Death Becomes Her: Santa Muerte
In the Buddhist concept of the Four Noble Truths, one cannot escape life’s suffering and sorrow. Expect it. I have always admired the reality check of this concept. There’s something very goth of it all which fits my nihilistic sensibility. As a youth, I held on to this tenet, along with my “goth lunchbox” with the cliched Bauhaus and Christian Death stickers, to prepare me for anything that may have come my way. So when I heard about the Santa Muerte, or Saint Death, altar in Mexico City from a Mexican botanica shop in my neighborhood, I knew I had to make my personal pilgrimage.
With full enthusiasm and respect, I said goodbye to the chic cafes and cocktail lounges of Mexico City’s Roma neighborhood where I was staying and headed to the Tepito area of Mexico City to see their infamous Santa Muerte altar.
Tepito has a reputation for high crime and gangs, but I was on a mission to be moved by the devoted spirituality of Santa Muertes’ followers and worshippers. Santa Muerte has been embraced by many who are often ignored or marginalized by society. She has been championed for her willingness to embrace all at a time when many religions are still defining who they do or do not accept in this day and age.
As I exited my taxi in Tepito, I was greeted by families proudly showing their Santa Muerte statues like Spelling Bee trophies. They offered me tequila shots and asked me to bless their statues. It must have been a true novelty for them to see this Asian punk roaming around in full awe of their devotion to Santa Muerte. Instead, I was greeted with sweet “holas” and asked to sit down with them and tell them where I was from. I even posed for a few photos. Through my broken Spanish, I struck up conversations with beautiful trans women and their Santa Muerte statues, which they had given glam make-overs that I can only describe as ‘quinceanera chic.’
I saw children hopscotching gleefully past Santa Muerte altars that would easily scare off any PlayStation-ed child in American suburbia.
This moment of connection and understanding engulfed me with many emotions. The day of my visit was also the Feast Day of Santa Muerte. Devotees were on their knees in tears as they headed to the main altar to give her praise.
I saw abuelitas with their grandkids, people facing extreme hardships, and migrants looking for the promise of a better life. For most people, the image of Santa Muerte itself is haunting. What will haunt me instead is the real-life struggles of the people I met in Tepito, who turned to her for answers with their beautiful devotion.
All images by YS Kim
