Introduction
Latin America covers “an area of around 19.2 square kilometers” (Socolow 5). The region has twenty sovereign nations covering the Caribbean and South America. Most of “the countries in Latin America are characterized by the use of different Romantic languages” (Socolow 9).
The landing of the Europeans in Latin America led to colonialism. The Europeans managed to introduce new customs, religious practices and cultural practices. Throughout the colonial period, the Roman Catholic Church grew to become the major religious power to dominate the region (Nazzari 365).
The ideals, teachings, beliefs, and practices supported by the religious group weakened most of the traditional ways embraced by the natives. During the same period, Catholic became the only major religion across Latin America. However, new challenges and gender issues emerged during the period. This essay therefore examines the religious experiences of many women during the colonial period.
Thesis statement
The religious experiences of many women in colonial Latin America were characterized by structural limitations, cases of sexism, and productive abilities that made it easier for them to mould their lifestyles throughout the period.
Religious Experiences of Women in Colonial Latin America
Past studies have argued that many women were oppressed, enslaved, and tortured by their masters in Latin America throughout the colonial period. However, recent works have argued that the experiences and religious obligations of women were diverse. This is the case because women of different regions, racial backgrounds, and classes encountered a wide range of experiences during the period.
The most outstanding fact is that various factors such as culture and race played a significant role towards determining the obligations of many women in colonial Latin America. This aspect can be clearly understood by examining how colonization brought together three different racial groups of women. These included the “Iberians, the Indians, and the Africans” (Nazzari 365).
According to different analysts, the religious lives of women were characterized by both opportunities and limitations. For instance, issues of marriage, family, and sexually were engraved within different religious teachings.
Throughout the period, race and class were the major factors used to dictate when a specific woman was supposed to become a spinster. Many Iberian women were free to choose their career and religious paths (Ward 478).
It is notable that Catholic was the major religious group during the era. Many women were therefore encouraged to become nuns and pursue their spiritual journeys. However, their social classes and backgrounds played a major role during the period. Such developments determined the fates and experiences of many women in the region.
Socolow argues that “religion played a critical role towards determining the outcomes and experiences of many women in this region” (47). For instance, religion became a powerful tool that made it easier for more women to become liberated.
Throughout the pre-colonial period, many native women were oppressed in accordance with the existing cultural and traditional practices. However, the newly-introduced religion enlightened more individuals in the society. More women were able to focus on their goals and careers.
Some individuals were also free to make their decisions regarding the question of marriage. Many Iberian women were able to find a new source of liberation. Such women could pursue their careers, engage in various economic activities, or become nuns. The opportunities made it easier for them to focus on their economic goals.
However, this kind of development was determined by different forces such as cultural background, race, and religious faith. That being the case, religion became a powerful tool that encouraged more women to fight different forms of abuse and oppression.
History also indicates that different men in “Latin America used religion to justify or legitimize their domination against women” (Ramirez 543). For instance, many males began to argue that the Holy Bible required women to respect, take care, and support their husbands.
Such developments explain how religion played a significant role towards transforming the positions and experiences of women throughout the colonial period. Religion was also used by many people to justify different forms of oppression.
For instance, some “communities used religion to justify the continued invisibility of women while at the same time oppressing them” (Ramirez 544). Women were also underrepresented thus being unable to realize their political goals.
Many women viewed most of these developments differently. For instance, most of the women decided to become nuns with the hope of achieving their religious goals. The work “Response to Sister Filotea” by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz offers a detailed analysis of the experiences encountered by many women. For instance, the author explains how she was not well-versed to address most of the religious issues discussed by people during the period (Ward 476).
That being the case, she argued strongly that men were the ones allowed to discuss such issues. This message shows clearly that women were underrepresented in the Church. Nuns played the roles of followers thus being unable to achieve most of their potentials.
Many women in the church were also unable to pursue their goals. For example, Sor Juana explains in her letter how she wanted to pursue her educational goals. However, one of the Mother Superiors in the Church discouraged Juana from engaging in different studies. The narrator was forced to obey without questioning.
The portrayal of these two women explores the relations established by different believers in every religious setting. Religion had become a new tool to justify underrepresentation and discouragement (Ward 478). More women such as Sor Juan encountered numerous challenges thus being unable to achieve their potentials.
As a Nun, Sor Juana spent most of her time in the kitchen. According to her, “kitchen philosophies were the only duties and roles saved for women during the period” (Ward 479). This argument shows clearly that religion was no longer the most appropriate tool for empowerment women.
Sor Juana wanted to become a teacher and educate others. However, her “love for reading and writing was disoriented after joining the church” (Ward 479). The outstanding message delivered by Sor Juana is that there was evil in religion. She was also saddened by the fact that religion was misused instead of being the only weapon that could support the goals of many women in the society.
During the same period, women from different cultural and racial backgrounds encountered new religious opportunities. As mentioned earlier, race was a major factor towards determining the experiences and religious goals of many people across colonial Latin America (Socolow 83).
