VS. 

Virgen de Guadalupe: How Tradition Leads and Bleeds to Pop-Culture

TOPIC:

Since I’ve arrived in Oaxaca I have seen the image of “Our Lady of Guadalupe” in many various places including on street walls, t-shirts, every imaginable kind of jewelry, churches, tree bark, bags, trucker hats, tattoo’s, and more.  She is said to be “the mother of Mexico” - anonymous man inCapulalpam, 2012.  But she’s more than that.  People are drawn to her image and adorn it in copious ways.  I find myself drawn to her image as well – it’s beautiful, after all – but she is in every corner!  The “Mother of Mexico” is not the only nickname Our Lady obtains.  Others – such as the “Patroness of the Americas”, the “Empress of Latin America”, and the “Protectress of Unborn Children”, to name a few.  According to Luis Lesur’s (2006) article on the astrology behind the image of the Virgin, she is “the most beloved emblem of national identity”, applying to Catholic and non-Catholic Mexicans.  What about her? How has she been deemed the “Mother of Mexico”, and how have the uses of her image changed with time?  How is the image of the Virgen De Guadalupe a symbol of tradition vs. a symbol of contemporary pop-culture?  Why in Mexico are we so surrounded by her?

Background Information

To begin understanding, we must recognize the time of her “birth”.  In 1521, the Aztecs in Mesoamerica, who ruled much of Central and South America, fell under Spanish forces.  Centuries earlier the Aztec culture professed a polytheistic religion that utilized human sacrifice.  Aztec priests, believing that the end of the world was near, sacrificed thousands of men, women and children to appease the gods and stall the end, cutting the hearts out of their unwilling victims. It is recorded that in 1487 over 80,000 captives were killed in human sacrifice.(Eric Wolfe, Journal of American Folklore, 1958) When the Spanish conquered the Aztecs in 1521, the Spanish missionaries stopped the sacrifices and attempted to convert the Aztecs to Christianity. They were having little success and people were being murdured.  Some say that the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to the peasant Juan Diego as a form of salvation for the people. 

Many stories exist about the birth of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but the following is the most commonly told.  In the early morning on the slopes of the “Hill of Tepeyac” on December 9^th, 1531, a man named Juan Diego saw a woman of about fifteen-sixteen years of age, surrounded by light.  He kneeled and asked the vision why she had come to see him.  She responded with a request for him to build her a church in that very spot.   He rushed down the hill in search of the local bishop, Juan Zumárraga.  In skeptical response to Juan Diego’s request, the bishop required proof.  Juan dutifully returned to the spot on the hill, on December 12^th and again, the apparition appeared.  This time she told Juan to march up to the top of the hill, whereupon he found Castilian roses.  Roses did not grow in that season so he took this as a sign from the Virgin and proceeded to wrap the roses into his tilma cloak (a type of outer garment worn by men), and bring them to the bishop.  Once he was back in the bishop’s presence, he laid down his tilma to find that the roses had left the imprint of the apparition herself -- soon to be the most popular image in all of Mexico.

"The Virgin of Guadalupe is one of the world's most interesting cultural icons.  From the deeply religious who cherish her, to atheists and agnostics who see the Virgin as a symbol of mexicanidad and to everyone in between, the Virgin is a symbol of deep significance for all Mexicans.  She is both a religious and nationally revered cultural symbol.  There are few icons like the virgin found anywhere in the world." - Carlos Tortolero, Executive Director of La Reina de las Americas: Works of Art from the Museum of the Basilica de Guadalupe, Copywrite, Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, 1996. page 6.

This image of the Virgen de Guadalupe has much symbolism within it.  The light behind the woman signifies that she is more powerful than the mighty sun god whom many worshiped - she stands in front of the sun, and shines through. The stars on her tilma, 22 on the right, 26 on the left,  represent the constellations that were apparently in the sky at the time of Juan Diego’s apparition December 12, 1531. The angel holding up the Virgin seemingly has the face of an adult, but the forehead of a child. This is for us to understand that only those with the innocence of a child will enter into the kingdom of Heaven.  Some locals in Teotitlan informed me that the crescent holding the angel is symbolic of the moon, which would make sense seeing as the sky seems to be prominent in the image.  There is endless speculation on the internet about the right eye of the Virgin, which is said to have the face(s) of one, two, and sometimes three men in it, Juan Diego, Zumárraga, and one unidentified.  Needless to say, every  aspect of the Image has been thoroughly assessed and some symbolism behind it can be conjured.

