As the last embers of the campfires at the Chili Cookoff campgrounds and the bonfire at the Dia de Los Muertos die, one thing is abundantly clear, there couldn’t be a more appropriate slogan for this magical place than ¡viva! Terlingua – long live Terlingua.
In talking with individuals with deep experience in the local history of both the Dia de Los Muertos festivities and the Chili Cookoffs, as well as individuals who stumbled into the area unaware of either or both, the magnetism that draws people to Terlingua is intangible and inexplicable. Perhaps therein lies the heart of the matter. Three individuals with longstanding knowledge of the area are Bill Ivey, owner of Ghost Town; Jim Ezell, President of CASI (Chili Appreciation Society International) and Tom Nall, lifelong friend of Wick Fowler and attendee of the original cookoff since the early 70s. Tom said, “Even if we announced tomorrow that there would be no more chili cookoff, this same group of people as well as others, would still be right here this time next year. It’s not about the chili. It’s about friends, friends who become family.”
The CASI Campgrounds began clearing out before dawn on Sunday – as many of the Dia de Los Muertos festivities were winding down. This evening, after several hours of steady rain, all that remained at most campsites were rock fire circles and a few smoking embers. What does remain, however, is the generosity of CASI to the local community, including college scholarships for Terlingua High School seniors. In addition to proceeds from entry fees, CASI also holds a raffle to help raise money for the community. One of the items this year was a quilt. Each square was made by the children at the Terlingua school and then quilted by Marguerite, owner of Quilts by Marguerite, just outside Terlingua. With the attendance at the CASI event higher than ever, it is anticipated that their philanthropic outpouring will be significant. One local resident said that it simply isn’t possible to put a dollar amount on the good that the CASI Cookoff has done for the communities of Lajitas, Terlingua, Study Butte and beyond.
Bill Ivey is the owner of Ghost Town and he has a long legacy in south Brewster County. His father was one of the pioneers of this area. Bill grew up in Lajitas and Alpine with Lajitas actually being the Ivey’s official homestead. His family was around before the first Chili Cookoff and they were also witness to Dia de Los Muertos festivities long before they gained the popularity they have today. Bill is devoted to the Ghost Town – to preserving its integrity and its history and it is evident by, what he calls, the “labors of love” that go into the Ghost Town’s preservation. Bill said, “It’s important to pass on the legacy so that everyone learns about the traditions and culture of this area and to be a part of the community, even if they’re only here for a short while.” Over 10,000 people were in the Terlingua area this past week and the Ghost Town’s Day of the Dead celebration was the largest yet.
Despite that fact, Bill said that he recently learned that only 25% of the people who visit Big Bend National Park make Terlingua a destination although that is rapidly changing. “Terlingua is becoming a destination, but we try really hard to keep the Ghost Town looking and feeling differently than some other tourist destination. The authenticity of Terlingua is very important to preserve, but it’s also very difficult,” Bill said. “We’re trying to maintain the look and feel and integrity of Terlingua as we know it. Knowing that it’s going to change over the years but preserving it so that change comes from within, not from that stark “what’ happened to Terlingua?”
I told Bill that my father once said you could tell a lot about a community by how many porches it had. “The Porch” at the Terlingua Trading Company is renowned for both living legends as well as up and coming talent; musicians, river runners, geologists, authors, scientists, artists and the like. Some are residents of the area and some visitors. Bill told me a story about a rancher near Alpine who had to sell most of his ranch. He said this rancher kept one parcel on which he was going to build a house. “It was an absolutely beautiful place, beautiful view, beautiful location -- and he built his porch first. And then he added the house onto the porch. That’s always stuck with me because, truly, in Terlingua we live outward. We don’t build fences around our houses, heck no one even has curtains on their windows. You live outward so that porch becomes where you sit, where you lay down to go to sleep, where you have your dinner table and so on. It’s a different concept here where living is out on the porch.”
Living on the porch may be as close as anyone ever gets to being able to put their finger on Terlingua. It’s as good as it gets.
¡viva! Terlingua and ¡viva! her traditions, the traditions in the making, the people who came before us and those who keep them alive.
2014 once again finds Terlingua hosting the Chili Cookoff and Dia de Los Muertos simultaneously. Until then, stay calm and chili out.
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Sharron Reed is a resident of Terlingua, Texas and a correspondent for KRTS, Marfa Public Radio.