Colombian Culture Hailee LaGrange

Identity O Colombia declared independence on July 20, 1810, achieving it nine years later in O Before finally being named Colombia, it’s name was changed seven times. O Colombia is divided into three distinct cultural groups: those in the interior, the countryside, and the coastal regions. O Colombia is vastly multicultural, mixing European, African, Native American, and Middle Eastern traditions. O Other influences include: American, Caribbean, Latin American, Mexican, and Argentine cultures. O The only occasion where all of these cultural groups unite is for elections, sporting events, and beauty pageants.

Language O The official language has been Spanish since the colonial period. O Only do some indigenous peoples, dwelling in the Amazon basin, speak their native languages. O In major cities English is spoken mostly by the upper classes. O Colombia prides itself with the preservation of the Castilian Spanish language. O The Colombian Academy of Language was founded in 1871 by a commission of the Spanish Royal Academy of Language. O Over 200 indigenous languages and dialects are spoken in addition to English.

Religion O Catholic practices are combined with African, indigenous, and sixteenth century Spanish customs. O Rural villages host annual fiestas in honor of the patron saint, believed to be more accessible than God. O Most indigenous rituals and customs were destroyed through the Spanish process of conversion in the sixteenth century.

Celebrations O Popular Colombian church holidays are The Epiphany (Jan. 6), Holy Week (observance of Easter March/April), All Saints Day (Nov. 1), The Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8), and Christmas. O As feminine beauty is highly regarded, the annual crowning of Miss Colombia is the second most popular event apart from soccer. O Other events include: Carnival of Barranquilla, The Cartagena International, Caribbean Music Festival, The Medellin Flower Fair, and Festival of the Devil.

O The government Ministries of the Interior and Education provide great support for the spread of museums, theaters, and libraries throughout the country, increasing the richness of Colombian art history features. O The most popular art attractions in Colombia are the National Museum of Colombia and the Colombian Institute of Culture. Arts

O Colombian literary traditions did not develop until the arrival of the Spanish. O There is a strong European influence in Colombian works, but most writers have developed their own personal styles. O Writers like Jorge Isaacs and Jose Eustacio Rivera give insights into the lives of peasants, their daily struggles, sufferings, and hopelessness. O Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a writer who encouraged modern and post-modern themes, mixing fantasy and real elements (magic realism); he won the Nobel Prize in 1982 with many artistic Caribbean influences. O In “The Third Resignation,” he writes about a man who consciously grows in his coffin for seventeen years following his death. Literature

Fernando Botero Stinkfish Marquez