THE MOORS REVISITED

In several post I have described the dance of the Moors and provided my attempts to understand the importance of this dance. I now have a better handle on the dance and attempt to clarify my earlier interpretations here.

The first thing to know is that Santiago is the Patron saint of Spain and of Mexico. Santiago (or Santo Diego), Saint James in English, was one of the original apostles. Apparently he preached in Spain before returning to die in Jerusalem. His bones, however, were returned to Spain but not until about 800 AD and the famous pilgrimage route ends at the church built over his remains. The church was built in the early 800s and for 1000 years people have been walking this pilgrimage route. The second thing to know is that for several centuries the Moors, or Muslims, ruled Spain as well as parts of northern Africa. The Christians began to retake Spain around 800BC but did not complete this task until about 1490 with the capture of Granda, one of the most beautiful spots in the world, shortly before the discovery of Mexico. In the early days of the battle to drive out the Muslims a legend was developed that appears to have little foundation but it goes as follows. After being defeated by the Moors the Christian troops were regrouping when their leader had a dream in which a knight on a white horse with a sword in his hand appeared telling him that the Christians would be victorious. With this encouragement the troops returned to the field and were indeed victorious. The story claims that the knight in this vision was Saint James and he is now depicted on a horse with sword in hand and often with dying Moors at his feet. He became known as Santiago Matamoros, which in English means Saint James the Moor killer. You can find many images of Santiago in churches throughout Mexico.

So the Moors were important to the legend of Santiago, the patron saint of Mexico and for many years a dance depicting the battle between Christians and Moors was performed. As said in earlier posts this battle was important in a country were Christians were sent to convert “heathens” much as they had done with the Muslims. So the dance depicts the power of the Christian establishment and the senselessness of resisting. The most common dance today is the "half conquest", a representation of the conversion of Muslims to Christianity not the battle fought by Santiago. However, we do know that Muslims, Protestants and Jews did resist the Spaniards and it was for this reason that the Spanish Inquisition was established.

Poor resolution in photo but here we see the Moor dancing for the Virgin.

This is the only time I have seen female Moors.

To more fully understand this one needs an outline of the full dance. Although the dance has varied over the country some common elements are: Christian and Muslin troops approach each other, there is a period of negotiation between the two sides, as this fails the troops engage in combat and the tragic defeat of the Muslims follows. This tragedy is then made right by the Muslims being uplifted by their conversion to Christianity. The "half conquest" only depicts this last half - eliminating the tragedy and showing the faithfulness of the indigenous population to Christ and church.

These were Moors with a difference. Shot in Sevina.

The Moors almost always have beautiful capes with religious imagery on the back.

One wonders if the dancers or organizers continue to see these dances as being in part about Muslims or against Islam. I love to attend these dances for the beauty of some of the costumes but it is clear that you could not perform this in a multicultural society. The Muslim community would be outraged: they have not been assimilated to Christianity. The good news is that many Christian churches have begun to remove images of Santiago Matamoros, now realizing it is an insult to Islam. Others have suggested that in America the name be changed to Santiago Mataindios.

EATING WITH THE DEAD

This year we were invited by a Mexican Catholic family to share a meal with them at the grave site of family members. This was a small cemetery in rural Mexico, approachable only by a quite rough road and many of the graves were set among the trees. About 25 friends and family gathered for a meal of mole con pollo, corundas and the usual round of tequila.

I was struck by the antiquity of this Christian tradition. Before the birth of Christ the dominant belief among Romans and Greeks was that the corpse was defiled and to be avoided, thus burials were handled by “experts” and took place at some distance from the community. However, it was not unusual for family members to make the trek to the grave site and to share a picnic. After the death of Christ it became more common for people to gather and eat with the dead. Approximately 1000 years ago the Pope decreed that the spirits of the dead returned to earth on November 2, beginning at 12:01AM on the morning of the second. It is for this reason that Mexicans and many others spend the night in the grave yard and decorate their homes in order to help those spirits find their way home and to make them comfortable. In a few communities this tradition is carried on during the day rather than at night. Graves are cleaned and decorated to various degrees and families gather to eat with the dead. For some reason North America has transformed this day into an event that is supposed to frightening with witches and goblins. How did that happen?

During our meal with the dead there was no reference to the dead and in fact we sat slightly away from the grave to avoid the heat of the sun. However, the belief is that the dead are indeed at the scene, so are with you. You are eating with the dead. However, I did not see a plate set for the spirit. (However, many graves to do have food set out for the spirits.)

