Burn Your Troubles Away With Zozobra

Zozobra Burning Wipes the Slate Clean

by G G Collins     (Copyright 2014)

Zozobra Wikimedia Commons

Ever wanted to just start all over? You can! Attend the Burning of Zozobra in Santa Fe August 29th. Every year Santa Feans are cleansed of their gloom by burning the world’s largest marionette. It draws 50,000 people or more so be sure you’ve got those hotel reservations confirmed.

A “gloom box” is located near the stage. Write down your troubles and drop them in the box (there are also “gloom” cans in shops around the city). The contents of the “gloom box” are set at the feet of Old Man Gloom to be burned with fireworks.

When Zozobra begins to moan and groan, he can be heard throughout the city. Take a look at a video by Luke Fitch of the burning. He filmed it with a DJI Phantom quadcopter. This is an amazing clip and Fitch’s other videos are worth a look too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXpIcrJRrQA 

The 50-foot (15.21 m) clown/monster made the Guinness World Records in 2007, but he’s been the big guy in Santa Fe since 1924. Gloomy folks begin to arrive around noon although the burning doesn’t start until dusk. The show goes on even if it rains, but with 300+ days of sunshine in Santa Fe, that almost never happens. No dogs or lawn chairs allowed so bring a blanket and take a picnic.

Zozobra at his Moment of Clarity Wikimedia Commons

 

The Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe produces the fundraiser which requires 3500 volunteer hours to pull off. It uses the proceeds for scholarships, youth projects and camp fees for physically challenged children. Your $10 goes to provide good things. Tickets are available right up until burn time.

If you can’t make it and still want to burn your troubles, go to:

http://www.santafe.org/Viva_Santa_Fe/ 

Zozobra, Burn Baby Burn
Wikimedia Commons

 

Roll down the page until you see the black box with Zozobra in it. Type in your worries and burn, burn, burn!

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Author G G Collins talks about Rachel Blackstone the Reluctant Medium

Reblogged to reluctantmediumatlarge.WordPress.com with my thanks. GG Collins

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

What does a fact-based reporter do for fun? Write paranormal fiction of course.

I couldn’t help it. Once I discovered the Hopi ceremony to return the dead, the story almost wrote itself. Keeping in mind that questions are the basic tools of journalists, I just had to ask, “What would happen if the wrong spirit returned?”

Well, a lot can happen, most of it bad. The spirit Rachel Blackstone wanted to see was her father, who had died mysteriously. But she inadvertently calls back one who is not so nice—and it has a score to settle. Further, she’s suddenly endowed with talents she didn’t possess before and doesn’t want. Rachel is befriended by a Hopi shaman who guides her on the perilous quest to send the ghost packing.

Reluctant Medium was to be a stand-alone book, but writing it was so much fun I decided to make it a series…

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