People saying ‘Las Lunas’ drives author to lunacy

live in the Village of Los Lunas, New Mexico, as it is called. This presents a language issue. First let me say that I speak fluent southern, and due to my opera and concert singing life, I delve into a number of other languages from German to Latin. I always kept numerous language dictionaries at hand in my Berry College voice studio.

Now some of you reading this column probably are fluent in Spanish. You are probably thinking, “They got it all wrong out there in Nuevo Mexico!” You think, “It’s not ‘Los’ Lunas, it’s ‘Las’ Lunas.” You know, the moons.

Well, not if you are talking about the Luna Family. There were a number of them who lived in the Luna Mansion on our Main Street, hence the plural “Los.”

Recently, Mr. Luna was at the University of New Mexico — Valencia scholarship night, and he turned to my bride, the dean, and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up. I don’t know if we are suddenly honorary members of the Luna family, but it felt like the royal welcome. By the way, the Luna Mansion is nowadays Valencia County’s finest restaurant.

There is a special cultural soup that defines New Mexico. Here three cultures eventually met, fought, made up, fought some more, and became a state. The terms out here used to describe the three cultures are Native American, Anglo, and Spanish (Latino/Hispanic).

The streets of my village have Spanish names. I travel frequently on Los Lentes and right down in the middle of it all is Luna Avenue, named after, well, you’ve figured it out by now.

Here’s the first problem. Many of the folks around here don’t pronounce the name of their village correctly. Instead of rounding their lips to form a lovely “O” for “Los,” they are linguistically lazy and they call our home “Las.” This drives me crazy, and I always compliment folks who take the time to give our home its proper sound.

It would be like the folks of Rome calling their residential area Mount Aletoe, versus Mount Alto. Imagine.

For many Americans, Latino and Hispanic names give cause for alarm.

I believe I am correct in that there are no folks of Spanish descent occupying offices of influence in Rome and Floyd County, yet there are many residents who are native of lands south of the border. I dearly hope I am in error on this, and I hope come election season they will step up and run for office.

Martinez, Escudero, and Aragon. Are these three names members of a law firm in my New Mexico home? No, they are the names, in order, of my gastroenterologist, my otolaryngologist, and my primary physician. I love Dr. Aragon’s name, for it makes me think of old Spain and Spanish nobles.

Due to the fact that Los Lunas is on the old Spanish trail from Mexico City to Santa Fe, there are numbers of families in my community that trace their lineage (and quite proudly) all the way back to Old Spain. I am sure they were as happy as I was when the great Sergio Garcia won Georgia’s Masters Golf Tournament a few weeks ago.

Martinez is also the name of the governor of New Mexico. She carries her lineage proudly as she hails from the very southern border of New Mexico, a home to a legacy of western myth and legend.

The Native American influence is strong here, and I have written about it in this newspaper. In Rome, of course, there is much history of The Cherokee Nation (one of my dear friends and colleagues out here is the American film acting treasure Wes Studi, a member of the Cherokee Nation).

My bride and I held our wedding reception at Chieftain’s Museum, and I have enjoyed many a fine event at this Floyd County historical landmark. This newspaper has given lengthy coverage of Cave Spring’s Cherokee Cabin, an indication of the historical influence of the Cherokee in Northwest Georgia.

The 19 Pueblos of New Mexico are established from centuries of existence, both in peace and in war. The Native Americans here in New Mexico are particularly proud of service in America’s armed forces, and indeed, a Native American veterans center is just up the highway from my home.

New Mexico is a place where three cultures, Hispanic, Native American and Anglo meet. It has not always been pretty, but now business, arts, and a cultural heritage is shared, honored, and exalted on a daily basis.

Seems to me this is as America should be. Instead of “others” it seems it should be “us.” You know, like the seal, “E Pluribus Unum” — out of many, one.

And remember folks, it’s “Los,” not “Las,” unless you are staring up at the sky, but astronomy is not today’s subject. HARRY MUSSELWHITE Jim Powell of Young Harris