Discussion for article #235040
Context has its uses. I was at an international scout camp in the mid 90s. When some Spanish members did something like this. It’s even more impressive at ground level as it were…
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Haunting indeed. In the American context that costume means something utterly different than penitence.
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I’m a fallen away Catholic but damn, we can do ritual.
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Years ago when I was in high school, classes in Honors English in Florida required your family to purchase the books for some of the required readings. (nice public school system that makes students buy books). I found an old complete anthology of Shakspeare for a dollar at a used book store. It had swastikas as decoration inside the front and back cover. I also bought Crime and Punishment that was a poor English translation of the Russian names that I had to borrow the teacher’s book to separate the characters name.
I was shocked but the copyright date on the old Shakespeare book was 1909 which is long before Hitler and was not some type of symbol of Nazism. Still in 1976, I was very careful to read that book at home. The white Klan like robes reminds me of the swastika symbol.
Swastikas have been around for thousands of years. In buddhist images there are swastikas. Among Native American tribes the symbol was known. So a swastika could easily have been around in 1909 and have zero to do with the Nazis
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When I saw the pictures, I didn’t think of the KKK, but of the Spanish Inquisition.
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While it is correct that the swastika has been invented as a symbol in the Indian religious universe, there is also the fact that is has been used well before 1914 by European, mainly German racist organisations. Using the swastika to indicate the “purity” of the “Aryan race” can be traced back as far as the 1880s; not as a widespread use, but occasionally.
A swastika from 1909 may have been complete innocent of any extremist political connotation, but on the other hand, it may not. It all depends on the context.
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Wow. Thank you for these striking photos. Yes, context is everything–and I really appreciate your taking the time to explain these scenes.
Here is a bit more context:
Saeta to the Virgin of Macarena in Seville
This spontaneous singing full of emotion (saeta) is typical of the penitencial processions
This style of penance does actually date back to the Inquisition.
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Heard throughout Baggerstan:
“Them thar spics is been stealin’ our robes, Cletus”
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Not really on topic but I thought that I would post the link to this column by a Christian about a Christian.
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I saw that reference you made Hugo as well as the reference darrtown made in an encyclopedia in the library because it bothered me that much at the time.
Even a young Jacqueline Bouvier wore a dress adorned with a swastika:
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Holy Cats! That must be before WW2.
Even if before the war, Hitler took power in 1933. Jackie would have been 4. Obviously quite a bit over 4 in the photo.
Look closely. The German swastikas are mirror images of the Amerindian design. The Nazi symbol was also usually rotated 45 degrees.
When I was in Spain in 2001, I bought a figurine of one of these penitents just because it looks like a Klansman.
Striking example of context.
See Spain if you can. It’s awesome.
That I understand, but the timing is interesting. By the time that photo was taken, wouldn’t the use of any swastika be frowned upon?