A Look of Faith - Devotion to Black Nazarene - Essay Example

A Look on Faith: the Black Nazarene Devotion Philippines, a country west of the Pacific Ocean, is the only Catholic-dominated country in the Southeast Asia Region. Though composed of many islands it is undeniable that Catholicism surfaces in almost all localities. Feasts come in varying forms; pensive are some and others are a concoction of merry-making however bizarre, and sometimes, irrational they maybe. Pista, as what it is called in most dialects, is commemorated in each locale with a distinct flavour. The Feast of the Black Nazarene, according to The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila web site, gives us a look to one of “the most spectacular religious events that take place in Philippine history”. What stirred the devotion of many Filipinos is that the wooden Statue of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno de Quiapo is deemed to be miraculous. Every 9th of January people flood the streets of Quiapo, Manila to follow the procession of the black, life-size statue of Jesus Christ. The first group of Augustinian Recollect friars brought the statue of Jesus Christ carrying a cross on May 31, 1606. On its way to the Philippines the galleon boat which carried the statue caught fire while at sea. (Though historians cannot confirm this information it surely does add more mystery to the revered image.) The hardwood material carved in the image of Jesus Christ, now charred, thus was coined the “Black Nazarene”. A church in Bagumbayan, now part of Rizal Park, originally housed the statue. It was then inaugurated on the 10th of September, 1606, and placed under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist. Two years later the Nazareno, as what the Black Nazarene statue is commonly referred to by the people, was transferred to the second, bigger Recollect church dedicated to Saint Nicolas of Tolentine. The people going to church developed a keen sense of adoration for the Black Nazarene as the Recollect Fathers arduously promoted devotion of the suffering of our Lord as represented by the icon. On April 21, fifteen years later, the Cofradia de Santo Cristo Jesús Nazareno was established. Pope Innocent X then approved the confraternity on April 20, 1650. After it was transferred in the year 1787 to the church in Quiapo, Manila, the Black Nazarene statue survived the great fires that destroyed the church that housed it. It was not only the fires that it survived but as well as the earthquakes of 1645 and 1863, and the World War II bombings in Manila. Smaller replicas throughout other churches can be found. Just this year a replica of the Black Nazarene was moved to the cathedral of San Agustin in Cagayan de Oro City so that devotees from Mindanao, one of the three major islands in the country, may not have to travel to Luzon (the biggest island in the Philippines where Manila, the capital of the Philippines, can be found) to attend the procession. Novenas are held every Friday in Saint John the Baptist Church (commonly called Quiapo Church) but only once throughout the year is the Black Nazarene brought outside the church. (The original statue is kept inside the church since the damage it suffered during the 1998 procession. Only the replica of the Black Nazarene is being paraded.) The preparation of the whole event requires a thorough management of all forces such as the police, traffic, and medical personnel. Even days before the occasion police are set out to check for unwanted placement of anything suspicious, and on the day of the event they are deployed everywhere in the immediate vicinity of the procession to the outskirts of the city to observe for any suspicious activity that could endanger the people attending (such as terrorist attacks). The procession most especially, entails a very intricate plan for the coordination of traffic reroutes since the influx of devotees, not to mention bystanders and visitors, have caused a number of accidents, and ultra-heavy traffic in the streets (to name the least). Why this whole procession is a very big issue during the Feast of the Black Nazarene is brought about by the deaths of devotees and observers that get caught in the massive stampede in the previous years that the procession was held. 1. How do the members of the group subjectively experience the Black Nazarene procession? The feast is always in the news of the local television network; the procession most especially is given utmost attention. The people are ready to welcome the Nazareno with their eyes filled with determination, feet barefoot (as a symbol of humility), with echoing shouts of “Viva Seńor”. Guests are composed not only of foreigners but as well as residents from other islands in the Philippines and balikbayans (Filipinos who live or work abroad). The actual procession, to put it simply, is not something for the fainthearted. You can see people waiting up outside the church during the wee hours of the morning just to be closer to the glided carriage that carries the revered statue throughout the streets of Manila. The volunteer personnel, Black Nazarene devotees themselves, usher the life-size wooden statue to the wheeled carriage that is used for the actual