Spanish to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature chicano

the setting is New Mexico. The novel is about the Chicano people of Mexican and/or Indian origin and the term in question has to do with the fiestas in the villages of New Mexico (around Albuquerque). A painter's account of these fiestas is given, where she explains, "Other painters have concentrated on the Indians; I went to the small, out-of-the-way family fiestas of the Mexicanos..."
further in her account, she gives a list of some of these which may have deeper meaning than the literal one (I have no Spanish anyway, but regarding the context I guess I will need the explanation about the event as well):
"Fiestas. I loved the fiestas. There is a series: 'Spring Planting,' 'Cleaning the Acequias,' 'Misa del Gallo,' 'Los Matachines,' although my favorite were the Jémez Pueblo Matachines. I painted los hermanos penitentes on Good Friday, the holy communion of Easter Sunday, the little-known dances Los Abuelos and Los Comanches. I painted a triptych of Los Pastores at the Trampas church one Christmas. And the Christmas Posadas. All thefFiestas of life that might die as the viejitas die."