Deceased children (little angel) as protective animitas. Northeast of Argentina. Initial guesses.

BONDAR, CÉSAR IVÁN

Mexico

Encuentro; VIII Encuentro sobre Antroposemiotica de la Muerte y el Morir; 2018

FHyCS-UNaM- Universidad Mexicana- Hospital de la Mujer- Colectivo Somos Muerte

We propose to approach the study, exploratory and descriptive, deceased child's condition (little angel) as a protective animita in the Argentine Northeast, based on the testimonies of mothers and other mourners of the dead children. The provinces of Corrientes, Misiones, Chaco and Formosa be taken as a reference. Field work has been conducted since 2006 among people of Catholic faith. Prioritizing the ethnographic method we conducted in-depth interviews with key informants, daily records and field notes and observations with different degrees of participation. As a first approximation we can realize a significant difference in building the status of animita in the case of the little angel, compared to adult death. Realize how biophysics death encourages an ontological transformation of child status enabling their ability to divine mediation and protector of his mourners. The deceased child moves into a place with God.