procession. Connected to the carriage is a long rope that is used by devotees to pull the carriage to its proper route. This is always a big challenge since it is difficult for a smooth pass through the crammed bodies of people. As the Black Nazarene is carried out of the Quiapo Church the devotees, most of which are men (mostly clad in maroon or white), flood the carriage. The first step is already a painstaking process. Devotees make desperate attempts to climb the carriage to touch the statue (and let their let their handkerchief or towel touch the statue as well); people thrust themselves forward pushing others in the process, each one trying to make way for his self towards the statue. Others throw their towels toward any personnel riding in with the statue. The personnel then in return throw the handkerchief back to the crowd where, hopefully, the one who owned it catches it. Catching it, however, is not the easier thing to do. Why not? You could only imagine being cramped in the streets with 80 000 or so people, on an especially humid day, like sardines in a heated tin can; the mere act of bending your head down could fatally hinder your breathing. Those who couldn’t stand the heat and the pressure of the massive physical contact are immediately ushered out of the procession to nearby hospitals and makeshift clinics of the Philippine National Red Cross. Faith, undeniably, works for many people. No matter what the cost is, the conviction that they have encompasses all the logic that what they do could possibly be life-threatening. The random people attending the procession have innumerable reasons to grab the rope that is connected to the gliding carriage—a rope that could symbolize being a step closer to achieving their prayers. From the moment the doors of the church opens to the end of the procession (also in the church) you can see from the faces of every random person in the procession struggle to achieve this—that mere touch of the statue to their material effects—in the belief that the Black Nazarene does miracles and so their deep prayers and needs become answered. Truly, some believe in miracles, that their sought prayers will be granted by showing as much effort in withstanding the physical and emotional ordeal. Some allow themselves to be enslaved to the tedious tradition in place of their loved ones who in various forms of grounds couldn’t be present. Others are motivated to start a family tradition for they heard that miracles, healing most especially, indeed are made possible, and others who are unsure yet of what to believe do it for the mere experience (and perchance feel if not understand the force that this event have in other people). It is also because of this devotion that chaos stems. People, in their goal to touch the statue, become disobedient of the rules that were imposed to ensure safety of individuals participating in the event. “That’s the devotion we want to purify. When one’s emotion gets too high, it takes over the reason, the holiness of the event and the devotion,” Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales said. Yes, some believe that showing their devotion to be the key for their prayers to be answered, and some think not. Amidst poverty, a few people take matters in their own hands, in the expense of others. As you can see, while the public get busy getting close to the Black Nazarene for religious reasons, some deliberately get close (not to the statue) to the people instead. They mean to be pushed closer and closer to unsuspecting devotees for reasons, depending on your viewpoint, either plainly unlawful or for survival, or both. The fiesta not only presents an outlet to exercise devotion but also an opportune time for some to do their job casting their hands for other people’s belongings. Stealing is a familiar trade during instances like these for the sea of bodies bumping into you could hardly be identified as malicious. Hundreds of policemen are deployed throughout the streets to watch out for these people who take advantage of the commotion. Though law enforcers try their best to impose what is right and arrest these individuals who stain the pure attempt of the people in accordance to their faith, one could only hope to eradicate them in the undulating sea of bodies. Others as well take advantage of the momentous event. The feast of the Black Nazarene presents a good time to make business. All around, hawkers are peddling food, rosaries and T-shirts with the Christ’s image. Also, some who claim to be faith healers clad in white robes attend to willing members of the crowd to show that they indeed have powers to heal the sick. Still some others portend a very dismal fact that even in a richly religious country people take advantage of the credulous individuals participating by asking for donations whose proceeds don’t go to the church or the church’s charities. It’s surprising that even though people are being reminded there are still victims in this kind of modus operandi—either Filipinos are plainly gullible or plainly trusting, one couldn’t be so sure. 2. What are the major patterns of social action surrounding the cultural object? If you are a religious person, it is faith when you leave everything out for the Divine