historical facts surrounding the supposed apparition of the Virgin
at Tepeyac. However, due to the intense symbolism that the
figure has to most Mexicans, it is difficult for a non-Mexican
like myself to try and "demistify" such an important national
icon.
The myth of the Virgin of Guadalupe must be examined with-in the
context of the Spanish practice of justifying military-political conquest
as "God's will". During the "Reconquista" wars in the Iberian Peninsula
against the Moors, the myth of Santiago Matamoros (St. James the
Moorslayer)became part of the Castillian-Leonese military tradition:
that St. James was seen riding a white horse in the midst of battle,
smithing Moors to death with his sword, leading the Christians to
victory.
During the period of the Spanish Conquest of the Americas, the
'recruitment' of religious figures to help the Spanish defeat Native
Americans followed the "Reconquista" patterns: the Virgin helped
Pizarro's men douse a threatening fire while under siege by Inca armies
in Cuzco; St. James appeared again riding against Native American
forces in Central America; etc...
As most serious scholars suspect, the whole incident of the apparition
of the Virgin was nothing more than a scheme by the Bishop of Mexico
and the Spanish authorities to cement their control over the lands of
the
former Aztec Empire by speeding the Christianizing of the Mexica
people. Juan Diego was either a willing accomplice (another 'malinche')
or was cajoled or duped into playing the part of the Virgin's envoy.
However, the Virgin of Guadalupe was adopted by the people of Mexico and
thus evolved from a tool of the Spanish colonial authorities to a symbol
and
repository of their claims for economic, social and political justice.
It is this modern concept of "Lupe" that I find most fascinating, and is
a fitting example of how oppressed people can adopt the images
and symbols of their oppressors to achieve their liberation.
Francisco J. Gonzalez