Art in the time of Covid-19: How indigenous goddesses can Heal and Transform

by Jaime Arredondo’s class “The Mexican Muralists, Their Indigenous Influences, and the American Artists They Influenced”

Covid-19 has affected almost every community in the United States and throughout the Americas. Especially impacted are the poor, and communities of color. Inevitably, this has exposed enormous disparities in health care, and class.

As of the writing of this piece, May 26, 2020, we will soon surpass 100,000 deaths within the United States. Many more will be infected. In the face of such horror Native Americans, and others, for millennia have turned to spiritual guidance by calling upon indigenous goddesses/spirits to heal, and comfort. Two important Mesoamerican goddesses often cited are: Tlazolteotl, known as “The Eater of Filth, or Excrement”, and Tlaltecuhtli, known as the “Goddess of the Earth”.

In my class, “The Mexican Muralists, their Indigenous Influences, and the American Artists they Influenced”, students were asked to create individual works that could be collaged into a large “virtual mural” that addressed the effects of the pandemic (a physical mural could not be created as a result of the pandemic). The title of the mural is “Art in the time of Covid-19: How indigenous goddesses can Heal and Transform”.

Most students chose to depict the aforementioned goddesses as they are not only able to transform, and cleanse, they also possess distinct functions. For example, the specific purpose of Tlazolteotl is to cleanse the transgressions or “sins” of individuals. As such things are considered “filth”, or “excrement”, she aides in eating them away. The result is the rebirth of a new person. Thus, she is often seen in hock position giving birth.

She is shown here individually, and depicted in a mural by Diego Rivera, entitled “A History of Medicine”.

Tlaltecuhtli, “Goddess of the Earth”, or “The Earth Monster”, has the function of cleansing the entire planet in the event that our planet falls ill from a specific malady such as pollution or climate change.

Tlaltecuhtli is shown here as it was discovered in 2006 in Mexico City.

Our collective desire through creating the mural is that societies and governments will come to accept that the physical and mental health of families and communities is paramount. Public health over profits must always be a priority.

I want to thank Courtney Curd for her hard work and generosity in collecting and placing the works in the murals, and for the creation of the mural itself. I also want to thank my students for their invaluable input and dedication and for Zooming in through this difficult time.