Since her apparition, her image is in churches and personal shrines in houses all over Mexico, Central, and South America.  She has the "female face of the divine  with the most followers in the Western world" (Lesur, 2006).  December 12, Virgin of Guadalupe Day, is a national Mexican holiday, and often as many as five million Mexicans— many crawling on bloodied knees—make their annual pilgrimage to the country's most venerated shrine, a basilica for the Virgin Mary in Mexico City.  In total, Mexico City receives 20 million visitors per year, many more than Fátima in Portugal, or Lourdes in France. St. Peter's Basilica in Rome is the only one with more pilgrims in the Catholic tradition. (Lesur, 2006)  The Virgin stands in the main altar of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, and in Notre Dame in Paris, she is granted her own chapel.  Not to mention that she is featured in almost every church I have entered into in Mexico thus far.  She is present on tapestries and painted on boards being sold all over town.  In Teotitlan del Valle we visited a shrine for the Virgen De Guadalupe where all the Teotitlanians walk together on new years eve.  The location of the shrine was decided by a rock shaped very similar to the famous image of the Virgin.  This rock is constantly moving from home to home in Teotitlan and is only returned to its spot where found on new years eve.  Though I made effort to see this virgin rock, there was no success.  Interestingly over 300 "viewings" of the virgin are accounted for each year, mainly on burnt toast and paint spills and such things.

Now, who buys these "traditional" things (prints, candles, etc.)?  From what I have seen, many Mexicans do in order to build their own shrines inside their homes.  A  family in Capulalpam had three different shrines inside their home complete with candles, flowers, framed photographs and paintings, and a few sculptures as well.  

Equally as often, pop-culture paraphernalia can be seen in the local markets in Oaxaca, such as t-shirts, trucker hats, and jewelry. On eBay, Virgin of Guadalupe paraphernalia can be found on bumper stickers, bandanas, nightlights, watches, car seat covers, shirts, pillows, qu ilts, and a Jell-O mold.  According to Teresa Talerico in her article “From Altar to Alter Ego: The Cross-Cultural Evolution of La Virgen de Guadalupe” in the 24^th issue of the magazine Tinta Latina, these products have been dubbed “Guadalupanobilia". 

After talking to a local, intellectual Oaxaqueña named Luisa Hernandez, I was told that the majority of people who purchase Guadalupanobilia are tourists. This was later confirmed while talking to some vendors in the 20 de Noviembre market.  One tourist I saw wearing a Virgen de Guadalupe teeshirt told me that she simply wanted to buy the shirt as memorabilia from her trip to Mexico.  She said that she felt the image was donned all over Mexico and would be the perfect icon to represent her trip.  Another tourist i spoke with told me he honestly just liked the image, which was compelling enough to purchase a hat for himself and a bracelet for his girlfriend back home.  However, many young urban people living in the city adorn it as well .  According to Luisa, one reason the image is so popular in Mexico is because many of the young people are becoming less and less traditional, attending church with their families fewer and fewer times a year.  Although they  becoming less traditional,  they still crave something from their culture.  They turn to the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe for comfort because she brings feelings of national pride, religion, and the image is aesthetically appealing as well.  Luisa also said that many of the migrant workers who leave Mexico for the United States bring Virgin paraphernalia with them to the states, as a source of comfort for them - remnants of where they come from.  

Contemporary folk art now is now displaying her image in some unexpected ways as well. At Self Help Graphics in East Los Angeles, a recent exhibit featured images of the Virgin playing basketball, adjusting her crown as she prepares to go out, holding a child at a bus stop, and even ironing her robe (Taresa Talerico, Tinta Latina Magazine).  Jesusinlove blog had an article called "Queer Lady of Guadalupe: Artists re-imagine an icon" where examples of artists using the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe in nontraditional and controversial ways.  In one painting she is depicted kissing Mary Magdelene, and in another the Virgen is depicted as a drag queen.  The most controversial image, by Alma Lopez, was one wherein the Virgen is a print of a scantily clad lady being held up by a bare-breasted angel. This print was displayed at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was not received gently.  Alma Lopez received hate mail, verbal abuse, and a protest.

“ ‘She is a national icon for Mexico, and, as a consequence, has become an ethnic icon for people of Mexican descent in the United States,” says Carolyn Dean, an art history professor who teaches “The Virgin of Guadalupe: Images and Symbolism in Spain, Mexico, and the United States” at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “With the growing notion of Chicano and Latino identity, we see Guadalupe not just as a religious image, but as an ethnic icon, and so she’s made the transition from religious art into popular art.’ ” -  (Taresa Talerico)

