Culture of Costa Rica
BET Costa Rica
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Costa Rican culture is heavily influenced by Spanish and indigenous culture, the latter being less evident in most of the country, with the exception of Limon, predominantly Black Jamaicans, and the Cordillera de Talamanca.
In pre-Columbian times, the north of the country was the southernmost point of Maya influence and the central and southern portions of the country had Chibcha influences. When the Spanish conquistadores arrived in the 16th century, most of the settlements and. cities were established in the southern-central part of the country that were less densely populated than the north, and where the European descendants became predominant. In what is today the province of Guanacaste the Spaniards established an indigenous corregimiento and the development of cattle production draw also a considerable amount of African forced labor to the region. Although the actual population of Costa Rica is generally of mixed "mestizo" origins, the different makeups of these two regions is still evident. The northern plains (Guatuso) and the southern mountains (Talamanca) were relatively untouched during colonial times and the largest remaining indigenous populations are still located in those areas.
In the 19th century, the caribbean region of Costa Rica received a considerable number of immigrants that came first as workers during the construction of the railroads to the eastern coast and later settled in the area. Most of them were blacks that came from the English-speaking caribbean, who gave a distinctive cultural and ethnic identity to the region. There was also an important number of Chinese immigrants, who came first to the port-towns of Limon and Puntarenas and later spread in small numbers to most cities in the country. Small numbers of immigrants from other areas, mainly Europe (Spain, Italy, Germany) and Lebanon, arrived during the early 20th century causing a small but significant impact, mainly on the country's political and economic elite. All of these influences have developed the extremely varied ethnicity of the country.
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Language
Costa Ricans speak Central American Spanish, but they, like most other Central American countries over the years, have developed distinct patterns in their language.
Costa Ricans usually utilize the respectful "Usted" form when addressing one another, this is somewhat formal and surprises some Spanish-speaking foreigners when they arrive. Also, when they do use the familiar form, they often use vos rather than tú, which is used in most other Latin American countries. Unlike most Latin American countries the use of the word tú is considered obnoxious and impolite and the usage of the word is frowned upon by the majority of the population; of all social status. Costa Ricans also share a very similar accent to that of Colombians and many times are confused with one or the other.
Ticos and Ticas
Costa Ricans have long called themselves Ticos, in reference to the use of diminutives particular to Costa Rican speech.
In Spanish it's common to make diminutives by suffixing the -ito/ita morpheme [gender varies with: "o" or "a"]. This helps soften speech and appear more approachable when interacting with others. Thus momento (a moment) becomes momentito (a brief moment). In Costa Rica, as in some other regions, when a noun ends in -o or -a, the -ito/ita morpheme is frequently, but not always, replaced with -ico/ica; for example, momentico.[citation needed]
Religion
Catholicism is recognized as the official religion in Costa Rica and even though many Costa Ricans claim they are Catholic, devotion varies among the population.
A common practice among Latin American countries is the presence of a "Patrona". This represents a variation of the Virgin Mary and is unique for most countries. The "patrona" of Costa Rica is the "Virgen de los Angeles" also known as "La Negrita" (Little Black one). The Virgin is one of the most important Catholic symbols because it is country specific and allows common people to identify with religion and feel a sense of direct contact with a saint to whom they can pray.
There are several religious festivals in the country but the most important is the tradition known as La Romería in which people from all over the country walk every August 2 from their home to a cathedral dedicated to the Virgin in the city of Cartago. When they arrive, followers visit a dark colored stone image of the Virgin Mary that appeared in the 16th Century to an Indian native on a hill located in Cartago, the same place where the Cathedral was built.
Other religions in Costa Rica include Jehovah's Witness, Judaism, Islam, Hare Krishna and other smaller groups that practice traditions of their ancestry. Protestant forms of Christianity are common in Costa Rica, and make up 14% of Costa Rica's Christian population. The main religion in Costa Rica is Roman Catholicism.
Education
Education is highly regarded in Costa Rica by most of the population. 6% of the country's resources are dedicated to education and it has been proved to have positive results as > 95% of the population is literate. Primary (1st-6th grade) and secondary (7th-11th or 12th) are free and mandatory for all citizens. However, primary and secondary public education is widely considered to lack the quality and resources seen in private elementary schools, therefore most of the middle-higher class population opt to send their children to private institutions.
At the university level, the country has four major public universities: The University of Costa Rica (UCR), the Instituto Technologico (ITCR), The Universidad Nacional (UNA) and the Universidad de Educacion a Distancia (UNED), this last institution is a correspondence institution. Most of the national universities have institutional autonomy and considerable budgets that have allowed them to become some of the major universities in Central America.
Due to the four main universities not being able to keep up with the demand of the growing population, a great variety of private institutions began to appear in the country.
Music
Most of the music and representative folklore comes from the north of the country (the part that once had Mayan influence), including the Nicoya Peninsula, and the Atlantic coast (Afro-Caribbean culture). Costa Rican music a rhythm known as tambito as well a distinctive musical genre known as punto. Two examples are the punto guanacasteco, which hails from Guanacaste Province, and the sancarleño, from San Carlos in Alajuela Province.
Nowadays, funk music is very popular. The Costa Rican funk movement started around the 70's - 80's and bands today enjoy some popularity, especially among young people. Bands such as Gandhi and Evolucion (among others) are quite popular. This movement started in the early 80's with the pioneer work of the band Café con Leche and José Capmany.
