South America
Culture
Ethnicity
The majority of South America’s
population is made up of indigenous
(native) Indians and descendants of
Spaniards, Portuguese, and African
Blacks, as well as people who are a
mix of two or more of these elements.
Languages
Portuguese and Spanish are the
primary languages of South America.
Portuguese is spoken only in Brazil,
but is, nonetheless, the majority
language in South America (51%).
Languages
Spanish is the official language of 9
of the 13 South American countries.
•Venezuela
•Colombia
•Ecuador
•Peru
•Chile
•Argentina
•Bolivia
•Paraguay
•Uruguay
Languages
The other four countries:
Brazil - Portuguese
Guyana - English
Suriname - Dutch
French Guiana - French
Languages
Among the Indian languages, Quechua,
Aymara, and Guaraní are spoken by the largest
numbers of people. The speakers of Quechua
are primarily in the central Andean highlands,
and the speakers of Aymara in the highlands of
Bolivia and Peru. Both Quechua and Aymara
are officially recognized, along with Spanish, in
those two countries, while Gauraní and Spanish
are the official languages of Paraquay.
Religion
The Catholic religion is the dominant religion
in South America. Today, 82% of the people
living in South America are Catholic. Nine
percent belong to other Christian
denominations. The Catholic religion was
brought to South America by the
conquistadores during the first part of the 16th
century. During the colonial period most of the
native peoples of the continent—with the
exception of those in the Amazon Basin, on
the Pampas, and in Patagonia—were converted
to this faith. In addition to its Catholics,
French Guiana has a large number of
Protestants. Guyana and Suriname have three
major religions: Christianity in general,
Hinduism, and Islam.
Music &
Dance
• South American music and dance have been influenced
by native South Americans, European immigrants, and
descendants of African slaves.
• Huayno is the name given to the traditional music of the
Andes and is famous for the use of pan flutes.
• Valses (waltzes) are popular in Peru.
• Salsa music is more popular on the coasts of Peru and is
also the number one type of music in other South American
countries.
• Carmen Miranda, the Bossa Nova, and the Lambada are
other popular South American dances and dance songs.
•Soca is a form of music popular in the Caribbean area.
Soca music is dance music, with a rhythmic one-two beat. It is
a blend of soul and calypso.
• The most famous dance and song of Argentina is the
Tango.
• The biggest Spanish influence on musical instruments is
in the form of guitar-based instruments. Along with guitars,
the Spanish brought instruments such as harps, mandolins,
violins, transverse flutes, pipes-and-tabors, and oboes to
South America.
Carnival
Carnival (Carnaval in Portuguese) is
a holiday of self-indulgence that takes
place before Lent, the Christian holy
season that comes before Easter. It
is a 4-day celebration that starts on
Saturday and ends on Fat Tuesday
(Mardi-Gras). Dates change every
year, but it's always a noisy, energetic
celebration of music and dance and
exhibitions. The largest and most
lavish Carnival celebration occurs in
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Sports
There are a wide range of sports played on the
continent of South America, the most popular
being football (soccer). Football is not just a
popular sport, but is a passion in several South
American countries. Just about every town &
village has a football field with larger cities
having stadiums. South American teams have
won 9 of the 18 World Cup championships,
which have been held every four years since
1930. Brazil has won more than any other
country with 5 World Cup wins.
Sports
Basketball, tennis, golf, volleyball,
hockey, beach volleyball, and motor
sports are also enjoyed by people
living in South America. Basketball
is particularly popular in Argentina.
One of the most important
achievements was Argentina’s gold
medal in the Mens Basketball at the
2004 Summer Olympics.
Food
Long before the Europeans
discovered South America, the native
people knew how to grow many different
plants. They developed elaborate
irrigation systems, and terraced the
steep Andean mountain slopes to make
them more suitable for growing food.
They grew corn, lima beans, potatoes,
sweet potatoes, chile peppers,
avocados, peanuts, chocolate, and
raised llamas and guinea pigs. Each
region of the continent developed its
own traditional dishes.
Food
When the Europeans arrived in South
America, they made some of the native dishes
part of their own food culture. They took the
new foods back to Europe, and they brought
European foods such as pigs, chickens, citrus
trees, wheat, almonds, cows, and goats to South
America. The Europeans also learned to make
their favorite Spanish, Italian and Portuguese
dishes using local ingredients. The Native
American traditional cooking methods were
adapted and modified, and the newly available
foods from Europe were mixed in. Asian and
African immigrants brought their food traditions
as well. All of this blended to become the diverse
and exciting cuisine that exists today.
South America Food Staples
Corn (Maiz, Choclo) has been grown in South America for more than 5,000 years,
and is possibly South America’s biggest food contribution to the rest of the world.
Potatoes rival corn as the oldest and most important South American crop. Hundreds
of varieties of potatoes are still grown in the Andes today.
Peppers (Ajis) are the most important seasoning ingredient in South American
cooking. There are both sweet and hot varieties, and they are used in many creative
ways.
Tropical Fruit: South American cooking makes great use of the incredible
assortment of tropical fruit available. These include coconut, cherimoya, mango,
guava, pineapple, papaya, and passion fruit. They are used in savory and spicy
dishes as well as many different types of desserts.
Queso fresco/ Queso Blanco: Queso fresco is a lightly salted, unripened cow’s milk
cheese that is added to sauces and crumbled in salads.
Yuca (Manioc, Cassava) The starchy edible root of the yuca plant is another very
important food. It’s especially popular in Brazil, where the root is ground, dried and
roasted to make farofa, a key ingredient in the famous Brazilian dish feijoada, a pork
and black bean stew. Other regions use a sweet variety of yuca that can be mashed
or fried. Cassava flour is often used in baking.
Food
Culture Quiz
Go to the web link below to take the South
America Culture Quiz. Your score will be sent
to Mr. Reagan after you submit your answers.
Be sure to ask him for the score. You must
make a 100 before you an receive your next
clue.
South America Culture Quiz