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Accepted Paper
Short abstract
The hermitages and their religious images play a central role in the religious celebrations of the island of La Gomera, constituting key symbolic spaces in the configuration of local identities
Long abstract
The hermitages and their religious images play a central role in the religious celebrations of the island of La Gomera, constituting key symbolic spaces in the configuration of local identities. These festivities, which have endured throughout history, continue to be a meeting point for a large number of people, many of whom, having emigrated from the island, return each year to see the sacred images. Among the most outstanding hermitages are those of Nuestra Señora del Buen Paso in Alajeró, Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Chipude, Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Vallehermoso and San Marcos in Agulo.
The main objectives of this study has been, on the one hand, to reveal the deep meaning of the festivities and their social functions, understanding the events as an expressive , symbolic phenomena with perfectly integrated elements, and on the other, to analyse the main changes in these festive ritual celebrations.
Through participant observation and semi-structured interviews, it has been possible to understand the deep meaning of these festivities, revealing how the rituals (processions, masses, dances and ballads) configure a space focused on the sacred, the procession being the symbolic moment par excellence (Briones, 1991). It has also allowed us to know from the inside the experiences of those attending, their descriptions of the procession and the changes they have perceived over time, allowing us to reflect on the relationships between the perspectives of the researcher and those of the people attending these celebrations.
Writing and Unwriting Rituals [WG: Ritual Year]
Session 2 Thursday 5 June, 2025, -