There is of course vast cultural differences among the peoples of the world in terms of their treatment of the dead. As noted some build cemeteries at some distance from the town (towns often sprawl so that they became more central) while others place them in the very centre of the village housing In yet others the bones of the dead are buried under the bed of the survivor. In the early Christian church it was traditional to build the church over the grave of a saint, preferably putting the alter directly above. In quite old churches it is common to find significant community members buried under the church floor and if possible to have the bones of the venerated within the church itself.

This seems related to the literal or symbolic act of eating the dead. Sharing the body of Christ during communion or actually eating the dead to retain the sacred quality of that person. Not too different than hunters an gatherers who placed great value on eating the heart or the eyes of an animal. These parts were believed to transfer powers to the hunter and to others. In Canada the head of state, while visiting Inuit peoples in the north, was offered a portion of the warm heart of a seal. She ate it as though accustomed to the act and created much conversation. What was intended as a spiritual act became a political act. Was she supporting the rights of the Inuit to hunt seals and sell their furs?

(NOTE: the references to history come from Margaret Visser, The Geometry of Love.)

LISTEN UP CANADIANS!

Hockey is important to Canadians, although the real national sport is lacross which predates hockey by many years having been played by indigenous peoples of the region. But, you only get hockey night in Canada and there is endless chatter in the media about teams and playoffs. When the Olympics come around Canada's pride and sense of identity is carried by the hockey team. But a form of hockey can be found at least 3500 years ago in Mexico, the center of this game being Michoacan.
Archeological artifacts from the above date show small clay sculptures of figures carrying what are clearly hockey sticks. This game is still practiced today and is undergoing a resurgence among the local indigenous community (Purepechas) and the non-indigenous. Traditionally, there were 5 people per side, the sticks made of a single piece of wood with a curve created by the growth of a branch. The sticks may be decorated and are quite heavy. The ball (our puck) can weigh no more than 500 grams (just over one pound) and is made of a stone covered in a foam-like material and then this is covered with a woven material (perhaps originally from cactus fibre) applied in such a way as to not allow the adherence of water. This ball is then soaked in gasoline and set afire. The ball can be hit with a very strong blow, sending it flying throw the air with the opposition only able to stop it with their sticks. There are frequent injuries to the players and almost always a little tension to the game as the ball may strike the clothing of an observer, go under a nearby car or land on a plastic tarp of neighboring food stalls.
The game appears to be very competitive but in fact it is pure ritual. Perhaps the equivalent of Canadians singing the national anthem prior to a hockey game, a shaman-like person opens the game with the playing of a conche shell, the recitation of verses giving thanks for the air, water, land etc. and then turning to the four directions. While this goes on the players have placed their sticks in a pattern around the ball. At the close of this ceremony they kneel to touch the earth. The purpose of this ritual in unclear but there is clearly an exotic and mysterious feel in the air. Perhaps the significance is carried in the fire ball. The new year for the local indigenous people is February 1 and the new year is ushered in with a ceremony of the new fire. The fire ball must have some connection to the importance of fire in this ritual.

CANNABILISM

This post begins with a comment overheard at a friend’s party. It was reported, and then discussion dismissed by claiming that everyone knew it was true, that the Aztec empire engaged in large scale cannibalism. To make this harder to believe the reporter added that they had “baby farms” as this was needed to meet their protein needs. Presumably this protein deficiency arose from environmental degradation. Knowing a little about anthropology, I suspected this couldn’t possibly be true. A little research turns up an interesting debate. On one side are those such as M. Harner (1977) who make the kinds of claims reported above (except for the notion of baby farms) . This argument is then advanced by others. Others, however, (see B. Ortiz de Montellano 1978) claim there is really no supportive evidence and suggest the claims derive from wild interpretations of murals and questionable claims about the lack of protein in the zone in question here. Some of the evidence the original claim makers use derive from early accounts written by the Spanish and these can easily be dismissed if one reads them as distortions in order to demonize the Aztecs and thus justify the brutality against the people and their conversion to Christianity. Similar wild claims have been reported about “savages” in North America”, claims used to justify brutality and conversion to Christianity.

There is no question, however, about the presence of cannibalism among the Aztec. They appear to have eaten parts of those offered to the gods as a sacrifice. Those sacrificed were believed to take on a sacred quality and thus to eat the sacrificial lamb, so to speak, was then to partake of the sacred. This activity was restricted to the elite of the society.

A small aside here regarding the numbers of people sacrificed. In a 1977 article Harner reviews the claims made. He reports that there is some consensus that the number was around 20,000 people each year while other estimates go as high as 250,000. These numbers come from very questionable evidence, in essence what they have done is take one sacrificial alter for which they believe there is good data and then multiply this number by the number of alters in central Mexico. If we accept the higher number the claim is they were eating 1% of the total population: talk a bout eating yourself out of house and home!

