A journey through Zamora's Semana Santa
I was on my way to Zamora city, the capital of Zamora province in the Castile and León region of northwest Spain- a less explored and charming part of the country. Outside, swathes of golden rape fields and emerald meadows stretched like silken tapestries, while the icy breath of a one-degree morning clung to the car windows. I was en route to witness Semana Santa—the Holy Week—in this ancient city, often called Spain's Romanesque treasure.
Zamora, perched above the Duero River, is a city suspended in time. With the highest concentration of Romanesque churches in all of Europe—24 dating from the 12th and 13th centuries—it's often described as a living museum of stone and faith. I checked into the Palacio del Duero, a tranquil hotel carved out of a 14th-century convent, and met my guide, Cristina, who led me through the heart of Zamora's storied past.
We began at Balborraz Street, a medieval artery sloping steeply toward the river lined with picturesque low-rise houses with balconies and wooden gazebos that overlook the street. This street hosts one of the key processions of Holy Week, and the air seemed to echo with the slow, solemn steps of hooded penitents. Everywhere we walked, I found the city reflecting the mood of the Holy Week: right from Semana Santa inspired window dressings to figurines of Christ in sorrow. Traffic lights were discreetly covered so as not to disturb the sacred aesthetic during processions.
The statue of the Merlú in Plaza Mayor captivated me—two bronze figures frozen in time, playing the drum and the cornet. They once roamed the city at dawn, waking the faithful for the processions. Thetradition continues even today, at 5 a.m. on Good Friday, five such pairs march through the streets, their haunting rhythms stirring souls from sleep. Cristina led me through the Romanesque mile: San Juan de Puerta Nueva, with its beautiful rose window; Santa María Magdalena, home to a mystical sepulchre and a smiling Christ, decorative elements, and stunning apse. San Isidoro, San Vicente, and Santiago del Burgo, each had its own charm.
The Church of San Pedro y San Ildefonso (the Saint patron of Zamora) houses the relics of San Ildefonso and San Atilano. Here the Virgin of Beautiful Love—Virgen del Amor Hermoso, carved in wood, is adorned with real earrings donated by devotees seeking good fortune in love. She is depicted triumphing over evil, her foot crushing a devil-serpent bearing an apple in its jaws. We went past the Theatre of Ramos Carrion-a beautiful blue building; explored Viriato Square with the imposing sculpture of the Portuguese shepherd; admired the 'Stone Bridge', one of the most iconic landmarks of Zamora- a Romanesque bridge from the 12th century consisting of sixteen oval arches that elegantly span the river.
The Cathedral of Zamora stood like a sentinel over the city, crowned with its unique Byzantine dome. Christoph Strieder- councillor of tourism in the town hall of Zamora, my cheerful host, received me warmly, took me around and introduced me to the local luminaries. Inside the cathedral, light filtered softly over carved choir stalls and Renaissance gates.
I felt I was in a period filmset: clergymen in velvet robes and rosaries holding staffs and the brotherhood standing solemnly in penitence. Protected from the cold I sat snugly inside the church and watched as they prepared for the procession. As hundreds of people viewed through the last rays of the sun, the solemn gathering in front of the cathedral made a picture of divine spirituality. Incense permeated the air as the penitents took an oath of silence. Holding candles, they then started moving slowly and so did the Pasos, carried reverently by the brotherhood members.
As I watched a stork feeding her young atop the Cathedral, with passion flowers blooming below, I knew I hadn't merely observed Semana Santa—I had lived it, in a city where faith is etched in every stone and whispered in every silence.