Creator you believe in; for a person with no religion in particular, a free spirit in his own state of mind, he may believe that things will work out fine amidst the challenges faced. It is in both cases that faith believes, thinks, and hopes, for the best there is given the situation one faces. Poverty, disease, moral dilemma—these are the inescapable truths that many people have to face. They may not be able to deal with it themselves without the help of other people. And without other people who will they cling to? Who will they hold on to? For many, prayers ease the tension, at least in their minds, and in those moments a resilient bond is forged between the one who prays and the One above. In many aspects this can be seen as positive, leaning on for divine guidance during difficult times. (I do not imply though that faith only works in moments of difficulty.) However, what happens when people tend to rely only on praying for things to be better, to work out fine for them? What happens when the prayers don’t become answered? What do you do when a hard-slapping reality makes it seen to you how deep into a complexity you really are? At the end of the day it is you who can make things better. Filipinos must realize that a better life needs action more than just the thought of that action and once this is known faith would steer them toward a future that’s realistically brighter than ever. 3. How does the cultural object offer a window into the larger reality of the group? Why and how is it meaningful? Filipinos are very warm people, a smile always at hand, ready for any perplexed foreigner who seems lost in the street. They communicate well with visitors from other places. However, with themselves one cannot be so sure. As elites are really elites, the poor also are the poorest of poor. While waiting for a bus in Edsa (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue), a 20-kilometer street in Manila that connects various streets throughout the city and other cities, children of varying ages can be seen running to and fro the busy streets. Looking at them—their brows creased together under the heat of the sun, their lips as well as their skin burnt and dark, with no proper clothing from head to toe (only a tattered pair of shorts or pants and a tee shirt obviously couldn’t have been washed for days or maybe even weeks)—it is so easy to feel for them. In their eyes, a hint of innocence could be seen however little or diminished. They are the ones pushed to the limits of poverty, the ones shouldering what any child should not. It seems depressing that they are where they are. And you could ask why, out of the millions of Filipinos who are, relatively in better position than they are, couldn’t do something more than look at them with pity (and sometimes with disgust). If this is a country which values kinship and adores the saints for their sacrifices and love for others, why in the most extreme of cases do we see these children spending their childhood crossing dangerous streets, and putting their hands out for alms to every car passing? Why? Several answers could be derived. With the aforementioned procession of the Black Nazarene one is required not to bend down (well not really required but it is most advised) in order to breathe and survive within the surge of bodies, otherwise, you will be trampled and crushed by the thousand pairs of feet; perhaps same as goes with this. People are too torn up with their own dilemmas. We shouldn’t take it away from them though the pity and they sympathy they have for the much less fortunate. It’s just that they are too busy with their own problems that helping others don’t seem to appeal as it should (or it does, but only in their minds). But of course, this is just for some. Others do something fruitful and conscientious. Several organizations and private individuals do something to help and in little ways they have made a difference to the society. The procession could further give numerous facets of the Filipinos. For one Filipinos are very traditional. In a way they don’t quite acclimate with imposed changes. An evidence of which is the change in the 2009 Black Nazarene procession. Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales and Manila City mayor Alfredo Lim requested that the march start in Luneta (a park in Manila) so that the crowd may have a bigger area to work with and thus avoid any accidents and mishaps to the people attending. As a result a slight change in the route was implemented. It was announced over radio, television, newspaper, and even on the internet for the interest of the people attending. However, as the procession almost reached the end of the newly implemented route the devotees still pulled the ropes of the carriage to the old course. During the procession the ultimate physical goal for the devotees is to touch the statue with their bare hands or through the towels they bring. These towels, one would find out in more queries with the devotees, are for their sick loved one who couldn’t be present and who needs a miracle to walk, talk, or recover from an illness. This presents a potent solution for them to extend if not cure the unfortunate malaise. Maybe you still wonder why these people would rather be