Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos
By Deborah Martinez Martinez
The newly renovated SPMDTU hall in Antonito opened its doors to host the 84th convention on Sept. 13, 2024. According to President Ralph Maestas. SPMDTU (Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos, Mutual Protective Society of Workers United), is in its 125th year of operation.
The mutual aid organization began in 1900, conventions are only hosted every two years for members of the seven remaining Concilios (Councils). This year the event was hosted in the newly renovated headquarters at 603 Main St., Antonito, CO.
The day’s agenda included keynote speakers and musical presentation. Beginning the event were long-time members Antonio Esquibel and John Quintana playing the entry anthem or himno:
¡Juremos ser LIBRES
Y viva la UNION!
¡Que viva la LIGA
DE MUTUA PROTECCIÓN!
Defendemos su Bandera
Con nuestras Fuerzas y Unión
Defendemos su Bandera.
Hispanos-Americanos
Al son de libertad
Estrechémosnos las manos
Estrechémosnos las manos
Con amor y caridad
Estrechémosnos las manos*
The lyrics were composed by J.R. Valdez and this is sung to the tune of “The Battle Cry of Freedom,” composed in 1862 by George F. Root.
Morning speaker was Michael Espinosa, editor, of the book “Trail of the Espinosa Outlaws,”published in 2022 by Vanishing Horizons. The story of revenge against the invading Americanos after the 1848 War with Mexico is set in the San Luis Valley where family members emigrated.
Although there are many versions of what actually transpired between 1857 and 1863, Espinosa takes the story from his grandfather, and his father. The book is fiction but the story is historical legacy.
Michael Espinosa, also a musician, played for the conference with the group Simpatico with John Quintana, and Juanita Quintana-Frazier.
From San Luis Valley based HILOS Culturales, speakers Dr. Herman Martinez and Patti Martinez discussed their place in promoting cultural aspects with visuals. From its mission statement, “Hilos Culturales – Cultural Threads, is a Colorado nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to promote the distinct Indio-Hispano cultural arts traditions of the upper Río Grande region of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.”
For generations, these traditions have been maintained and transferred through oral customs. Be it music, dance, storytelling, woodcarving or weaving, Hilos Culturales strives to provide the finest models, teachers, mentors and instructional materials to realize our vision.”
In general, Ralph Maestas, second term President elected in 2022, said the mission of SPMDTU is to foster cultural preservation and sustainable cultural workshops in the new building. The mission, he said, is best described by the preamble (preámbulo) on the website statement. Maestas described the convention as the 100 anniversary of building, and the 125 anniversary of the organization.
In the beginning, SPMDTU was founded out of hardship. Hispanos in New Mexico and Colorado were being run off their land. Their houses were burned and in many cases, they were murdered. For a dime, SPMDTU promised its members a Christian burial. The promise became an insurance and the business was sold to WSA in 1996 and they still have 132 policies from SPMDTU.
For this convention, the group took a photograph against the side of the SPMDTU building mimicking historic photos taken in 1938 and 2002.
The organization promoted the 2024 Labor Day Parade which was the first such parade in a long time for Antonito, Maestas said. SPMDTU also hosted an open house for refurbished building. The re-building of SPMDTU Concilio Superior was finished in July 2024.
Many of the photographs of the SPMDTU are housed at the University of New Mexico digital repository, appropriately for an organization that played such a critical role in the wellbeing of gente in Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Current Concilios are hosted in the following cities: Concilio Superior, Antonito; Concilio #1: Antonito, CO; Concilio #7: Denver, CO; Concilio #15: Las Placitas, NM; Concilio #18: Ranchos De Taos, NM; Concilio #19: Alamosa, CO; Concilio #31: Chama, CO; Concilio #57: Nambe, NM. Contact information for each Concilio is listed on the website SPMDTU.org.
