Catholicism vs. Indigenous Myth

2. Catholicism vs. Indigenous Myth

Most Chicanos profess Catholics even though it is not pure Roman Catholic. It is from the typical Catholicism practiced in Mexico which has also been passed down for generations. The Roman Catholic churches in Mexico combine traditional doctrine with native folk practices, preached in fatalism about life, and the relationship of the rural poor to the major land- owners, or patrons reinforced these teachings (Dinnerstein & Reimers, 1982).

religious practices; or even when the Chicanos do not practice them, at least the Chicanos still believe in it. The mythical bloodline in Chicano ancestry is marked with the link of indigenous mythology which relies upon the pre- Christian, pre-technology, or what Contreraz c alled as “indigenism” or “primitivism” (Contreraz, 2008). It is connected to the unique historical richness of civilization before the English, French, Spanish, and other European came to the land of America.

Spirituality is the foregrounded feature related with the Chicano cultural identities. Spirituality does not only mean attachment with religious values but it weighs for values in leading the way of life. One of Chicano cultural identities is described with the existence of spirituality owned by the Chicanos. The cultural identities implied in the novel are shown through the amalgamation of spirituality, the blending of Catholicism and the indigenous myths.

Based on cultural tradition of Chicanos‟ life, those two distinctive things are not conflicting but they rather live hand in hand. The spirituality which is grounded on the concept of harmony life depicts the power of God reflected through the nature and other living things that share spirit with humans. Therefore, Chicanos do not conflict these two things but they try to make sense of the blending Catholicism in the myths or vice versa. Through

in the narration of, especially Antonio Marez. The profound religiosity in the southwest states such as New Mexico is usually marked with the link to the devotion of a certain patron saint, commonly the Virgin of Guadalupe, or some religious home icons such as home altar and the statute of Virgen de Guadalupe. In BMU, Antonio always respects Virgen de Guadalupe so much. For example, after the supper time, Antonio follows his mother praying the rosary and then asking for blessing and forgiving to Virgen de Guadalupe.

After the supper we always prayed the rosary. The dishes were quickly done then we gathered in the sala where my mother kept her altar . My mother had a beautiful Virgen de Guadalupe. It was nearly two feet high. She was dressed in a long, flowing blue glown, and she stood on the horned moon. About her feet were the winged heads of angels, the babes of Limbo. She wore a crown on her head because she was the queen of heaven. […] it was hard to say the rosary because you had to kneel for as long as the prayers lasted, but I did not mind because while my mother prayed I fastened my eyes on the statue of the Virgin until I thought that I was looking at a real person, the mother of God, the last relief of all sinners.

(Anaya, 1999, p. 47)

The excerpt above clearly illustrates how the family and Antonio carry on the great devotion to the typical Catholicism in the Southwest by highly respecting the Virgin, having the Virgin statue, altar, etc. It also portrays the

close connection between Antonio‟s family, Antonio personally, and Catholicism. Antonio shows respect to the Virgin as he tries to be loyal and a

good catholic. Antonio loves the Virgin since he believes that She has good catholic. Antonio loves the Virgin since he believes that She has

(Anaya, 1999, p.47). On the other hand, the close connection between Antonio with the culture of Chicano, which has different Virgin as the patron saint, of what they commonly call as „mestiza‟ Virgin, is also clearly shown in the novel. Within the Chicano culture and community, the Virgin of Guadalupe is believed as the patron saint of Mexico which almost always appears in Chicana/o literature. The Virgin of Guadalupe in Chicano literary works also illustrates the mythical and symbolic image; the connection to the deities of Nahuatl (pre-Columbian civilization). The novel even clearly describes the legend and myth of Virgen de Guadalupe and Her appearance.

We all knew the story of how the Virgin had presented herself to the little Indian boy in Mexico about the miracle she had wrought. My mother said the Virgin was the saint of our land, and although there were many other good saints, I loved none as dearly as the Virgin.

(Anaya, 1999, p.47)

In the Chicano culture, the appearance of this Mestiza Virgin embodies the relationship between Catholic religion and native religion. The position of Virgin of Guadalupe in Chicano cultural life represents dual meanings: devoutness in religion: Catholic and centralizing of mythical

Guadalupe, Chicanas have a role model to act ideally. “Culture uses myths an d the stories of heroines/heroes to create role model” (Rebolledo, 1995,

p.49 ). Therefore, in BMU, Antonio‟s mother is a respectful figure towards the Virgin of Guadalupe; and she somehow emulates the figure of Guadalupe in trying to be a good mother in he r family. “Chicano literature abounds with dutiful mothers, wives, daughters, teachers, nurses, and other helpful, nurturing, compassionate figures of all kinds” (Rebolledo, 1995, p.49). In addition, the visual image of the Virgin of Guadalupe as patron saint was also

used as central image during the 1960‟s UFW strikes in Sacramento, California. This image has been a strong image which asserts the existence of

Chicano community in the American society and the Chicano identities. Catholicism and the indigenous myth which seem to be overlapped are, in fact, living hand in hand especially in Chicano community. This can be the factor why Chicanos barely ever immerse into the American culture which is much based on the „puritan ethics‟. Because of this strength, Chicanos in the United States has its own characteristic that may successfully differentiate them from any other societies existing in the U.S, such as Irish-American, Anglo-American, etc. Such examples from the novel illustrate the relationship of inter-e thnic influences within the life of Chicano ethnic group. Chicanos‟ good perseverance of their heritage has marked their identities as Chicano within the American society.

