This is one of the nicer “Marys” I’ve seen in a HCMC taxi or rideshare car I’ve seen. I immediately know if my driver is Catholic, a legacy of French colonialism and pre-colonial influence, or Buddhist, based on what’s on their dashboard. (7% of Vietnam’s population identifies with the former. About 1% are Protestant.)

My interior monologue always comments on this particular Mary’s appearance, knowing that her skin color was different from mine. I grew up thinking her son Jesus was white and, naturally, so was she until I became older and more enlightened.

Below is a photo of a Palestinian woman from Bethlehem in 1900. This is probably what Mary looked like, not the European interpretation. I guess whatever company produced ceramic statues in her image would not sell many in most parts of the world, a statement on the power of the colonial mindset.

Shalom (שלום), MAA