Cactus Language Blog

Spanish Language Guide (2b): Latin American Culture

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Spanish

Sarah Gooding, Editor at Cactus, picks out the best of Latin American culture

Latin America culture is as vast as the countries that make up this sizzling, Latin land. Whether you go to the pampas of Argentina, the snowy peaks of Peru or the paradisical coastline of Honduras, the cultures you experience will vary enormously.

The Influence of History on Latin American Culture

Much of Latin America’s modern-day culture owes itself to the continent’s rich past. Many countries have been, and remain, strongly influenced by their Pre-Columbian ancestry - the Incas, for example, in the Andean countries of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, and the Aztecs and the Maya in the Central American countries of Guatemala and Mexico. These countries retain a strong indigenous element to their population, the people respect ancient traditions

The European colonisation of the Americas, from the late 15th century, then left an ever-lasting mark on Latin America’s language (Spanish, Portuguese and French took the place of many local dialects) and culture (in areas such as art, music, architecture and music).

Subsequent immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries by Italians, Germans and Eastern Europeans also influenced the countries where they settled - mainly the southern regions of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and southern Brazil. In Buenos Aires today, for example, some words and gestures are distinctly Italian in flavour, and you won’t have to look far to find a good-quality pizzeria.

Other countries in Latin America have developed strong traditions, namely dance and religion, as a result of the arrival of slaves from Africa: Candomblé (religion) in Brazil and Rumba (dance) in Cuba are two such examples.

It should probably also be noted that there has been some Asian influence in Latin America, namely from China and Japan. Historically, this stems from the 19th century importation of workers (eg. Chinese immigrants to build the Panamanian railroads, and Cantonese workers for the Cuban sugar fields) and a desire to aid international commerce between Latin America and the East. Asian influence may not be as strong in the barrios chinos, or Chinatowns, of today, but it has played its part in the development of Latin America.

General Aspects of Latin American Culture

As mentioned above, Latin American culture is vast, and each country really deserves its own article rather than a brief mention here. Although it would be impossible to list everything, below are some popular aspects of Latin American culture that you can expect to find from country to country:

• Music & dance (traditional): salsa (C.America and northern parts of S.America), merengue (Dominican Rep.); cumbia (Colombia), habanera and rumba (Cuba), samba (Brazil), panpipes (Andean countries); mariachi (Mexico); tango (Argentina); reggaeton (Panamá & Puerto Rico)
• Music (artists): famous Latin American artists include Merceses Sosa (Argentina), Shakira (Colombia); Ricky Martin (Puerto Rico); Gloria Estefan (Cuba/America)
• Typical foods: tropical fruit and vegetables; meat / asado (Argentina); tortilla (Mexico); arepa (corn-based pancake from Colombia); moqueca (Brazil); empanadas (meat or vegetable pastries); sweets and desserts (popular across the continent!)
• Typical drinks: jugo (fresh fruit juice made with water) or batido (fresh fruit juice made with milk); coffee (grown in various countries); beer (each country/region often has its own brand); Pisco Sour (Peru); horchata (rice-based drink); mate (Argentina); chicha (fermented vegetable-based drink of the Andes); aguardiente (firewater)
• Literature: famous Latin American authors/poets include Gabriel García Marquez (Colombia); Pablo Neruda (Chile); Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru); Isabel Allende (Chile); Jorge Luis Borges (Argentina); Laura Esquivel (Mexico); Jorge Amado (Brazil)
• Art: Some of the best-known Latin artists include Frida Kahlo (Mexico); Diego Rivera (Mexico, husband of Frida Kahlo); Fernando Botero (Colombia)
• Gauchos: ‘cowboys’ of the South American pampas (Argentina, Uruguay, southern Chile & Brazil)
• Religion & Spiritual Belief: Most Latin Americans are Christian / Roman Catholic; indigenous traditions and rituals still exist in Peru, Bolivia, Mexico and Guatemala; African-based traditions such as Candomblé and tribal-voodoo religions are practised in Brazil, Haiti and Cuba

Tags:Argentina, aztecs, bolivia, brazil, chile, Colombia, Cuba, ecuador, frida kahlo, gabriel garcia marquez, incas, Latin America, mario vargas llosa, maya, peru, salsa, samba, tango