Santiago of Sibambe or the conquest of a saint conqueror. Approaches to the mestizo heritage under the “baroque ethos”

Abstract

Santiago is the patron Saint of Sibambe, a town located in the southern Andes of Ecuador’s Chimborazo province. The worship of Santiago, celebrated by the festival named for him, has been recorded since colonial times. Its symbolism is held by a population that perceives itself as white-mestizo while it demarcates ethnic borders with its indigenous neighbors. The worship of the patron saint has symbolism that reflects a synthesis of diffuse socio-cultural practices that creates a mestizo Santiago. Analyzing these cultural practices is essential to highlight identities that have been marginalized and expressed in mestizaje. Approaching these configurations under the “baroque ethos” lens enables an understanding of Andean historical ethnogenesis, which safeguards the patron saint’s festival and the mestizo lifestyle under the umbrella of cultural heritage.