Michael Wallis's straightforward text and Craig Varjabedian's unadorned photos capture the deep piety of the Penitente Brotherhood and their complex relationship with their history and the modern world.

Michael Wallis's straightforward text and Craig Varjabedian's unadorned photos capture the deep piety of the Penitente Brotherhood and their complex relationship with their history and the modern world.

There are a variety of people, practices, and celebrations in the Catholic Church. At times some of these can be dismissed too easily as extreme, superstitious, or uninformed. Such is the case with the Penitentes of New Mexico. In I Was and I Am Dust, David M. Mellott shares his experiences of the Penitentes as an outsider. Through the voice of Larry Torres, one of the senior members of the Penitentes, Mellott poignantly provides readers with a more intimate picture of this community of practitioners. Readers may be surprised to discover a depth of meaning in these seemingly extreme Holy Week ritualsand to realize the beauty of being dust.

A major anthology of Hispanic writing in the U.S., ranging from the early Spanish explorers to the present day.

A comprehensive overview of New Mexican folk arts from the 16th century to the present time.

Compilation of materials about the Penitentes and the Penitente moradas.