BÁNICA CELEBRATIONS

Every July 16th throughout the Catholic world, the Day of La Virgen del Carmen is celebrated. Although the feast arrived in the Americas in 1595, the festivity has evolved into a more hybrid celebration that accommodates local particularities. La/os "Carmelitas," as the devotees are called, tend to honor their patron saint with prayers, chants, offerings, and a public procession. In Bánica, Elías Piña (Dominican Republic), the celebrations go back decades. They are presently led by Mr. Hecfredes Gómez (no relation), who ensures the Virgin is properly honored. Every year, hundreds of people come to this corner of the Dominican-Haitian frontier to join a celebration and show their commitment to their faith. These photographs were taken between 2017 and 2021. They are part of a visual project on popular spiritual practices within communities on the Haiti-DR borderlands.