart from Santa. Here's a look at just a few.
Oh, and Feliz Navidad, amigos.
___
PANCHO IN THE PLAINS
In the West Texas plains, Pancho Claus is Pancho Clos, so as not
to be confused with that other Mr. C.
"Pancho Claus comes from the South Pole, and Santa Claus comes
from the North Pole, and every year they get together here in
Lubbock," says Narvaiz. "Santa ... was he Anglo? Was he black?
Was he Hispanic? I guess everybody is trying to do the same
thing: Add a little of their own culture."
This city's Pancho dates to 1971, when the local American GI
Forum decided to infuse a little Hispanic culture into Santa.
They gave him a sombrero and serape, and held a big party at a
park, giving out candy and fruit to 3,000 children.
Today, Pancho visits schools, churches and supermarkets, but the
biggest event _ now supported by three different car clubs and
dozens of bikers _ remains the party at Rogers Park. There, on
the Sunday before Christmas, Pancho hands out gifts.
"We're just trying to reach those kids that might get left out
somewhere along the line," Narvaiz says.
Julian Perez, a 71-year-old retired heating and air conditioning
repairman, has been Lubbock's Pancho for 30 years and remembers
when three men, all of whom have since died, first came up with
the idea.
"I wanted to quit, but I just can't. It just makes me want to do
something for the kids," says Perez, who wears a long
salt-and-pepper beard, oversized sombrero and colorful poncho
when he assumes the role of Pancho.
___
ZOOT SUIT PANCHO
"Pancho Claus! Pancho Claus!" thousands of children chant
excitedly, stomping their feet. Just as the shouting reaches
fever pitch, Pancho arrives _ this one dressed in his signature
red and black zoot suit, fedora perched on head, waving from the
back of a lowrider as he throws stuffed animals into the crowd.
This is Houston's Pancho, aka Richard Reyes.
Reyes, 62, transformed into Pancho in the early 1980s, blending
his interests in theater with his Hispanic heritage and a desire
to work with at-risk, low-income children _ a mission he took on
after his teenage sister was killed in a drive-by shooting.
Reyes put his own spin on Pancho, adopting the zoot suit and
fedora, and started producing a short show that was a takeoff on
the poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." That eventually grew
into a play with a 10-piece band and hip-hop dancers, many of
whom Reyes met while working in detention centers and community
centers. His nonprofit endeavor now has a $40,000 budget with
three corporate sponsors.
"It's grown amazingly," says Reyes. "Now we give out hundreds of
toys, if not thousands, with other agencies and we also have a
big Christmas Eve party for about 300 families ... and then on
Christmas Day itself we actually go to the barrios with lowrider
cars with sirens blaring ... and give out toys there."
This year, due to what Reyes called a technical glitch, one
sponsor dropped out, forcing Reyes to cut back on the number of
shows. Still, he says: "Not one child will get less of a toy,
which means not one family that calls us and finds us this year
is going to be told no."
___
SANTA AND HIS ... DONKEY?
About 200 miles away is another Pancho. This one wears a sombrero
and serape. He hangs out at San Antonio's River Walk, and poses
in front of the Alamo. And, according to fliers that make the
rounds, his gifts are carried in a cart pulled by trusty
"burritos" _ as in, well, burros. Forget Rudolph's red nose. A
head donkey named "Chuy" leads the way for this Claus.
In San Antonio, Pancho visits schools and churches to hand out
gifts and turkeys with all the trimmings to 50 low-income
families. And Pancho, portrayed by Rudy Martinez, has grown so
popular he even has a public information officer.
"The end result," says spokesman Patrick Resendez, "is putting
that smile on their face."
___
Washington Post
___
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