constrained with thousand others rather bring their loved one to a good physician, or someone who could effectively care for them medically; the answer could possibly be that there is no enough money if not no money at all to spend for the needed extensive medical attention. You see, though there are some renowned and famous individuals present in the procession (such as the anchor of a television network’s news program and even the vice president of the country); most of these people are from a lower class bracket. These are people who resort to the belief of what others attested to be true, because as they see it, there is no other way for them without money but faith. This may be the reason or that they simply cling to their faith that the Black Nazarene could give what science couldn’t: a miracle. Another aspect that the procession offers us to see is how Filipinos treat their convictions. The devotees of the Black Nazarene aren’t devotees overnight. They have forged that connection through time, in moments of need where the closest place there hearts and feet can reach is the humble church in the busy streets of Quiapo and strengthened by the times when good events and overwhelming stories were shared with closed eyes and a fervent prayer of communication with the One above. Above all these, despite the difficulties faced, the procession shows the paramount resilience within each individual regardless of the scampering, pushing and pulling (intended in a way, but not deliberate for the reason that anyone in the procession, in one way or another, did to others what he experienced). It is also not to be said that these people, considerably tired and drained after spending time soaked in their own sweat, battling their own negative thoughts towards finishing the procession, standing his or her ground despite the undulating sea of people pushing, pulling and grabbing him or her away, that he or she isn’t happy with what had transpired. The whole event ultimately shows utmost difficulty but never assumed impossibility, a paradigm for hope and a miracle each of us, whether a Filipino, American, Chinese, or any other race, should hold on to. There is hope despite the seemingly hopeless situations. It may not be a general truth as to how and what will save us, but the belief of being saved and helped will, I think, appeal as true to all of us, regardless of nation, race, and all other personal preferences in life. 4. Does the cultural object reveal important principle(s) of the groups social organization? Religion, Roman Catholicism most especially, plays a very significant role in the Filipino social order. Every teaching that was inculcated in each of the minds of young Filipino children, that was galvanized through years of study (which includes exposure to various Catholic symbols and people who keep rosaries, and experiencing a society that goes to church every Sunday, and many other little things) and hence combined to form an unyielding belief. It had, in the previous years, and still in the present time steers the micro unit of the society, the family, and thus the society. The Church’s hold not only ends in the people but in the government governing them as well; it remains to be very tenacious, one cannot deny that fact. 5. What are some of the limitations of the analysis? How might the groups culture actually be misunderstood by an approach based exclusively on a reading of this particular cultural object? Though Clifford Geertz himself said, in an essay pertaining to thick description, that “culture is intrinsically incomplete” (29) the interactions derived from this thick description of the Black Nazarene procession are very substantial insights. He also stressed the analysis of culture as “not an experimental science in search of law but an interpretative one in search of meaning” (5). As it is interpretative, the analysis is limited (to a certain extent) to how I interpret the Black Nazarene devotion with respect to what I saw, felt, and heard. This is parallel to how Gilbert Ryle categorizes contracting an eyelid as either a “wink or twitch” (qtd. in Geertz 6) and how it turns to be something more than that through “a stratified hierarchy of meaningful structures in terms of parodies [that] are produced, perceived, and interpreted” (7). Ann Swidler, in her essay “Geertz’s Ambitious Legacy”, expresses that “Geertz’s implicit assumption of a unified semiotic system appears plausible as long as the analysis focuses on a single text and arrays other meanings around it; but the assumption breaks down if groups participate in multiple practices that have varying underlying meaning systems”(Swidler). The mere reading of this paper may lead contradictions to be seen in the way the Filipinos react toward the cultural object which could hinder a better understanding, or worse, cater to the misunderstanding of the Filipino culture. Works Cited “Cardinal Wants to ‘Purify’ Black Nazarene Devotion.” CBCP News. 9 Jan 2009. 10 March 2009 . “Feast of the Black Nazarene.” rcam.org. 10 March 2009 . Geertz, Clifford. The Interpretation of Cultures: Selected Essays. New York: Basic Books, 1973. Swidler, Anna. “Geertz’s Ambiguous Legacy.” Contemporary Sociology 25.3 (1996): 299-302. Read More