Culture of Ecuador
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2011) |
Part of a series on the |
Culture of Ecuador |
---|
People |
Languages |
Cuisine |
Religion |
Art |
Literature |
Music |
Sport |
Ecuador can be split up into four geographically distinct areas; the Costa (coast), the Sierra (
There is tension and general dislike between the residents of the highlands
History
This section may contain material not related to the topic of the article.(January 2011) ) |
In celebration of his victory,
Regionalism
Each region is divided according to its own unique geography, creating a sense of individual regional pride. The most notable regional competition or fierce enmity is between Guayaquileños, Coastal Ecuadorians and Quiteños, Highland Ecuadorians. This sense of regionalism has created incredibly barriers between countrymen. Due to strong regionalism, the national economy has suffered, as either region and its peoples hesitate to do anything that might result in the expansion of the other's economy, even if it would mean slowing the national economy. During wartime, regionalism was considerably abated, but there are reports of individuals betraying their country, due to their desire to see the other region lose; for example, allegations that someone had given information to enemy troops during Tawantinzuma.
Family
Ecuadorians place great importance on family, both
Families are formed in at least one of the following two ways:
There are many variations in family structure, as well as in the social and cultural structure in Ecuador, depending on the socioeconomic position in which people live. Generally, the upper classes adopt more white American or white European ways of life, customs, and culture. Whereas, lower classes more widely adopt the customs, lifestyles, and culture of native peoples. This leads to great contrasts within Ecuadorian people, effectively creating parallel societies.
Marital roles
Girls tend to be more protected by their parents than boys, due to traditional social structures. At age 15, girls often have traditional parties called fiesta de quince años. Quinceañera is the term used for the girl, not the party. The party involves festive food and dance. This coming of age or debutante party is a tradition found in most Latin American countries, comparable to the American tradition of sweet sixteen parties.
This special event sometimes involves a doll being given away to show adulthood.
Television and cinema
The majority of the movies shown in
The Ecuador Film Company was founded in Guayaquil in 1924. During the early 1920s to early 1930s, Ecuador enjoyed its Cinema Golden Age era. However, the production of motion pictures declined with the coming of sound.
Entre Marx y una Mujer Desnuda (Between Marx and a Nude Woman, 1995), by Ecuadorian Camilo Luzuriaga, provides a window into the life of young Ecuadorian leftists living in a country, plagued by the remnants of feudal systems and coups d'état. It is based on a novel by Jorge Enrique Adoum.
Cuisine
An Ecuadorian's day, at least as far as his or her diet is concerned, is centered around lunch, rather than dinner.
There is no one food that is especially Ecuadorian, as cuisine varies from region, people, and cultures. For example, Costeños (people from the coast) prefer
Some general examples of Ecuadorian cuisine include , the most popular dish on the coast.
Language
Most Ecuadorians speak Spanish, though many speak Amerindian languages such as
Though most features of Ecuadorian Spanish are those universal to the
Costeños tend to speak more quickly and louder than serranos'", with strong linguistic similarities to Canarian Spanish. A common term costeños call one another is mijo, a contraction of the phrase mi hijo ("my son"). Several such terms are derived in consequence of their rapid speech, and they also employ intricate linguistic humor and jokes that are difficult to translate or even understand in the other regions. Furthermore, each province has a different variety of accent, with different specific terms influenced by the different racial and ethnic groups that immigrated and settled the areas.
Serranos usually speak softly and with less speed. They are traditionally seen as more conservative, and use a number of Kichwa-derived terms in their everyday speech which is often puzzling to other regions. A widely known example is the word wawa which means "child" in Kichwa. Their speech is influenced by their
Art
Indigenous art of Tigua
The Kichwa people of Tigua, located in the central Sierra region, are world-renowned for their traditional paintings on sheepskin canvases.[3] Historically, the Tigua people have been known for painting highly decorative masks and drums; painting on flat surfaces is somewhat of a modern occurrence. Today, Tigua paintings can be found for sale all over Ecuador, particularly in touristic areas.
Tigua artists are celebrated for their use of vibrant colors and simplistic themes. Most paintings depict scenes of pastoral life, religious ceremonies, and festivals. The volcano Cotopaxi is commonly depicted in the landscape of many paintings, as it holds particular cultural significance in the region.
Literature
Music
The music of Ecuador has a long history. Pasillo is a genre domestic to Ecuador and is regarded as the "national genre." Through the years, many cultures have brought their influences together to create new types of music. There are also different kinds of traditional music like albazo, pasacalle, fox incaico, tonada, diablada pillareña, capishca, Bomba (highly established in afro-Ecuadorian society in cities such as Esmeraldas), and so on.
Tecnocumbia and Rockola are clear examples of the influence of foreign cultures. One of the most indigenous and traditional forms of dancing in Ecuador is Sanjuanito. It's originally from northern Ecuador (Otavalo-Imbabura). Sanjuanito is a danceable music used in the festivities of the mestizo and indigenous cultures. According to the Ecuadorian musicologist Segundo Luis Moreno, Sanjuanito was danced by indigenous people during San Juan Bautista's birthday. This important date was established by the Spaniards on June 24, coincidentally the same date when indigenous people celebrated their rituals of Inti Raymi.
The Panama hat is of Ecuadorian origin, and is known there as "Sombrero de paja toquilla", or a Jipijapa. It is made principally in Montecristi, in the province of Manabí and in the province of Azuay. Its manufacture (particularly that of the Montecristi superfino) is considered a great craft. In Cuenca an important Panama hat industry exists.
Sports
Information on all other Ecuadorian sports related articles are below:
- Football in Ecuador
- Ecuador national football team
- Ecuador women's national football team
- Ecuador national under-20 football team
- Ecuador national baseball team
- Ecuadorian volleyball (Ecua-volley)
See also
- Latin American culture
- Hispanic culture
- Music of Ecuador
- Religion in Ecuador
References
- ^ "Ecuador - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette". Commisceo-global.com. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
- ^ "¿Los indios deberían quedarse en el páramo?". revistarupturas.com/language=sp-gb. Retrieved 2017-05-03.
- ^ "Pintores de Tigua: Learn more about the Indigenous Artists of Ecuador". Adventure-life.com. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
External links
- Ecuador people and culture
- Hip ECUADOR
- Ecuador
- Archaeology of Ecuador
- Museum and Virtual Library (Museums of Central Bank of Ecuador) English
- "Category: Quechua Language Writers". Ecuadorian Literature.com.