Venezuela
Amber Lloyd
Mrs. Bowen
World Cultures Block 9
Religion- the main religion is Christianity, and of those, 96% is Roman Catholic
Food- the national dish of Venezuela is “pabellon” which is made up of shredded and stewed
meat along with black beans, banana, and rice. Traditional food consists of fish and shellfish
which are abundant in the country. Arepas (a type of bread) is also popular. Food is usually
cheap. For example, a large platter of shrimp can be around $10 and a dozen oysters would be
around $1.
Clothes- the general attire for men in Venezuela (and parts of Colombia) is Liqui liqui. Liqui
liqui is traditionally light colors (cream, white, beige). It is usually made from cotton or linen and
consists of a long-sleeved jacket and full-length pants. The jacket has a collar that is connected
together with a chain similar to a shirt cuff called a “junta”. The jackets are fastened together
with up to five or six buttons and don’t usually have pockets. Usually the outfit is worn with a
type of sandals called “alpargata” and a hat called a “Llanero”. The style of the collar being what
it is, it is thought that the Liqui liqui came from the Philippines.
Language- Spanish; deaf people use sign language called “lengua de señas venezolana”, also
known as LSV
Holidays- New Year, Christmas, Labor Day, Declaration of Independence (April 19), Birthday
of Simón Bolívar, El Libertador
Unusual customs- they considered handkerchiefs unlucky and wouldn’t give them as gifts, they
would introduce themselves to the oldest person first
Geographical features-more than twice the size of California; it borders Brazil, Colombia, and
Guyana; it’s tropical, hot, humid, but more temperate in the highlands; it has central plains, the
Maracaibo Lowlands and Andes Mountains in the northwest, and the Guiana Highlands in the
southeast; some natural hazards are floods, rockslides, mudslides, and periodic droughts;
Government- it is similar to a democratic state for it has the executive, legislature, and judiciary
branches. The elected president runs for five years, and is chosen through a ballot system, but
has to be thirty years old, at least. The president can be reelected for a second term. Venezuela is
governed by the constitution of 1999
Literature- poetry became the foundation of literature in the 1700s
Music- it was formed by African, Spanish, and native music. Gaita is the tradition music and
performed mostly at festivals. Joropo is the national dance, and Salsa and meringue is a popular
dance form. Folk music has also formed a large piece of Venezuela culture.
Important festivals- Carnival in Venequela, La Paradura del Nino, Drumming Feat of St. John,
May Cross Celebrations, and The Procession of the Holy Shepherdess.
The Procession of the Holy Shepherdess:
One of the most colorful festivals and stands for the traditions of Venezuela. The
procession is very important, where the holy goddess is accompanied by devotees, musicians,
and celebrants from Santa Rosa to Barquismeto. It started out when there was an epidemic that
was going to decrease the Venezuelan population, so the Procession was set to stop the epidemic
and to help the people.
The May Cross Celebrations:
The celebration is held on May third, on the Catholic Calendar. It was said to be
created from pagan beliefs for it was thought to have started before they were introduced to
Christianity. The tradition of the celebration is to decorate a young girl with flowers as a tribute
to their goddess, Maya. The goddess was viewed as the spirit behind the wonders of nature. The
celebration shows respect for nature.
Capital- Caracas
Art- a blend of colonial and pre-colonial art (painting, music, literature, dance, etc.).
Sports- popular sports in Venezuela are tennis, baseball, and football. They are an important
piece of culture in Venezuela.
Baseball: the national baseball team in Venezuela is one of the most skilled teams that
play world-class baseball. Many players have been given jobs by Major League teams in the
USA. One well-known baseball player is Luis Aparicio.
Luis Aparicio: born on April 29, 1934, he was a shortstop for professional
baseball. He played for the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, and Boston Red Sox. He was
added to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
Football: eventually became popular and achieved world-class acknowledgment
References:
"CIA - The World Factbook -- Venezuela." Welcome to the CIA Web Site — Central Intelligence
Agency. Web. 29 Sept. 2009. <https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/ve.html>.
"Doing Business, Culture, Customs, Etiquette - Venezuela." Translation Services | Interpreters |
Intercultural Communication | Cross Cultural Training. Web. 29 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/venezuela-country-profile.html>.
Hamre, Bonnie. "Venezuela Holidays and Festivals." South America Travel. Web. 29 Sept. 2009.
<http://gosouthamerica.about.com/cs/venezuela/l/blholidays.htm>.
Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online
reference, research & homework help. — Infoplease.com. Web. 28 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0921816.html>.
"Venezuela Culture." World Map, Map of the World. Web. 28 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/venezuela/culture/>.
"Venezuela Sports." World Map, Map of the World. Web. 28 Sept. 2009.
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/venezuela/sports/>.
"What is the traditional clothing and music like in Venezuela? - Yahoo! Answers." Yahoo!
Answers - Home. Web. 28 Sept. 2009.
<http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080307153205AAf0a60>.