‘It’s (Probably) Not Rocket Science’ brings light to farolitos and luminarias

Carmella Scorcia Pacheco joins new It's (Probably) Not Rocket Science (IPNRS) podcast host, Cameron Goeldner, to talk about the deep cultural roots, memories and traditions behind farolitos and luminarias, in an episode titled "Little Lanterns: The History of Farolitos and Luminarias."

Pacheco is a postdoctoral fellow in Southwest Folklore Studies in UNM's Department of Spanish and Portuguese, but she describes her work as inseparable from her upbringing in northern New Mexico.

"I'm from northern New Mexico, and so a lot of my work stems from this cultural experience growing up with my grandmother," said Pacheco.

Her scholarship, she explained, is grounded not only in research but in lived culture through language, ritual, expressive arts and seasonal traditions handed down through generations. She brings that background into the classroom, giving students a window into heritage that often isn't taught in schools.

One of the first topics was the long-standing confusion surrounding the terms "farolito" and "luminaria." Pacheco noted that the distinction is rooted in linguistic history.

"Farolito comes from the word farol, which is a lantern," said Pacheco. "Luminaria is referred to as a bonfire."

Those differences shape regional usage. In northern New Mexico, the small paper-bag lanterns are farolitos, while luminarias refer to wood-burning bonfires associated with Las Posadas. In areas like Albuquerque, however, have blended the terms through decades of cultural mixing.

Pacheco stressed that the origins of these traditions reflect mestizaje, the mixture of Indigenous, Spanish and Mexican influences that shape New Mexico's identity. Pueblo communities historically used bonfires to guide people walking to church or gathering in cold weather.

Modern farolitos, the familiar brown paper bags weighted with sand and lit by candles, arrived later through simple practicality. When the railroad brought dry goods to New Mexico packaged in paper bags, communities reused them creatively.

"We have this tendency where nothing will go to waste," Pacheco said. "Why not make it beautiful?"

She connected this tradition to raquitismo, a concept in Chicano studies describing the creation of art and meaning from limited materials, a practice long seen in tinwork, retablos and household crafts throughout the region.

Pacheco shared a personal story from Alcalde, the northern New Mexico village where her family owns an apple orchard. Her description of the holiday Matachines dances and rosary processions brought listeners into the sensory world of northern New Mexico winter nights.

"Luminarias are prepared early in the day, stacking large pieces of leña on top of each other. As the day turns into night and the village gathers to start the Rosario, the luminarias are lit to keep those who participate warm."

- Post-doctoral Fellow Carmella Scorcia Pacheco

She described how sparks rise from the fires "like little duendes or little fairies of the holiday season," and how prayers are recited at each luminaria.

"It's taking a walk into time where the past mingles with the present," she said.

Her reflection extended beyond imagery into meaning.

"Perhaps the luminaria is more than just keeping people warm," she said. "Les da luz a su camino. It lights the way for the days and nights ahead."

Pacheco explained that families across New Mexico attach their own meanings to farolitos. Some line adobe walls, others place them on rooftops or in cemeteries. In her family, each farolito represented a loved one who had passed.

"Their spirit and their light was bright all throughout the night," she said.

She also noted how urbanization in Albuquerque shifted the terminology over time, with farolitos increasingly called luminarias. Scholars like Enrique Lamadrid and Damian Wilson, she said, have documented how such linguistic changes emerge when rural traditions enter urban spaces. Yet she continues to use farolito, the word tied to her family and cultural memory.

This naturally connects to UNM's own long-running holiday event: Hanging of the Greens. The university's oldest tradition that dates back to the 1930s.

"It's something that is part of our identity," said Pacheco. "A time to celebrate in communion."

She encouraged listeners to consider their own relationship to these traditions. Whether someone grew up with farolitos or encountered them later in life, she said their meaning remains personal and adaptable.

"I encourage you to think of the significance, the deeper meaning they hold or the possibilities of what it can hold for you," she said.

She also recommended exploring bilingual children's books by Rudolfo Anaya, including Farolitos for Christmas and Farolitos for Abuelo, which connect readers to the stories, memories and seasonal rituals of New Mexico. And for students eager to learn more, she invited them to enroll in her spring course, Cultura Popular de Nuevo México.

"We want to keep our Spanish going here," she said.

Her reflections made clear that farolitos and luminarias carry more than light, they carry stories, community, remembrance and generations of meaning. And every December, as they glow across the Land of Enchantment, they mark a season where tradition, history and identity come together.

To learn more, listen to "It's (Probably) Not Rocket Science," available at podcast.unm.edu, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere else you get your podcasts. You can also follow IPNRS on Instagram and TikTok.