Cultural Introduction Blog

 

Cultural Introduction Blog

            Our global community is one that is made up of people from a multitude of backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and races. In today’s world it is imperative to have an understanding of other cultures, due to the ever increasing interconnection amongst the world’s people. One world culture which I have little knowledge or understanding about is the Latin American culture.

 

            Culture, as defined by Martin and Nakayama in Intercultural Communication in Context, is “learned patterns of behavior and attitudes shared by a group of people” (Martin & Nakayama, 2010, pg.88). So how exactly does the Latin American culture fit into this definition? Latin America is defined as the entire western hemisphere south of the United States. When looking into the people of this region we see one obvious common element, which is the Spanish language being the main language spoken (with the exception of Brazil which speaks Portuguese). A common base in language is usually a staple of culture, as it is the vessel of which stories, histories, and traditions of one’s culture are passed on from generation to generation. People of the Latin American culture also have their own distinct cooking style. In Latin American cuisine we observe the heavy use of corn, tropical fruits, peppers, and potatoes, which are all traditional staple crops that have been grown across Latin America for thousands of years (About.com, 2013). Looking deeper into Latin American culture we can see the high level of importance placed on the family, the passing on of tradition, and a strong sense of community (Hispanic Culture Online, 2013). This can be demonstrated by the Mexican holiday of El dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) which honors deceased family members, or by Quinceaneras, a common Latin American celebration that celebrates the transition from childhood to womanhood for females on their fifteenth birthday (Quinceaneras: Wikipedia, 2013).

                             (Day of the Dead)                                                 (Quinceaneras)

                                                                                                   (Mayan Ruins)

            The Latin American culture is also one that is rich in history. Latin American history is a mix of the histories of the traditional cultures that inhabited the land before European colonization, and modern day Latin American cultures that were brought about by drastic culture change brought by European colonization (History of  Latin America: Wikipedia, 2013). In the pre-colonization era of Latin America there were great civilization such as the Mayans, Aztecs, and Incans. These great civilizations created vast and magnificent cities, and made great strides in the arts and sciences, as shown by their use of engineering, intensive agricultural methods, accurate calendars, and a high level understanding of astronomy (Pre-Columbian Era: Wikipedia, 2013). After European colonization of Latin America came a drastic change in Latin American culture. After European colonization in the fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen hundreds there came a shift in the languages of Latin Americans and the religious beliefs of Latin Americans. It soon came where Spanish became the common language of Latin America, and Christianity became the common religion practiced by Latin Americans (History of Latin America: Wikipedia, 2013). These changes proved to be one of great importance as the now have become staples of Latin American culture.

            In my study of the Latin American culture I will be taking an interpretive approach. I will be involved in research of Latin American culture, interaction with those of the Latin American cultural group, and communication with those of the Latin American cultural group. I plan on attending various Latin American related events in the Lincoln and Omaha area, while conducting research on Latin American culture through internet based and text based sources.

 

References

Blazes, M. (n.d.). An Introduction to South American Food. South American Food - Recipes, Cooking Techniques, Menus, Ingredients - South American Cuisine. Retrieved October 4, 2013, from http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/exploresouthamericanfood/a/history.htm

Hispanic and Latino Traits . (n.d.). Hispanic Culture Online Resource. Retrieved October 4, 2013, from http://www.hispanic-culture-online.com/hispanic-and-latino.html

History of Latin America - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 4, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Latin_America

Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2010). Intercultural communication in contexts (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Pre-Columbian era - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 4, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Columbian

Quinceanera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 4, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincea%C3%B1era