The emergence of convents in Latin America presented new opportunities for many women during the colonial era. The book “Colonial Habits: Convents and the Spiritual Economy of Cuzco, Peru” by Katherine Burns gives a detailed analysis of the religious roles played by such convents. Such convents were common between 1500 and 1800.
The first convent was constructed in Cuzco in 1558. More convents were established in the region within the next few years. Santa Teresa and Santa Catalina were constructed later in the 18th century. According to Burns, such convents were segregated from the issues and challenges encountered in different towns. However, such convents became the best places for supporting more women in the society (Burns 29).
Such convents were also used to educate many daughters. As well, such girls were assimilated and converted to become part of the Spanish society (Ramirez 544). This new development opened new opportunities for many women in the region. Such women were able to realize their economic goals. Majority of the Mestiza daughters acquired new education thus being able to achieve the best goals.
Religion also played a major role “of fusing different spiritual and economic interests” (Ramirez 544). For instance, nuns in different cities across Latin America were able to “establish a new socio-economic order” (Ramirez 544).
Their strategies led to the establishment of new elites. Such nuns became the major lenders and guarantors in different cities such as Cuzco (Burns 46). These nuns were able to “contain and reproach every unruly woman in the society” (Socolow 76).
They also amassed wealth and used it to manage property, give loans, and even promote the welfare of other people in the society. They engaged in new practices thus promoting and supporting the welfare of more women in the community.
Burns uses the term “spiritual economy” to describe the investments and engagements that made it easier for different convents in Cuzco to thrive during the period (Socolow 103). Due to the economic prowess and ability to engage in productive activities, the economy of this city had developed significantly.
However, cases of corruption emerged towards the end of the 17th century. The economy of the region collapsed thus resulting in numerous criticisms. Many people strongly believed that such convents portrayed the ineffectiveness of colonialism.
This kind of development shows clearly that the opportunities and hurdles experienced by women were complex in nature. Studies show clearly that it was impossible for women to succeed in a society that harbored mixed reactions. The failure and collapse of the convents forced many nuns to focus mainly on their religious roles (Arvind 62).
A new order was established in the society after which men became lenders. This new development marginalized women in the society. The occurrence proved the fact that class, gender, and race were strong aspects that dictated different relationships across colonial Latin America.
The Great Rebellion of Tupac Amaru can be described as one of the turning points that transformed the fate of many women in different communities during the colonial era. The elites of Peru focused on the best approaches to redefine the positions of secular and spiritual leaderships.
The position of women and nuns was questioned by many secularists. They believed strongly that the Church was unable to support the needs of many orphans and the elderly in the society. As well, they believed that the interests imposed by the nuns were unrealistic.
The roles of different religious institutions were questioned. The “uprising was therefore aimed at pushing these convents into spiritual institutions” (Arvind 87). This development transformed the fate and experience of every woman in the region.
Despite the challenges and obstacles facing by women throughout the colonial period, some individuals managed to educate and empower different cultural groups. The opportunities availed by religion made it easier for more women to access quality education and information. Such developments made it easier for more women to focus on their future goals.
Many Latinos embraced the best ideas in order to promote the feminist religious thought. The ideals, thoughts, and concepts presented by religion made it easier for more women to understand their rights. After very many decades of mixed experiences and hardships, Latino women were able to acquire new religious experiences.
Such experiences made it easier for them to achieve their social and economic objectives (Nazzari 366). A new wave of social transformation emerged towards the end of the colonial era thus encouraging more women to engage in different political affairs.
Conclusion
The religious experiences of many women during the period were defined by both the triad of domination and the force of colonialism (Ramirez 545). The people’s races, classes, and genders determined their religious discourses throughout the period. However, religion became a new tool for gender oppression and underrepresentation (Nazzari 366). That being the case, the religious experiences of many women in colonial Latin America were characterized by different forces such as structural limitations and cases of patriarchy. Despite such challenges, the opportunities presented by religion made it easier for more women to become productive. This development explains why more women were able to mould their lifestyles.
Works Cited
Arvind, Sharma. Methodology in Religious Studies: The interface with Women’s Studies, New York: State University of New York, 2002. Print.
Burns, Kathryn. Colonial Habits: Convents and the Spiritual Economy of Cuzco, Peru, Durham: Duke University Press Books, 1999. Print.
Nazzari, Muriel. “The Women of Colonial Latin America.” Hispanic American Historical Review 81.2 (2001): 365-366. Print.
Ramirez, Susan. “Colonial Habits: Convents and the Spiritual Economy of Cuzco, Peru (review).” Ethnohistory 48.3 (2001): 543-544. Print.
Socolow, Susan. The women of colonial Latin America, New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print.
Ward, Marilynn. “The Feminist Crisis of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.” International Journal of Women’s Studies 1.5 (1978): 475-481. Print.