Virgin of Montserrat and Her Transculturation

Author: Afieni Cayetano

Field of Study: Anthropology; Art History

Faculty Mentors: Alexis Wang

Easel: 61

Timeslot: Midday

Abstract: The Verge de Montserrat (Virgin of Montserrat), or affectionately La Moreneta (the Little Black One), is a polychrome wooden statue of Madonna and Child located within the mountains of Montserrat. This Black Madonna is one of the most famous European depictions of a black Virgin Mary, and her status as the patron saint of Catalunya raises that very renown. Most uniquely, she became localized in Latin America and beyond during Spain’s period of colonization, with her cult appearing in Peru, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. Despite the implementation of Catholicism in these regions as a project of subjugation, the Virgin of Montserrat took on local religious traditions and conceptions. This paper will attempt to trace her “iconic path” and the remixing of the icon by local, indigenous cultures, exploring specifically how her transculturation represents broader ideas of nationalism and liberation for both Catalan and New World indigenous identities.