Page - 98 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/02

98 | Héctor M. Varela Rios www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/2, 87–106 Second, Oller’s characterization of the ritual as “gross superstition” re- veals more about his own misunderstanding of Catholic religion and Puerto Rican rural culture than about the nature of bakiné itself. Indeed, the bak- iné’s orthodoxy is evidenced because the celebration is based on the Catho- lic belief of the purity of the dead child’s soul; that is, this soul is untaint- ed by sins committed if still laden with concupiscence.31 Thus, Oller’s dead child, if baptized, was purged of sins, and even if not, the child is presumed too young to have sinned intentionally and is assumed to be welcomed into heaven by a compassionate God.32 Bakiné, then, is a celebration of a child’s sinless life in perfect accordance with Catholic belief even if surrounded by a sinful environment. In my view, this is what the old ex-slave man is pon- dering as he looks at the still child: the paradox of the fallen yet redeemed nature of humanity. Considering Oller’s misunderstanding of doctrine, I sug- gest that Oller was deeply colonialized in a religious sense as well. Third, taking Oller’s representation as faithful to the reality of bakinés, the “brutish appetites” represented are not primitive or animalistic but fully human. In other words, a decolonial reading does not see anything “brutish” in the painting but people’s lives as they truly are. On the one hand, one can certainly see the sins of lust, wrath, envy, and gluttony in the paint- ing (and perhaps pride, sloth, and greed as well), represented in a range of figures from the lustful couple to the covetous priest. Yet, on the other hand, the theological values of hope, faith, and love are also visible, from the playful child to the pensive old ex-slave. Therefore, the bakiné painted by Oller is reality, that is, full human life in all its beauty and ugliness. In essence, what Oller expressed in El Velorio is creation, God’s work on earth. In his colonialized mind, he interprets the creative as chaotic, “brutish”. But inside lo cotidiano, the chaotic aspect of creation is not inimical to but an intrinsic part of the meaningful complexity of being human.33 As stated before, for Latinx theological anthropology, the fullness of Latinx self and reality includes both joy and toil, health and sickness, harmony and chaos. Such is lo cotidiano: an amalgamation of experiences in the quest for human demise, the faithful that have died throughout the ages will live again eternally when God establishes the kingdom of heaven on earth. The child’s death is doubly hopeful in this regard because of their immediate presence in heaven and assured reunion with family at the end of days. 31 Catholic Church 1994, §1250. 32 Catholic Church 1994, §1261. 33 This insight is partly indebted to an anonymous reviewer of this article. Thank you.