Gloom Goes Up in Smoke The Burning of Zozobra
The marionette stands 50 feet high, his sunken eyes glaring down at the crowd. His wooden frame sways gently, and his brightly-colored hair makes the stark whiteness of his face even more sinister. Soon, he will be set on fire, and the crowd will howl with delight as he burns. Zozobra is a giant paper effigy burned yearly in Santa Fe on the Monday before Labor Day. Also known as Old Man Gloom, he’s one of the largest functioning marionettes in the world. He embodies human misery and anxiety, and by burning him, the crowd exorcises their own demons. Artist William Howard Shuster created Zozobra in 1924 to entertain other artists at a private party. Zozobra has been burned every September since as a way to symbolically chase away the previous year’s worries and gloom. Those who attend his burning are encouraged to write down any excess of gloom they might be carrying with them and place it in a “worry box,” which will also go up in flames. There’s no reason to take pity on Zozobra. Myth has it that his greatest pleasure is to accumulate human woe and anxiety, which he uses to cast a spell of gloom over people’s lives. Each year, he is known to possess children and turn them into “Gloomies” who do his bidding. Torchbearers attempt to battle him, but only the Fire Spirit can defeat Zozobra — and only the collective goodwill of the residents of Santa Fe can conjure this Fire Spirit. As Zozobra burns, happiness and hope return to the city. Though Zozobra is now 97 years old, the festival makes sure to keep up with the times. Every year, the marionette’s hair is a different, vibrant color. Recognizing that 2020 had a special gloomy significance, Zozobra’s hair was decorated with red
Today, Carlsbad Cavern is open to the public with guided tours available. For adventurous travelers looking to go beyond the Big Room, ranger-guided tours of various difficulty levels go deep inside the cave through narrow passageways. If you’re squeamish, take note that the cave is home to 17 species of bats — they’re completely harmless, but some visitors might not appreciate them. The Carlsbad Caverns National Park is open year-round, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Advanced tickets are highly recommended. With summer temperatures dropping to be much more bearable, October — the month in which President Coolidge first recognized the cavern — might just be the best time to go. For more information, visit NPS.gov/cave.
Inspired by Tasty.co
Oktoberfest Soft Pretzels
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups warm water • 1 tbsp salt • 1 tbsp sugar • 1 packet active dry yeast • 4 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tbsp oil, divided • 2/3 cup baking soda • 2 eggs, beaten • Coarse salt, for sprinkling
triangles and orange ping pong balls, representing the coronavirus. His shirt buttons read “2020” and were complemented by “murder hornet” cufflinks. His burning provided solace to all who witnessed it. Zozobra will be burned this year on Sept. 3, but don’t worry if you can’t make it. Each year, as our failures and follies bring more gloom to the world, Zozobra will rise and be vanquished once again.
Directions 1. In a bowl, combine water, salt, and sugar. Add yeast and let rest for 5 minutes. Add flour and 2 tbsp oil, then mix thoroughly into a dough. 2. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat bowl with remaining oil, then return the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and set it aside in a warm place for 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 450 F. 4. Cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll them into thin ropes, then twist ropes into pretzel shapes. 5. In a large pot, boil water. Add baking soda, then boil each pretzel for 1 minute, flipping halfway through. 6. Transfer pretzels to a baking sheet. Brush them with egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 10–15 minutes. Enjoy!
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