Cultural Memory: Resistance, Faith, and Identity

by Jeanette Rodríguez

Sangre llama a sangre. (Blood cries out to blood.)—Latin American aphorism The common "blood" of a people—that imperceptible flow that binds neighbor to neighbor and generation to generation—derives much of its strength from cultural memory. Cultural memories are those transformative historical experiences that define a culture, even as time passes and it adapts to new influences. For oppressed peoples, cultural memory engenders the spirit of resistance; not surprisingly, some of its most powerful incarnations are rooted in religion. In this interdisciplinary examination, Jeanette Rodriguez and Ted Fortier explore how four such forms of cultural memory have preserved the spirit of a particular people. Cultural Memory is not a comparative work, but it is a multicultural one, with four distinct case the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the devotion it inspires among Mexican Americans; the role of secrecy and ceremony among the Yaqui Indians of Arizona; the evolving narrative of Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador as transmitted through the church of the poor and the martyrs; and the syncretism of Catholic Tzeltal Mayans of Chiapas, Mexico. In each case, the authors' religious credentials eased the resistance encountered by social scientists and other researchers. The result is a landmark work in cultural studies, a conversation between a liberation theologian and a cultural anthropologist on the religious nature of cultural memory and the power it brings to those who wield it.

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Emma Colón · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
a really interesting anthropological/theological account of how resistance and ethnic identity maintenance in latin america are rooted in spirituality. i'm super interested in how spirituality and narrative are tied to struggles for survival in the face of western colonization, and this research gave me a lot to think about.
the authors make a convincing point that cultural memory is not about reproducing/copying the 'good old days', but rather, about claiming cultural wisdom, integrity, and rootedness as tools for understanding newer elements of life (globalization/westernization/climate change/ongoing violence/etc.) and for cultivating notions of contemporary solidarity, survival, and flourishing.
i wish it had gone into more depth in certain chapters, but overall, this was a good way to start off my dissertation research! :)

[Carl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book- and my very detailed review got erased last time I tried to do this, so I'll just settle for saying I loved it, and while it wasn't the most theory-heavy book I've looked at, it had some very interesting case studies. I learned a lot about Latino and Native American cultural history-- something I tend to be pretty ignorant about. A very valuable experience.