To celebrate our Saint Patron:

ritualization, pilgrimage and identity in the galician community of Santiago de Chile (1960-2004)

Abstract

Immersed in a cultural and religious quest for their roots, the mid-twentieth century Galician diaspora from Santiago de Chile developed an array of notions of mobility, dual membership and continuous pilgrimage as part of their overseas story. This story had its ritualizing locus in the annual celebration of their saint patron, in a process that required the union and group vision of the entire Galician community of Santiago. In this way, through the ritualization of St. James’ celebration, the Galician community was also installing their own celebration as prosperous and resilient in a foreign yet familiar country. However, despite the fact that this event allowed the consolidation of the community associated to religiosity, by the end of the 1990s occurs a progressive disaffiliation from this image, remaining a more secularized version of themselves, under a new idealization of the tradition and ways of strengthening the social body. This article will give an account of this process, drawing from interviews, periodicals, photographs associated with the devotion and relevant bibliographic material.