Description
Each week you will be asked a question or series of questions about the content of the week. Each response needs to be at least 300 words. You are welcome to write as much as you would like in any of the weekly journals.What do you think was the most important thing you learned in this week’s Module as it relates to your own life*? Why?week’s ModuleSyncretization andMestizajeSyncretism is the combining of cultures. One of the most common versions of this is religioussyncretization.Spanish-controlled versus English-controlled America● Integration more prevalent in Spanish-controlled areas due to the lack of European women● English-controlled spaces are often populated by whole families, including women and childrenMestizaje is Spanish for the mixing of different ethnicities, mainly Europeans and Indigenous peoples.● Systematized by the Spanish● Entrenched a new hierarchy, based on European descent● French-controlled areas of North America were generally more integrated than English-controlled and less systematized than Spanish-controlled areasKurly Tlapoyawa – Archaeologist, filmmaker, and founder of the Chimalli institute of Mesoamerican ArtsProfessor of C/S at Colegio Chicano del Pueblohttps://kurlytlapoyawa.medium.com/the-virgin-of-te…Las castas. Casta painting showing 16 racialgroupings. Anonymous, 18th century, MuseoNacional del Virreinato, Tepotzotlán, Mexico.SyncretizationandMestizajeSyncretization &Mestizaje:The Virgin ofGuadalupeLeft: “undressed” statueMiddle top and bottom:21st century pictures invarious dressesRight: 1745 oil painting,purchased by Henry S.WellcomeThe discovery of the statue follows a well-known trope, according tolegend:● 712 CE the statue is buried by priests from Seville fleeing fromthe Muslim invasion● In 1326 Gil Cordero, a local herdsman, was looking for a lost cowhe found it dead near the Guadalupe River● As he made a cross-shaped incision to begin butcheringthe cow, it came to life and Mary appeared● She told Cordero to get the bishop and dig on the spotwhere they would find the statue and then build a church● The bishop, however, was unimpressed by the story● After Cordero’s son was also brought back to life thebishop consented and they dug where the cow had died● The statue was found along with a record of its burial● In the 1340 King Alfonso XI of Castile soundly defeated Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali and the invading forces of the Moroccan Sultanate atthe Guadalupe River● Legend has it he attributed the victory to the Virgin● In 1389 Hieronymite monks made the shrine their centralmonasterySyncretization & Mestizaje:The Virginof GuadalupeLeft: Virgen de Guadalupe, 1777 painting, stillwith crown ( Juan de Sáenz)Top right: the banner of Hernán Cortésduring his campaign against the Aztec EmpireBottom right: Virgen de Guadalupe from thehometown of Cortés and many conquistadorsSyncretization &Mestizaje :The Virgin ofGuadalupeSyncretization & MestizajeLa Virgende GuadalupeThe revelation of the image seems to follow the same well-known trope:● Juan Diego sees a Marian apparition December 9, 1531 on his way toTlatelolco at the Hill of Tepeyac, declaring that Juan Diego tell thebishop to build a church on the hill● The bishop does not immediately deny Juan Diego’s when he tellsof the vision, but says to come another day● Juan Diego sees Mary again on the way home and she assures himthat he should try again● He does and the bishop says he needs a sign from Mary● However, the next day, Juan Diego’s uncle, Juan Bernardino, wassick and so he was unable to leave● Feeling guilty for not having received Mary’s sign and fulfilling hermission, Juan Diego tries to go another way but he is stopped bythe apparition● She tells him to go collect the flowers on the hill and bring them tothe bishop, and that his uncle had already recovered from hisillness● When Juan Diego let the flowers drop the most-famous image wason the cloakThis is not syncretism● Indigenous peoples do not immediately latch onto the story● In fact, there was pushback on all sides at firstHere is Franciscan monk and historian, Bernardino de Sahagún, in1570, only 14 years after first historical account of the painting:At this place [Tepeyac], [the Indians] had a temple dedicated to the mother ofthe gods, whom they called Tonantzin, which means Our Mother. There theyperformed many sacrifices in honor of this goddess … And now that a churchof Our Lady of Guadalupe is built there, they also called her Tonantzin,being motivated by those preachers who called Our Lady, the Mother of God,Tonantzin. While it is not known for certain where the beginning ofTonantzin may have originated, but this we know for certain, that, from itsfirst usage, the word refers to the ancient Tonantzin. And it was viewed assomething that should be remedied, for their having [native] name of theMother of God, Holy Mary, instead of Tonantzin, but Dios inantzin. Itappears to be a Satanic invention to cloak idolatry under the confusion ofthis name, Tonantzin.Left: Virgen de Guadalupe; Right: Chikomekoatl “seven serpent” and Ziwakoatl“serpent woman,” both guises of Tonantzin “our beloved mother”Syncretization & Mestizaje:La Virgende GuadalupeLeft: Virgen del Coro,Monastery of Our Ladyof Guadalupe,Extremadura, Spainc. 1499Middle: The Madonnaand Child in a Rosary,c. 1490Right: Detail of “TheAssumption of theVirgin,” Ambrogio diStefano da Fossano,c 1500Syncretization & Mestizaje:La Virgen de GuadalupeSyncretization & Mestizaje:Creoles and PeninsularesMid-1600s: Catholicism becomes dominant religion among lower castesPolitical power with Spanish, Creoles versus PeninsularesFeast date of Virgin of Guadalupe moved from September to December● Removes Spanish influence on image and eventsDecember 26, 1733, Fray Juan de Villa● “As God gave Moses the Law on the mountain, so he gaveZumarraga the image on a hill.”● Where is Juan Diego here?September 16, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo de Castillo● “Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe! Death to bad government! Deathto the gachupines!”Indigenous icon, not until Mexican Revolution, 1910-1920 Modern depiction of Miguel Hidalgo de Castillogiving his “Grito de Dolores”