Me, Evangeline and Old Nº 7. The Origins of Rodeo
It is commonly accepted that the word Rodeo is a Spanish word. It´s true but is not a Spanish original, it came from Asturian language verb “arrodiar” which literally means to round and catch cows or bulls in open field with the “lazu”. Asturian “Vaqueiros” (cowboys literally translated) and Cantabrian “Pasiegos” were specialized on moving great cow herds from the plain prairies on winter to higher grazing on summer. This culture starts on the epipaleolithic period and subsist nowadays.
Vaqueiros have got a lot of problems with farmers that partially ended with the late roman period/early medieval institution of the “derrupta”, but this is another story that I will tell to anyone who would be interested in other paper. What is worth now is to say that vaqueiros are considered an ethnic group itself, and many historians and social anthropologist have studied then. Between farmers they have notoriety, fewer that in recent pastimes, of violent behaviour, sex promiscuity and bad Christians.
When the Spanish conquered the north of “Nueva España”, some of then were joined so they went to my beloved lands at the north of Rio Grande.