I go to Church Now

Colombia actress Sofia Vergara plays Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, in the hit T.V show Modern Family. In the show she is the young sassy, fierce, hilarious wife of Jay Pritchette and has a son Manny from her first marriage.

Gloria’s character got me thinking in the subtle way that Latin American expression of Christianity is portrayed in North American pop culture through the character of Gloria and many aspects rings true, which makes her my favorite character of the show. I am from El Salvador, having traveled extensively through out Latin America and the Caribbean from my experience I can say that the Latin American expression of Christianity is very different than in North America. It has its own distinctive flavor, and is seen in Gloria character. Certain stereotypes are dominant, she comes from the most dangerous city in Colombia, her thick exaggerated accent, her black hair (she’s actually a natural blonde), her tolerance for spicy food, she is the least scared of death. It also seems that she has the strongest religious view out of the whole family and I believe the only who one actively states that she is going to Church and is always doing the sign of the cross.

Sometimes the things that Gloria say rings so true that I can hear my own mother. In the episode “Earthquake” she made the connection that the earthquake occurred because Jay was not going to church, I have heard my mother say to me hundred of times that something was caused because I did not attend mass or because I did not pray. This sort of superstitious connection is not foreign to a Latin American household especially when it comes to dreams, signs and spirits. Gloria is an the episode “The Kiss” cooks a traditional Colombian meal chunchullo in honor of her recently deceased grandma who came to her in dreams telling her to connect to her roots, also stating in our culture we believe the dead are all around us. This sort of connection between the living and the dead is not uncommon and when it does occur one tends to listen to it or goes to church in order to feel more connected. Perhaps this is the reason that Gloria is the least afraid of death. Death in Latin America is in a way celebrated and honored like in the “Dia de los muertos,” the “Day of the dead” which is celebrated all over Mexico and Central America.  In a very recent episode of Modern Family, Gloria dreamt with a black mouse and it is seen that bad news is eminent causing a domino affect through out the family. Likewise a black moth in Latin America whether in a dream or flying around is associated with death, the devil, and sickness; called “Mariposa de la muerte.”  Dream, signs, spirits coincide with ones reality and in turn are associated with God, the Devil, the living, the dead and Gloria portrays this side of Latin American culture in a very funny, sexy way, and making the rest of the family understand it.