Costa Rican popular music genres include: American and British rock and roll, pop and reggaeton are popular and common among the youth (especially urban youth) while dance-oriented genres like soca, salsa, bachata, merengue , cumbia and Costa Rican swing The guitar is a popular instrument especially as an accompaniment to Folk dances.
Cuisine
Costa Rican cuisine does not have distinct or original styles to call its own. It is a combination of Spanish,American, Caribbean and Southern American influences. This style of cuisine is shared by most of Central America, although local variations have appeared in each of the country.
The closest thing to a national dish is Gallo Pinto ("spotted rooster", although the name has no relation to the ingredients). It is mainly a combination of black beans and white rice (usually from the day before), and it is spiced with cilantro, onions, garlic, salt and a local condiment called Salsa Lizano. It is typically eaten at breakfast with eggs, meat, and/or natilla (sour cream). Fried plantains and either corn tortillas or bread, are also common. Gallo pinto is a common and typical dish in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua, being widely consumed in both countries the origin of the dish has been debated for many years.
Another typical dish is "Arroz con pollo" ("rice with chicken"). This dish basically consists of bite size chicken chunks mixed with rice and diced vegetables that include carrots, peas, corn and garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
"Olla de Carne" is another typical dish which is mainly prepared on weekends. It is basically a broth corn prepared by boiling water, meat and whole-to large sized vegetable pieces, with spices. Eating the soup usually requires a bowl with the broth, and separate plates for the vegetables and rice. Because preparation of the vegetables is tiresome and the size of the plate obligates using a large pot, it is prepared for family meetings and was usually prepared on Sundays after church.
"Casados" are also a typical dish. A casado is basically a one-plate meal, that at least includes black beans, rice, a meat and one or more side dishes. The meat can vary from chicken or beef, fish, tongue, liver, or hamburger patties. The side dishes can range from pasta salads, vegetable salads, fried eggs, potatoes, spaghetti, or "barbudos" (green beans wrapped in egg batter). Finally most casados include fried plantains.
A very common practice when sitting down to eat is to drink a fruit drink of some kind. These are called ("refrescos", "frescos", "naturales", or "batidos"). They are made with either water or milk and come in an endless variety: canteloupe, strawberry, tamarind, mango, papaya, lemon, blackberry (mora), guanabana, fruit punch, horchata, and a local favorite, cas.
Finally, there are some important regional differences. The Caribbean side of the country, because of its roots, enjoys Gallo pinto but adding Coconut oil. This is called "Rice an' Beans". This region also has "Pati", "Plantain tarts", "Rondon" and "Pan bon". The north-western part of the country, has a strong tendency towards corn products and is famous for large, cheese filled tortillas, corn snacks and other dishes.
Costa Ricans' views of foreigners
A person from the United States is often informally referred to as a Gringo. This term is widespread as Americans constitute a significant percentage of tourists in Costa Rica. Tourists are almost always well-liked and treated hospitably. For the most part the souring of the American image abroad in recent years has not been reflected in Costa Rican attitudes towards Americans on an individual level. George Bush is unpopular for the crisis in Iraq, but Costa Ricans are cautious to dispute both because of the Costa Rican government's unpopular support of the Iraq war, and because of the "Pura Vida" mentality of getting along.
Aside from the Iraq War, other US actions have played parts in souring Costa Rican outlooks on the US government. The CAFTA (or TLC for it's Spanish abreviature), is an impending and unpopular American policy of trading with only countries lacking monopolies in what Americans consider to be public-access private sectors (electricity, for example), which threatens the government-owned monopolies AyA and ICE (water and electric services, respectively). A large portion of the country's infrastructure is derived from the revenues from these companies. Nevertheless, the majority of Costa Ricans consider the United States a friend and an ally and recognize the value of American contributions to Costa Rica on an individual and federal level.
Canadians and Europeans are becoming more common in the country and are sometimes but not often regarded as separate than Americans. However, most westerners are largely treated as equals.
Nicaraguans, making up between 10 to 15 percent of Costa Rica's 4.43 million inhabitants, face more discrimination than most other groups, largely belonging to the lower class and sometimes living in the country illegally. Stereotypes of Nicaraguans are pervasive. Some Costa Ricans fear Nicaraguans and attribute unexplainable phenomena, unsolved crimes and general maladies to Nicaraguans. Part of the distrust of Nicaraguans is due to the illusion that they commit more crimes and that they can be attributed them responsibility for rising crime rates. However, most Costa Ricans are strongly integrated with Nicaraguan individuals and communities, and their language and ethnic differences are negligible, therefore few harbor any serious ill will towards them. Many Nicaraguans enter the country seasonally for coffee harvests, or work year round as maids, farmers, mechanics and other low-income jobs. Afro Costa Ricans are similarly frowned upon by select individuals.
Colombian refugees are also coming to the country, and are regarded better than the Nicaraguans, but are also discriminated to low-income jobs.
Pura Vida
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This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. (September 2007) |
Pura Vida (POO-rah VEE-dah), used by Costa Ricans since 1956 [1], literally translated means "Pure Life." Contextually, it means "Full of Life" "Purified life", "This is living!", "Going great!" It is used as a greeting, a farewell, and to express satisfaction.
The phrase has become widely known in the USA and Europe. Some foreigners view the phrase as an expression of a leisurely lifestyle, of disregard for time and wanton friendliness. However, Costa Ricans use the phrase to express a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, good spirits, enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune, whether small or large.Origins of word 'Pura Vida'
Expats who adopt the expression properly get a big smile in return. It is an acknowledgment of the Costa Rican attitude towards life.