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On the other hand, I find that women's studies offers a more appropriate framework for my research than gender studies. My first encounter with Krishna Navelcar's brother, the painter Vamona Navelcar, occurred in the mid-1990s, yet I was not introduced to Krishna until I was invited to assess the significance of a substantial collection of negatives – over 15,000 – held by the Fundação Oriente. The extraordinary richness of this photographic archive culminated in the recently inaugurated exhibition following approximately eight years of work with the collection. As an anthropologist, my interest in photography traces back to the earliest figures in the field, notably Margaret Mead, who incorporated it into their research. I have been captivated by the interplay between photography and anthropology for many years, particularly as contemporary anthropologists have begun to systematically investigate this relationship, moving away from an earlier focus on colonial photography. 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Subjects may pose, resist, or collaborate, influencing their representation both consciously and unconsciously. Their expressions, body language, and willingness to engage play crucial roles in shaping the final image, highlighting the photograph as a product of interaction rather than a one-sided endeavour. Even within a brief or formal assignment, the photographer interprets the scene through decisions regarding framing, timing, and focus. These choices can subtly or overtly challenge, nuance, or reinforce the intended message. Although the commissioner outlines the broad purpose and context, it is the photographer who negotiates the particulars: the approach to the subject, what to include or exclude, and how to respond to the subject's reactions. This negotiation is especially critical in ethnographic contexts, where sensitivity to the subject's dignity and agency is of utmost importance. Such negotiations underscore that even official or commissioned photographs are the result of dialogue, not a unilateral process. An important fact is that Krishna Navelcar named his studio for his late brother Ganesh, who died very young. Ganesh was also the name with which the artist Vamona Navelcar (1929-2021), another of the photographer's brothers, would sign his canvases, also as an homage to his late sibling. Both Krishna and Vamona were in the employ of the colonial state, the former in Portuguese Goa and the latter in Portuguese Mozambique. Despite the geographic distance, the brothers shared a close bond. What might we make of the emotional and political entanglements in the lives of these artistic brothers? No one is better positioned than you to address this question, given your extensive and profound scholarship on the work of Vamona Navelcar – partly in collaboration with Vishvesh Kandolkar. 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Their shared tribute to Ganesh serves as a site where personal grief, cultural symbolism, and the politics of memory converge, challenging the oversimplified narratives often imposed by colonial and postcolonial histories. At present, there is no official repository of visual culture and history in Goa. As your curational essay explains, 'The evident lack of visibility of photographers' collections in Goa has resulted in a significant deficiency of systematic studies on photography in the region.' Apart from the intellectual challenges that arise due to this unarchived photographic history, what is lost culturally and artistically by not having a permanent collection of such photographs in Goa? In this regard, what intervention can an event like Foto Arte Ganesh offer and are there any plans to bring the exhibition 'back' to Goa? Without these visual records, the lived experiences, social transformations, and diverse identities that have shaped Goa could be forgotten or reduced to official or externally constructed narratives. The absence of a permanent photographic archive leaves Goa's cultural identity vulnerable to erasure, oversimplification, and external definitions, rather than allowing it to be continually reimagined and affirmed by Goans themselves. The exhibition aims at doing more than simply showcasing images; it revitalises collective memory, confronts historical amnesia, and honors the people and diversity of Goa. By presenting these photographs in a curated public setting, Foto Arte Ganesh not only fills a gap in the historical record but also encourages new avenues of dialogue, research, and artistic expression, fostering a shared sense of heritage and belonging. Looking ahead, as a curator I recognise the essential need to diplay exhibitions like Foto Arte Ganesh in Goa that would restore a significant visual history to its rightful place and act as a catalyst for further archival initiatives, public engagement, and the potential development of a permanent photographic collection. This endeavor would mark a meaningful step toward addressing the historical importance of Goan photographic heritage and promoting continued cultural and artistic renewal. In conclusion, I want to emphasise that my role in this exhibition and its catalogue is not doctrinal and definitely not patronising. The work I have done is the result of over 30 years of 'observing' Goa, an endless source of inspiration, shaped by its artists, researchers, and creators. I view myself as a vessel through which this inspiration has flowed. Ultimately, this work rightfully belongs to Goa and to the Goan people.
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