Discovering The Culture Of Spain The definition of culture is the behaviors and beliefs characteristic of a social or ethnic group. Some major elements of culture include values, religion, beliefs, language and symbols. The cultures of Spain are European cultures based on a variety of historical influences. The Spanish culture is primarily based on pre-Roman Celtic and Iberian culture. Accordingly, Roman Catholic is the main religion of Spain and serves as a basis for societal norms with the official language of the country being Castilian Spanish. Most countries in the region share identical past colonization, and geographical structure that became vital in the development of each country; consequently, Spain’s physical geography, climate, and history are factors that have molded its socioeconomic status and political state. Religion is very important in Spain. Many Spaniards are baptized, married and buried as followers of the Roman Catholic church. Under the 1978 constitution the church is no longer Spain's official or recognized faith, though financial support is still provided by the state. As a result, the church's effect on the Spanish …show more content…
The main rivers in the country are the Ebro in the northeast, the Tajo in the central region, and the Guadalquivir in the south (Carr, Ginés, Harrison, Koenigsberger, O'Callaghan, Richardson, Rodriguez, Shubert, Smith & Viguera, 2017). Spain is in southwestern Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Bay of Biscay, and Pyrenees Mountains (CIA, 2017). Agriculture land use is important in Spain and the main products produced from that industry are beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, grain, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets and citrus (CIA, 2017). Spain is ranked number 12 in the world for the country with the highest standards of living (Briney,
Spain is dominantly Catholic because of its catholic background. After Catholic practices the population is mainly atheist or non believers. As said before tho, there had been a muslim past before the reconquest of the Iberian peninsula.
Child rearing and family structure within the Hispanic culture is noticeably different than what is present in the mainstream Western culture of today. One apparent difference is in gender roles. There exists a vastly different expectation in Hispanic culture for males and females. The male is considered to be the independent breadwinner, and the head of the household. Accordingly, the female role is one of submission and provider of childcare. In contrast, it is more than acceptable in Western culture for a female to maintain a non-traditional role. Hispanic culture additionally differs from Western culture in the traditional makeup of the family. Within Hispanic culture the extended family plays a huge role
What is culture? Culture is the characteristics that describe a certain group of people. Culture defines those groups of people through religion, language, food and arts among many more. Culture is made up of many long lived traditions passed on through different regions. Brazilian culture is one of the most diverse out there. Some would say it has similarities to American culture when relating it to a "melting pot". Over 75% of the country follows the Roman Catholic faith. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese due to mass Portuguese settlements in much earlier centuries. Brazilian culture has a main focus on family unity and most Brazilians have a large number of family members.
Gina Valdes was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up on both sides of the U.S.A-Mexico border. Growing up on both sides of the border greatly influenced her life and her writing, since she was able to experience both traditions and customs at first hand. Crossing borders and identity are both reoccurring themes that Gina decides to interpret in her writings. The English and Spanish languages as well as both cultures weave through her life. Valdes received degrees from the English and Spanish departments at the University of California, San Diego. She has also taught both languages at various universities such as at the University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University. Gina Valdes is the author of two bilingual poetry collections Puentes y Fronteras (Bridges and Borders) and Comiendo Lumbre (Eating Fire) both are from the Bilingual Press. English con Salsa is a poem from one of her poetry collections where she uses all the techniques and themes she is best known for.
All in all, Spain has had its ups and downs and then ups again throughout the years. Spain went from an absolute monarchy, to dictatorship, to constitutional monarchy.The future of Spain is in the hands of it’s citizens and only they can prevent a major debt crisis, by saving for the future on their own. Fingers crossed that the people of Spain have learned from their past and realize that fair elections and democracy is the way to keep the state of Spain successful.
Ferdinand and Isabella used the Inquisition to eliminate opposition in Spain. Their thoughts were that by eliminating the Jews, Muslims, and New Christians in Spain they would gain unity, wealth, and power. They wanted to make a Christian and only a Christian Spain.
Culture is the unique way to act and think within a people from a certain place. It’s the way the people hold their beliefs, what they hold valuable, how they speak and even how they write. Culture is how people relate and act with one another within a certain space. Culture can vary from place to place such as city, state, country or continent.
Agriculture is still important, even though it is no longer the basis of Spain's economy. Farmers produce a lot wheat and barley. Spain leads the world in production of olives and olive oil. Many Spaniards raise livestock such as sheep,goats,and cattle. The production of wine is also important. In the north the major products are beef cattle, vegetables, and fruit. In the Mediterranean it is olives, almonds, ci...
Spanish culture adopts food and table service styles that are used across the globe though there could be variations that are unique to Spanish culture. Spaniards maintain a notable consistency in menu, décor, uniforms, cuisines, table setting and ambiance (Eichler, 2013).
Spain, the third largest country in Europe, has a strong history and diverse culture dating back to when the Iberians first inhabited the land. The country lies between the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and the land ranges from mountains to meadows. Over hundreds of centuries, many different civilizations have inhabited the land influencing the people there today. From the Visigoths and Celts to the Romans of the Middle Ages, Spain has received a rich history and background. One of the strongest of its cultures is the food. All of these cultures brought a particular type of food and combined and blended with the food that exists there today. Spain is very popular for olives, vineyards, and citrus fruit. Another well-liked food is garlic, including varieties of peppers and spices. Once spice specifically—golden saffron—is essential in many recipes, including the Spanish Paella. There are many distinguished Spanish foods that encompass the daily life and culture of the country.
Some Hispanic teenagers in the United States dislike to speak their native language, Spanish: “Even our own people, other Spanish speakers nos quieren poner candados en la boca [(they want to put padlocks on our mouth)]” (Anzaldua 202). I think it 's a shame. Parents should encourage the Aztec language to their younger children. I believe someone who is bilingual has many opportunities now in the 21st century, because Spanish has become the 2nd most spoken language in America. Personally, I am glad my parents obligated me to speak Spanish at home. My Spanish culture glorifies the language, the unity, and the celebrations.
In the United States, the language we know as Spanish is so prevalent that most automated voice messaging systems use it as a second option, the majority of stores feature it as another language option on their pin pads, and more importantly it is in fact considered the second most widely spoken language in the U.S. Spanish is part of our everyday lives not just as far as the people who live here and speak it, but the cultural traditions we have adopted from other Spanish speaking countries. America would not be the same without Spanish cultural influence, and not only that, there are beneficial reasons behind learning the Spanish language and the meanings and influences of its culture
Spain has a population of around 48 million people, in which over 90% are identified as being Roman Catholic, which goes back to their modern founding in 1463, both Isabella and Ferdinand were Catholics. Spanish is the national language with over ¾ of the country speaking it, however, there are several over languages spoken in regions across the country, and in small groups. Spain has a high migration rate, with 8 out of every 1000, which ranks 13th in the world. Family is important part of Spanish culture, and one major family event is a fiesta. Fiestas are planned, really big parties with a meaning behind them, normally to celebrate a holiday, or a saint. These fiestas include lots of food, dancing, celebration, fireworks, etc. They bring family together to celebrate certain days, and acknowledge the joys of
Spain’s importance of intimacy allows closer, more personal relationships with colleagues, friends and family members. The importance of masculinity creates a defined gender role for male Spaniards. The celebration of religious holidays in Spain allows the culture to attend to religious duties and also as recreational functions, such as La Tomatina (a giant Spanish food fight). Language is crucial to the Spanish culture because there are numerous regions in Spain that have twists to the language. For example, the biggest regional dialect is Castilian Spanish; however, the Basque, Galician and Catalan all coexist in Spain as