Marianismo as Cultural Memory

Abstract

In many Hispano-American countries the Virgin mother is revered with social significance, often through the social determinants of religion. When viewed through the concept of cultural memory the ideal of the Virgin mother is grounded in many aspects of the past and present for Hispano-Americans. Here the concept of the Virgin mother, in the context of Hispano-American cultures, is used to determine social acts and norms, where the cultural memory of Marianismo represents the boundaries for these behaviors. Thus, Marianismo is a form of cultural memory. There are several cases in which we will examine Marianismo and the role it plays in the cultural significance of a movement, people, and identity. Through my exploration of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, and the femecide that continue in Ciudad Juarez, I will show how the collective memory that is carried with Marisanismo impacts the ideas and ideals of women in Hispano-American cultures with its roots in Spain.