Show 1 tl 1 OLOR COLOR AND GAIETY MARK FIESTA representing the angio anelo saxon influence in the annual midwinter mid winter charro days fiesta at browns ville tille texas are arc these two americanos dancing the barabe ta palio patio a typical Alex mexican ican hat dance under a banana tree IN ill THESE UNITED STATES gala ala texas fete Ke revives vives colorful days on Fron frontier fier brownsville BROWNS VILLE TEX fired by the passion of hot span sh ish blood and tempered by subdued anglo saxon influence the he charro days fiesta carnival of nations major winter celebration ele bration of texas crowds three centuries of life along alon americas first and last frontier into four days and of frolicsome gaiety 0 s along the border of the united states and mexico where the blood of 0 americans and gatins once clashed but now blends persons I 1 irom from both sides of the rio I 1 grande will cavort on february 13 14 15 and 16 tn in an hilarious pageant ol of pre lenten fantasy unparalleled in america charro days he arkens b back ack to the colorful days when titled spanish landowners and virile soldiers brought the sword and the cross of old world civilization to a wild american frontier to make the celebration as authentic as possible residents of the semitropical semi tropical rio grande valley of texas and their neighbors from northern mexico dress in typical costumes costumes of the early day spanish colonial and his lady the men become charros symbolic of that spanish cavalier horseman and gentleman for whom the fiesta is named A charro was a young man of vitality usually of noble descent who rode the plains of mexico in quest of adventure and love colorful attire he was dressed in tight fitting trousers embroidered with bright braid a jacket of dark hue with silver buttons a gay sombrero and silver spurs his beard was trimmed neatly pointedly IUs his feminine counterpart was the lovely lady he addressed as china a name derived from the holiday costume she wore the china po blana it consisted of a full length light spreading skirt spangled with uncounted bright sequins and a blouse of rainbow hues she wore white gardenia or scarlet hibiscus blossoms in her hair in anticipation of the love tryst with the charro who ho rode up on his black stallion to serenade her at the spanish hacienda aura of gentility even today at each charro days fiesta descendants ol of the original spanish conquistadores mingle in the massed carnival throngs with impromptu charros from illinois indiana or iowa a lar far cry from other days when men fought with swords and blunderbusses blunder busses tor for desert lands that today yield millions of dollars annually in citrus and vegetable g table harvests vegetable daughters augh of prominent spanish families who first settled in brownsville Browns ville and built it into a thriving frontier city take part in the celebration each year such is the romantic atmosphere that pervades the four days and nights of the charro days fiesta in brownsville Browns ville at night there Is dancing under the royal palms lovers speak soft words in the shadows of citrus groves along ancient trails while nationally famous latin orchestras beat out tropical rhythm strolling bands of troubadours dours wander through the century old streets singing love songs for a smile or a pretty nod j CHIA COSTUME shadows of the past cling to alls miss juanita fernandez of brownsville Browns ville texas descendant of early spanish conquistadores she wears a typical charro days costume the chlap chia aneca the state costume of chiapa mexico 51 exico during the daylight hours there are colorful romantic parades extending tor for more than miles along humanity massed streets one of the most impressive spectacles is the annual childrens parade in which upwards of school children aged 4 to 12 from both the united states and mexico march to the rhythm of mari manachi achl bands singing the folk songs of old mexico climax of the entire fiesta though is the annual grand parade of charro days this year the grand parade will more than ever before cement the warm bonds of friendship between the peoples of latin america and the united states galaxy of events after the parades there are rodeos horse races street dances and pageants in a riot of color on the final day of the charro days fiesta celebrants move across the river to Browns villes neighboring city of matamoros mexico here in a plaza where the be empress carlota once trod and whose bosc paving stones are worn by the he feet of many nationalities lie is staged a noche dexl cana night in mexico in a setting typical of the days when ben the emperor maximilian and his french armies ruled mexico 80 years ago so widely known has charro days become that representatives from most central and south american nations are present annually Tu from oil all parts of the U S also come to brownsville Browns ville tor for the fiesta and join in the festive tun fun for charro days is celebration it has no rules nor regulations every man becomes a charro every woman oman is a china po blana |