Jesusita Aragón
Jesusita Aragón (1908–2005) was an American
Early life and family
Jesusita Aragón was born to a Hispanic New Mexican family in 1908 at a ranch named El Rancho Trujillo in Sapello, San Miguel County. She was one of eight daughters, only three of whom lived past the age of six.[1] She attended Spanish-language school until the 8th grade.[2] Her mother Antonia died when she was 10 years old.[3]
Aragón's grandmother, Dolores "Lola" Gallegos, was a partera (midwife).
Midwifery career
Aragon practiced midwifery in northeastern New Mexico under a teacher until she was 40 years old.[7] She reached her clientele by horseback and was one of the only midwives active in her area. In early 20th-century New Mexico, parteras were the primary caregivers for pregnant women.[2]
In the 1930s, funds were allocated to provide additional training to parteras. Aragón was among several women who participated in two-week trainings in Las Vegas. She earned her midwifery certification.[8] She moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico in 1942. In the early 1950s,[8] she built her own house, raised livestock, and gardened. Her house included a 10-bed maternity room for pregnant women. She would deliver around 200 babies every year, sometimes 10 in a single day.[2]
Over her career, Aragón delivered around 12,000 babies. She was one of the last traditional midwives in New Mexico.[9]
Later life
Aragón retired from midwifery in 1980. She was named a Santa Fe Living Treasure in 1987[10] and in 1989 was awarded the Sage Femme Award of the Midwives Alliance of North America.[4] Aragón died on April 26, 2005, in Las Vegas.[11]
Fran Leeper Buss wrote the 1980 book La Partera: A Story About a Midwife based on interviews with Aragón.[12]
References
- ISBN 978-0-7627-8399-1. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ a b c d "Doña Jesusita Aragon (1908-2005)" (PDF). El Rancho de las Golondrinas. August 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
- ISBN 978-0-472-08712-9. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7876-7585-1. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
- ISBN 978-0-253-11169-2. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ "Jesusita Aragon - midwife and natural healer in northern New Mexico". Mothering. November 1998.
- ISBN 978-0-8061-7520-1. Archivedfrom the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-56735-281-8. Archivedfrom the original on 2023-12-24. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
- ^ "Aragon, Dona Jesusita". Santa Fe Living Treasures. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ "Obituaries: Jesusita Aragon". Albuquerque Journal. April 30, 2005. p. 88. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- ^ White, Caroline (1981). "[Review of] Fran Leeper Buss, La Partera: Story of a Midwife". Virginia Commonwealth University. Archived from the original on 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2023-07-26.