Abstract: La Divina Pastora , endearingly known as “La Divin,” is a dark-complexioned statuary image of the Virgin Mary and the patroness saint of Siparia, a Roman Catholic parish in southern Trinidad. Reputed for her miraculous medico-spiritual cures, the Madonna of Siparia has historically drawn an ardent following from within and outside the Catholic Church, including Hindus, mostly the descendants of South Asian indentured workers. She is a dressed image, which means that her dress helps shape, and is shaped by, the interactions and relationship between the miracle-working Madonna and miracle-searching devotees. Nevertheless, virtually no studies have devoted their attention to La Divin’s dress beyond symbolic and decorative values and functions. Based on the premise that this lack of inquiry and analysis has impaired understandings of faith in the Madonna of Siparia, this article weaves together insights and data from long-term ethnographic and archival research to explore the spiritual and social properties and performance of La Divin ’s dress and dressed body.
Teruyuki Tsuji (Thu,) studied this question.