I have lived most of my life in the Southwest and I am acutely aware of the cultural and religious differences of the people all around me. Even if I do not share the specific fundamental religious beliefs of the people who constructed this niche, I certainly understand the devotion and motivation that created the the architectural embellishment. Part of my understanding of their motivation comes from speaking Spanish since I was a teenager. I first learned Spanish in Argentina and then later in Panama and since I graduated from the university with a degree in Spanish, I have background in Spanish literature. In this photo, there is a contrast between the aging relic and the cholla cactus. Both survive in a harsh desert environment and both have endured because of their inherently persistent natures.
My husband likes to read DON QUXOTE in the original Spanish. He says he thinks one of the basic differences between Spanish and Anglo cultures is that Anglo culture produced King Arthur, Spanish culture produced Don Quixote. These two guys are very different.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone worships the same God, they just call him by different names.
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