A Tribute To Mothers On Panama’s Mother’s Day 2008
Panama’s Mother’s Day, Monday December 8, 2008 is the day of The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Roman Catholicism is the national religion of Panama, thus Mother’s Day is a national religious observance and a public holiday.
Once again, I think of just how relevant this celebration is to Panamanian mothers and all women of Panama as I consider what the memory of Mary might possibly mean to mothers in this context.
The plight of Mary the almost-disgraced teen-mother brings to the fore Panama’s disgraced teen moms. They are walking in the midst of the raging debates over government legislation that she be allowed in school during daytime. This of course ticks off moralists. They say, “No! She’s going to be a bad influence on our kids. It’s a disgrace to have that belly and going to school I tell you. Sure the boy who got her pregnant can still go to day school. But not the girl, send her to night school. Shameless girl!
The status of Mary the single mom who got a baby-daddy to help her raise her son, helps us empathize with young mothers of Panama who benefit from similar help. My young men in church say, “Pastora I’m not going to be no baby-daddy to someone else’s child!” So we think of those young Panamanian mothers who have no help; not even from the real fathers. And being married in too many cases makes no difference. The courts are filled with so many mothers, seeking child support. Way too many hoping to get even US$50 every payday (every 2 weeks)!
The forced displacement of Mary the refugee helps us to understand the mothers who flee from their communities, not from Herodian threats but for the sake of survival. They flee communities to keep their kids out of gangs. They move from the Interior to work for $200. per month in some of the most exploitative conditions in the Panama Free Zone. They migrate to find jobs in the cities, helping in someone else’s home for as little as US$80. per month. They leave Kuna Yala for the city and sit on sidewalks, or wait on tourists with their Molas and other craft to feed their family. These mothers do it for survival.
The anguish of Mary the mother who grieved can helps us share the pain of Panamanian mothers who grieve as they watch the lives of their children being snuffed out. A crucifixion for spouting far-too-left-wing teachings does not justify the taking of anyone’s life. And today we need even less reasons to kill. The light dims in the eyes of Panamanian mothers who see their children murdered for a drug deal that went sour. And the pain for the teenagers who die at the hands of gang members of opposing factions. And of the child who gets shot from exchange of gunfire in the streets between police and criminals.
Surely, Panama’s Mother’s Day helps us to really consider Mary and what she represents not only to Roman Catholic mothers but to all, especially the poverty stricken mothers of Panama whose lives are shrouded by choices made under less than favourable conditions.
Read more about the actual celebration of Mother’s Day in Panama.
Advent Peace To You!
Marvia
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December 20th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
“The plight of Mary the almost-disgraced teen-mother brings to the fore Panama’s disgraced teen moms. They are walking in the midst of the raging debates over government legislation that she be allowed in school during daytime. This of course ticks off moralists. They say, “No! She’s going to be a bad influence on our kids. It’s a disgrace to have that belly and going to school I tell you. Sure the boy who got her pregnant can still go to day school. But not the girl, send her to night school. Shameless girl!”
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Wow. This shows how much boys are loved and girls are raised. Patriarchy and degradation of girls/women at its finest.
I knew this went on around the world, but for some reason I didn’t think that it’d be the same in Panama. Thanks for highlighting this (even though you may not realize that you did).
And belated Feliz Dia de la Madre en Panama para todas las madres, especialmente las BUENAS madres.
December 20th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Spinster,
There much more to be said about some of the laws that affect children and youth in this country. In time…..