It is not too far fetched to see a link here to the act of communion in the Catholic church. Religious members partake of the body and blood of Jesus (although there is some debate about the idea of transubstantiation, that the wafer really is the body of Jesus) and thus take on some qualities of the sacred. The difference is that Jesus was sacrificed on our behalf and rather than repeat the act of sacrifice the act of communion offers a less messy substitute, and is open to everyone. One has to imagine that behind this religious belief is a history of cannibalism or the act would make no sense. This bring me back to the day of the dead.

One of the features of the day of the dead celebration is the preparation of, and consumption of, pan de muertos. Two types of bread are prepared. First, a loaf that looks like a small person and is placed on or around the ofrenda to represent the dead. Second a bread that has a representation of bones on its surface. This bread represents the spirit or soul of the person and is to be consumed. In this way we appear to be eating our ancestors, or at least their spirit.
ABOUT PHOTO: taken in the Museum of Anthropology. Objects like this were used to hold the hearts of the sacrificial victims. Small on in the back ground is from Ihuatzio, Michoacan.

PLAYING WITH DEATH

Spending time in Central Mexico one is struck by figures of death, some suggesting these are central to Mexican culture. One can debate the second argument but the first is very clear. Entering a restaurant to discover large clay images of death figures located as though to entertain the eaters. As the day of the dead approaches discovering bread for sale with simple images of bones on the crusts, others sell elaborate pieces for consumption or display. A whole street is given over to the sale of sweet images of death as items of decoration or consumption - men sitting up in coffins, a skull with your name on it, skulls on sticks creating a sucker or a skeleton at the beach. A local town that fashions small simple images of Catrinas* (death like figures) as well as large, elaborate and expensive images. One imagines these are used as decorative pieces in the home and indeed one becomes drawn to them, soon you have purchased several for your own home. Going to graves and watching people decorate ofrendas for their ancestors and on occasion using papier mache skeletons on which they places the cloths of the dead one. This strange person sits with the family all night observing the beautiful flowers, candles, many items of food and perhaps his favorite alcohol. Attending ceremonial dances to see children dressed in skeletal images as entertainment. Often seeing masks used in dances that show a face half alive and half dead or just a death mask. These are only a few examples.

To clarify, when a person dies the mood in Mexico is similar to that in most societies. There is crying, wailing, dressing in black and processions to the grave with the family in grief. That is to say, actual death is no laughing matter.

So what are all these figures, which some would see as morbid, about? I have struggled with this for some time and the other night felt something came together. I was watching a brief program about flamenco music and, while I didn’t see the entire thing, a teacher of the dance said a few words that jolted me. First she said that much Spanish music has death as an undertone and this enters the dance. She was standing with her arms hanging at each side and with her hands gave a gesture of flicking something away. She said in a musical way - “Death is here, death is there. it is everywhere. You have to play with it.” She went on to say very briefly that this is also what the bullfight is about. I was planning on attending a bullfight last year and so was able to spend a great deal of time with a friend who was very knowledgeable of the fight. The job of the torero was to put him (or her) self in danger, and, in the most artistic fashion possible face the danger, making it as much like a beautiful dance as possible - flick it away.

Most western cultures recognize death of course but there is a struggle to not talk about, to not see it, to protect your children from it and so on. But we don’t, as a culture, make fun of it or tease it. It is only when it comes very close to us that we have to name it. Such as when we escape a situation when we could easily have been killed. Images of death at halloween are seen as scary rather than as funny - death is at my door and yet I am alright! An acquaintance who lives in Mexico (he is from Russia) reported that he hates all the death stuff and he thinks it holds Mexico back. Playing with death brings your attention to the possibility of death he thought and consequently one does not have long-term visions. One needs to pretend death was not “here and there” and act as though you would live forever. I’m not sure I agree entirely, but it is another view.
PS. There is another tradition in Mexico, and perhaps other areas, and this is the painting of pictures of dead babies. Arte de Mexico has published an issue on this.
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* A catrin is a name for a city dweller and around 1900 a Mexican illustrator began to publish images of the wealthy urban folk in their fine dresses and suits, but appearing as dressed skeletons. These images became very popular and you now find images of every class and occupation.

DISREMEMBERING

Just returned to Canada after six months in central Mexico. Is this culture shock? Jet lag? Lack of adjustment? I’m not sure, but it does feel strange. I looked out the window this morning and could see nobody, the only sound that of a lone airplane high above the city. Occasionally someone would emerge from a neighboring house, enter their car and drive quietly away. Where are the church bells? Where are the children? Why does the traffic sound so muted? Where are the signs of life in this community?

