Abstract
The worship of saints in narco culture has created a following and devotion; one that came from the need to justify their world and offers a place in which the narcos could find some solace among the violence that the Mexican cartel is dishonorably known for. Robust literature explores this anomaly of the worship for narco saints, with studies on the communities in Mexico and the U.S. borderlands that believe in the “narco saints” show that loyalty plays a role in the deep belief there is for these saints. Although this trust in sainthood in the narco universe has been debated, the symbolism of Jesus Malverde, La Santa Muerte (Holy Death), San Judas (Saint Jude) and La Virgen de Guadalupe (Mexican Virgen Guadalupe) have notoriously been symbols of dedication. These saints are not only connected to the narcos, but also to the narco embodiment and personification of holiness. The reverence of these saints gets portrayed into the characteristics of narco corrido performers. This phenomenon has been publicly displayed through numerous chapels that have been built by narcos and the narco corridos (drug ballads) that have been commission by the protagonists in the narco world and the corrido performers who sing them - who also display respect and faithfulness for the saints. I explore the forms in which narco saints have cultivated a religious aspect in the narco cosmos. I draw from research and firsthand observation that provides a cultural analysis of religion, criminality, and humanity of the narco space.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Commonalities and Differences
KEYWORDS
CORRIDOS, CULTURE, LA SANTA MUERTE, NARCOS, SAINTS, NARCO CORRIDOS, VIRGEN