unproblematic for Antonio, the myth of the pagan God “golden carp” however has created a certain conflict to Antonio. In this case, the indigenous myth, which influences Chicano religiosity is the myth of pagan God „golden carp‟

as another God to believe. Like in the novel, Antonio even comes up with religious questions when his friend Cico, who believes in the presence of golden carp, has told him about the other God to believe in. Based on its tale that some people may have believed in, golden carp cannot be hunted or even killed; and its legend remains a myth among the folks. On the other day, Cico brings Antonio to the river where they can see the golden carp. Cico then tries to convince Antonio that golden carp is the “obvious, true” God. Yet, Antonio does not put his faith in it right away. Antonio tries to still hold on the concept of Christianity that God is represented in three parts (Father, Son, and Holly Ghost).

Swear by the cross of the church that you will never hunt or kill a carp.” He pointed to the cross. I had never sworn on the cross before.

I knew that if you break your oath it was the biggest sin a man could commit, because God was witness to the swearing on his name. But I would keep my promise! I would never break my oath!

(Anaya, 1999, p.112)

[…] Everybody knew it was a bad luck to fish for the big carp that the summer floods washed downstream. After every flood, when the swirling angry waters of the river subsided, the big fish could be seen fighting their way back upstream. It had always been so.

(Anaya, 1999, p.82)

Cico, that those who are able to see golden carp are special. It is because not all people can see the golden carp swimming in the river. When Cico brings Antonio to the place where they find golden carp, Antonio finally witnesses the golden carp swimming; and it then makes him think what he should do after seeing the golden carp, whether believe in it as another God or not.

Well he told you about the people who killed the carp of the river and were punished by being turned into fish themselves. After that happened, many years later, a new people came to live this valley. And they were no better than the first inhabitants, in fact they were worse. They sinned a lot, they sinned against each other, and they sinned against the legends they knew. And so the golden carp sent them a prophecy. He said that the sins of the people would weigh so heavy upon the land that in the end the whole town would collapse and be swallowed by the water —

(Anaya, 1999, p.122)

The passage above shows how people still traditionally believe in the myth that the golden carp as the other representation of supernatural power does exist. The Chicano community would have been afraid if they fished the golden carp, something bad would happen to them. In the first excerpt, it even contradicts the Catholicism that Antonio believes in. Although Antonio does not really understand whether the existence of golden carp as “God” is true or

not, Antonio seems to put a little faith in the fear of getting bad luck by seeing or fishing the golden carp. Therefore, to ease this fear Antonio makes an oath by swearing to God he believes in the Catholicism doctrine.

(based on the Catholicism and the native mythology), the time when Antonio is told to start his catechism makes him contemplate that it will probably answer his curiosity about God. The conversation between Maria and Antonio below shows how Antonio hopes for the catechism to answer his curiosity.

“In the spring I will make arrangements for you to start catechism with the padre at the church, and then on Easter Sunday you will make your first holy communion. Just think, Antonio, for the first time you will hold God in your mouth, in your body, in your soul —you will speak to Him, and He will answer —“ she said to me. And she smiled, and there were tears in her eyes.

“Then I will have the knowledge of God?” I asked. “Yes,” she sighed.

(Anaya, 1999, p.187) In the catechism, Antonio gradually gains knowledge about Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, God, etc. Through the process of following catechism, it can be said that it is the time for Antonio taking spiritual journey to know more closely about God and Catholicism. Having done with the catechism lessons, Antonio has his first communion and confession. At the very first time Antonio steps towards maturity —confessing sins, becoming a man. “My own mother had said that losing your innocence and becoming a man was learning to sin” (Anaya, 1999, p.124). The losing of innocence in this sense means that Antonio has been learning or witnessing something more than adolescences generally do in his early age, such as to understand his position in his family, to learn the cultural identities from the surrounding, to cope with the happenings around him (witnessing the death of 5 people: Lupito,

Antonio also wants to know more the meaning of being Chicano through the learning process with Ultima.

From the experience of attending confession in the communion, Antonio realizes that he has already betrayed the Catholic God by seeing and

trying to believe in the presence of Golden Carp as “another God” to believe. At this part, Antonio confesses that it is one of the series of sinful things he ever did; it would be hard for him to forget all of sins he ever made. “I closed my eyes and tried not be distracted by anything around me. I thought hard of all the sins I had ever committed, and I said as many prayers as I could remember. I begged God forgiveness for my sins over and over ” (Anaya, 1999, p.227). This way makes Antonio come up with the understanding of sin, God‟s punishment, and forgiveness that still drowns him in the confusion of his identity by examining the blending Catholic church doctrine and the indigenous myth.

This internal conflict within the self of Antonio regarding the mixing Catholicism and the indigenous myth is part of Chicano cultural values which marks the Chicano identity. The Chicanos who are still tied with the traditional values of its cultural entities indicate the difference from other ethnic groups. Therefore, the Catholicism of most Chicanos is completely distinctive with the Roman Catholicism or Catholicism professed by other This internal conflict within the self of Antonio regarding the mixing Catholicism and the indigenous myth is part of Chicano cultural values which marks the Chicano identity. The Chicanos who are still tied with the traditional values of its cultural entities indicate the difference from other ethnic groups. Therefore, the Catholicism of most Chicanos is completely distinctive with the Roman Catholicism or Catholicism professed by other