Through his writings Orlando Romero recreates an image of a people whose values and customs may soon be erased, or significantly altered, by forces dedicated to progress. He is one of several young contemporary authors of northern New Mexico to write about his cultural heritage in an attempt to characterize the essential elements responsible for forming his sociohistorical and spiritual identity. His literary efforts attempt to preserve the past for the future, so that succeeding generations may be exposed to those beliefs most basic to traditional Hispanic culture in the southwestern United States.

Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Orlando A. Romero grew up in the village of Nambé, a small, rural community tucked among the foot-hills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains, some twenty miles from the city. The son of José Romero, a machinist, and Ruby Ann Romero, his direct ancestry in this region...