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Soothsayers, Cigars and San Simon
| Length: | 58 min |
| Released: | 1997 |
| Ages: |
College Adult |
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In Guatemala, in a slum district known as the Line, five women soothsayers try to solve the problems of the poorest of the poor. In their tin shed, they see their clients who open their hearts in search of advice, healing and comfort. The healers invoke the illegal San Simon-- "illegal" in that he is not recognized by the Catholic Church - although the majority of the people of Guatemala do regard him as a saint. Saint Simon is the patron saint of the poor and is regarded as being able to cure most ills.
San Simon liked liquor and smoked cigars. The gnarled women who evoke his spirit share this affinity. We watch the emotional outpourings of their clients through a cloud of smoke.The tougher the problem the more cigar smoke is needed for the cure. Many a rejected lover is able to reclaim lost affection, and problem children become easier to deal with through their intervention. With few material possessions, these people call on faith and hope for their survival.
San Simon liked liquor and smoked cigars. The gnarled women who evoke his spirit share this affinity. We watch the emotional outpourings of their clients through a cloud of smoke.The tougher the problem the more cigar smoke is needed for the cure. Many a rejected lover is able to reclaim lost affection, and problem children become easier to deal with through their intervention. With few material possessions, these people call on faith and hope for their survival.
"a triumph of anthropological access and understated compassion." Judith Gleason, Anthropologist
American Anthropological Association, 1998