Within the past decade another Virgin has become popular within Oaxacan art.  For twenty years prior to 2006, a teachers strike had occurred in downtown Oaxaca in May of every year,  with demands for higher wages and increased educational resources .  Prior to 2006,  the strike had never resulted in violence.  In 2006 however, June 14^th, after having been on strike for 23 days, 3500 Oaxacan municipal police, some local firefighters and troops from the Federal Preventative Police and helicopters attempted to evict the teachers that had been occupying the Zócalo.   During the confrontation, tear gas and shots were fired by the police. After hours of conflict, the teachers were able to take the center of the city as their own and begin to construct a system of barricades that would make it impossible for the police to return via the roads. Amnesty International has confirmed that there were over one hundred people hospitalized, but the amount of casualties reported varies in number. (Nancy Davies, Narco News Bulletin, 2009)  This altercation resulted in over seven years of protest and in turn formed APPO (Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca).  Her image seems to have been born from the image of Guadalupe, and she is the symbol of the struggle in 2006.  In print she wears a gas mask and a necklace of barbed wire. On her mantle gleams burning tires and beneath her folded hands the lettering reads, "Protect us, Most Holy Virgin of the Barricades."  She represents justice, liberty, organization, and brotherhood.  Aldo Gonzalez Rojas, coordinator of the Area of Indigenous Rights of the Union of Social Organizations of the Sierra Juarez of Oaxaca, is quoted: “The Virgin of the Barricades has become a symbol for Oaxacans who struggle against the government, because in 2006 she was the only one who offered her mantel of protection”.  (Davies, 2009)

Research Plan

1. Ongoing: Take photos wherever the Virgin of Guadalupe appears.

2. Finish background research by end of February.

3. Do two interviews with vendors by mid-March

4. Do two interviews with tourists by third week of March

5. Do two interviews with locals by April 1st

The background info helped me to grasp the history of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the past, and these interviews helped in understanding her importance in the present.

As tangible evidence of my work, I intend to make a collage of all the paraphernalia I have purchased while living in Oaxaca, exemplifying her importance through abundance.  

I will also continuously be working on a slideshow of my journey within Mexico through the images of the Virgin, exemplifying her importance through domination of a nation.

Reflection and Discovery

I have loved the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe since the first time I laid eyes on her.  She stands in front of the sun, steps on the moon, and is dressed in the stars.  I knew her image was one of great importance to those Mexicans in the Catholic tradition, but I had no idea her importance outside of the church as well. It didn't take long to notice that young people were fashioning her in ways as copious as the religious purposes, or more.  Once having had decided upon this topic, my eyes were constantly peeled for her image, and the sheer ubiquity of her image was astonishing.  She is lurking in every corner!

My favorite part of this project was all the informal interviews I did.  Whenever I saw someone adorning her Image, I would snap a photo, and if the moment presented itself, I'd ask a few questions to the lucky soul.  Many tourists like to rock the Image - some catholic, some not.  The reason most travelers decide on her particular image to decorate their purchases, is because they have noticed as well her heavy presence in Mexico and have figured her to be the best remnant of their travels in Mexico.  I got some responses from tourists that they simply like the way it looks, and therefore purchase it.  She is called the "Mother of Mexico", and many Mexicans used that term in my interviews.  She holds much importance to the people here, whether or not they practice Catholicism, all very interesting to me.  I felt like through the Virgin, and paying so much attention to such a beloved symbol, I had an incredibly unique experience here.

One thing I've learned about her throughout this project is that she also stands for so many values I hold personally.  For me, she is the merging of tradition and pop-culture.  She is a symbol of empowerment to feminists and of sanctity to traditional women.  She is a symbol of hope and beauty, and most importantly represents Mexico, which for me has been such an incredible personal journey.

Personalized Criteria

Get a tattoo of your independent project: CHECK! (10 pts)

also just got back from La Villa de Guadalupe in D.F. and it was truly breathtaking.  A perfect way to end the trip. 

SOURCES:

1)  La Reina de las Americas: Works of Art from the Museum of the Basilica de Guadalupe, Copywrite, Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum, 1996. 

2)   Lesur, Luis. "The Virgin of Guadalupe - Astrology Behind a National Symbol." Astro.com. Astrodienst, 2006. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.

3)   Davies, Nancy. "Transition to Democracy Forum Cancelled in Guelatao - La Santísima Virgen De Las Barrikadas Appears Instead." The Narco News Bulletin. Narco News, 12 Oct. 2009. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.

4)   Luisa Hernandez, local Oaxaqueña, Informal Interview, 2012

5)   The Virgin of Guadalupe: A Mexican National Symbol, Eric R. Wolf, The Journal of American Folklore, Vol. 71, No. 279 (Jan. - Mar., 1958), pp. 34-39  

Published by: American Folklore Society

6)  Vendor of Guadalupe Candles in 20 de Noviembre Market, Informal Interview, 2012

7)  Vendor of trucker hats, market in Ocotlan, Informal Interview, 2012

8)  German tourist wearing Guadalupenobilia, Alcala, 2012

9)  American tourist wearing Guadalupenobilia, Jicara Restaurant, 2012

10)  Horvacio, Bii Dau Collective, Teotitlan, Informal Interview, 2012

11)  Javier, Bii Dau Collective, Teotitlan, Informal Interview, 2012