The contrast with Mexico is stark. From our Mexican house we hear church bells most of the day, hundreds of school children come and go by our door (often ringing the bell) and the sounds of community life (to say nothing of the dogs and chickens) are present from early in the morning until dark. The neighborhood streets are always crowded as most people walk on errands and old people sit in their doorways watching the world go by.

What does it mean to adjust to life in Canada? We often say that we must get used to things here, we must adjust or get on with things. However, I believe what we must do is disremember Mexico. I begin to wonder if this is what immigrants go through. Eventually they forget what life in the home country was like. Perhaps they pick up on one or two local things and fixate on them as representing previous community - perhaps smells from a local restaurant or sounds of their native language. These small things are of course related to home but only in a distant way and when they do return home they are shocked by how different things are from what they carried in their memories. They have disremembered their native land and cling to a few false images which are more indicative of their new environment than of their home.

Having been back a few days I am also struck by features of the people: they appear so old, new mothers look like they could be grandmothers, young people are so tall.

After a month or two the weather warms and there is indeed street life in Canada. The boardwalks along the waterfront are filled with people - although there are just as many bikes, joggers, skateboards and so on. The area is like a gym rather than a community gathering place. There are many street festivals but they are all associated with business districts and appear to be just another way to sell product. We are given the illusion of it being a community event, and indeed there are opportunities for people to stroll and talk, but many are from outside the area and it is clear that if sales go down the festivals will be canceled. All very different than festivals and plazas in rural Mexico.

Welcome back and get on with forgetting things.

I am posting this after another six month stay in Mexico and the adjustment to “home” seems less dramatic. Not sure why.

VISIT TO 7 CHURCHES, HOLY THURSDAY

For the non-Catholic there are many events surrounding Easter that seem mysterious in the sense of being unfathomable at first. One of these is the practice of visiting seven churches during the evening of holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday). Why 7 churches? What are you to do while in the church? In Pátzcuaro it is very easy to visit 7 churches in a reasonable time as you can find them within about a 5 minute walk of each other. As a result, come 7 PM, the whole town appears to be on the move giving a friendly neighborhood atmosphere. The streets are a gentle flow of people going in all directions, often making vehicle traffic difficult. There are one or two food stalls outside each church but the focus appears to be on family gatherings, talking as they approach the next church. So many people are engaged that there are lines at each church and you are usually funneled in and out quite quickly. In many, the majority of the pews have been removed to give room to move and stand for a few minutes, but some people do manage to get to the remaining pews and appear to sit for awhile. We managed to enter two churches before deciding the lines too long. On returning from diner around 10:00 PM there were still substantial lines, so I have no idea when the flow eased. OK, what is this about?

The term Maundy appears to come from the Latin word at the base of the Spanish term “mandar”, meaning to command or order. Now we need to remember that Thursday was the day of the Last Supper and at this event Jesus is thought to have said: “Love one another, as I have loved you”. So the whole evening is a commemoration of the Last Supper. Although practice may vary from place to place, earlier in the day there may have been a Last Supper mass where the sacraments (the bread and wine) were used. After that mass the sacraments are removed and placed in the “alter of repose”, which may well be just a cabinet. (At this mass there may also be a blessing of the oil which will be used in religious events throughout the year and as many priests as possible are encouraged to attend to symbolize the disciples of Jesus). There will not be another mass until the day of resurrection.

So when one visits the 7 churches you are thought to be doing a number of things. Commemorating the Last Supper, but perhaps more importantly spending time with the “alter of repose” which I think now stands for Jesus. Perhaps we are declaring that we are disciples of Jesus. So we are sharing time with each other and also with Jesus prior to the dreadful events of the Friday to come. In previous centuries, and even today, these visits were also a way to obtain an “Indulgence”, which is a payment for the debt one owes to God. For this to count one must spend one hour in devotion to God and take communion earlier in the day or within the next week. This might help explain why so many participate in the activities of Holy Thursday.

So why 7 churches? This is unclear to me but in the book of revelations there are 7 churches mentioned which are now located in Turkey. These churches date from the first century and were a significant part of Christian history. Each of these carries a distinctive personality characteristics, also thought to be characteristics of people. For example, there is the church that falls asleep, the church that is neither hot nor cold, the church of brotherly love and so on. There are now 7 churches in Rome, identified by Papal order, to be the 7 that followers should visit. So in every city and town the 7 churches you visit must stand for those churches of the pilgrim route. If well informed each church gives you a moment to reflect on the features of your own personality.

As a non-Catholic I find it very hard to understand the conceptual language of Catholicism so it is very possible I have this story very wrong.