In 1524 Nicaragua was colonized by Spain, everything changed for the indigenous people because the Spaniards flipped their world upside down, taking their belongings away from them and colonizing them in brutal and abusive ways. “El Güegüense” is a play whose purpose is to demonstrate a pacific resistance against the Spanish rule. The name comes from its main character: “El Gueguense” meaning “wise man” It was not until 1942 that the play was published into a book and it took eight years for the music to be recorded. Now days, El Gueguense dances are part of cultural expressions during festivities, honoring the saint of the city of Diriamba; “San Sebastian”. Professional folkloric ballets now include the Gueguense dance in their repertoire. …show more content…
El Güegüense, a synthesis of Indigenous and Spanish cultures combining theatre, dance and music, is considered one of Nicaragua’s most distinctive colonial era expressions.(diriamba.info) What are the different cultures that contributed to the dance "El Gueguense”? After analyzing the Spanish conquest in Nicaragua and the maltreatment received by the indigenous people, I noticed that the main influencers of El Gueguense are the Spanish and Indigenous cultures blended together to portray a cultural message. El Gueguense can be categorized as a comic ballet: the speech, music, dance as well as customs of the actors are attractive and unique. (vianica.com) The story revolves around encounters between the Spanish colonial authorities and Native Americans. The play is about El Güegüense having countered charges leveled against him by the colonial officials through a series of clever verbal manoeuvres. Rather than directly confronting or challenging an authority, he attempts to appear consistently cooperative, while utilizing satire to undermine Spanish authority. (unesco.org)The main characters are: El Gueguense, his sons; Don Forsico and Don Ambrosio, Four Spanish authorities and four beasts of burden. In between the spoken parts of the play, there are various dances being performed. In the dances that the play incorporates; the Spanish characters and the beasts of burden are the ones who participate the most. As time has passed, dances created by professionals have done more creative choreographic innovations. The dance currently has six songs that are played in traditional presentations. Music is made with original instruments from Nicaragua such as; flute, indigenous drum and a European guitar, which is why this dance represents so much culture behind it. (vianica.com) From the mixture of the instruments we can analyze them as symbols that show how the cultures blended and are what Nicaragua is today. The songs for the dances are completely instrumental and represent clear indigenous and Spanish influences. There is inquiry about who the Gueguense was, since it could have been a hard-working, smart and prosperous merchant who did not want to pay taxes to the Spanish crown. UNESCO has proclaimed el Güegüense a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. (Nicaragua.com) Folklore is the traditional beliefs, legends and customs of the people in the country.
(dictionary.com) Within Nicaragua’s Folklore we find El Gueguense, which is very particular and special because of the customs people wear. Typically people dress up as either indigenous or Spaniards and use the typical Gueguense mask. Even with the customs used in the dance we see the strong influence of these different cultures blending as one in a cultural dance. The basic steps in this folk dance include hopping, which is placing the weight on one foot and then the other. Chassé: to get the dancer in a new position. Schottische is the most important because it is unique to folklore dances only; it includes alternating stepping and hopping. El Güegüense combines not just dance and music but also the ornate craft work of its masks that give the piece powerful and picturesque plastic folkloric effects.(telesurtv.net) The accessory of the mask has had a huge impact in the population because when people say that you are acting like “a gueguense” it means that you are acting like you are following authority but in reality you are doing the opposite, therefore we can see how the Spanish authority still continues to have a symbolic impact in Nicaraguans culture. Works such as El Gueguense are absolutely indispensable reference points as part of the region’s cultural inheritance. The Spanish culture was the main influencer of this satirical dance because the indigenous were trying to rebel against these tyrants through a satirical play. It is said in my country that the Gueguense will never die in our culture because it has always been passed from generation to generation. Definitely celebrating this dance in the city of Diriamba is also a symbol of freedom from the Spanish culture, and a reminder of how the Nicaraguan people were able to free themselves and create their own culture, although greatly influenced by Spanish
traditions. Reevaluating and reflecting upon the information that was found, the cultures of “the indigenous/mestizos” and the culture of the Spanish people blended together are what created traditions and dances that are practiced today in Nicaragua. Without the blending of these two cultures we wouldn’t have so much significance behind the folklore dance that represents how the indigenous lived with the Spanish culture. Although this two cultures are very different, when they grab aspects from one another we get the idea of Nicaraguans being “mestizos” meaning being a mixed culture of Spanish and Indigenous ideas traditions and beliefs. In conclusion this play that incorporates various set of dance expresses the resistance of Nicaraguan people against foreign invaders, this dance represents the culture of my country and the character that my people have being brave and rebellious. Without the Spanish and the indigenous this traditional dance would have never been born, without any doubt the mixture of this cultures were the greatest contribution for the development of the current traditional dances. The Spanish contribution is crucial in order to perform this dance; it is necessary to have their influence as an authority in the play and for the dance to have a purpose. The Native Americans are the ones with the most influence because they have the majority of instruments that make up the music and they were the ones to create this play to make fun of the Spanish authority. I was very impressed to learn how these two cultures clashed to form unique folk dances and traditions in Nicaragua.
Palmas, at this time, took the task of retelling a traditional religious tale with his own twist, and that twist allowed him to entertain as well as criticize his own material. Criticizing religious folklore with methods of “costumbrismo” was vital in teaching his Latin American audience to be able to find the humor and irony in what they absorb through literature, and that is especially important with religious text. In a time when social and political reform went hand in hand with Latin American writing, Palmas did not just want to entertain with this humorous and enthralling piece, he wanted his audience to learn to be able to challenge religion in literature, and finally and most importantly, within the government in order to form a more liberal, secular
Colonial Latin American society in the Seventeenth Century was undergoing a tremendous amount of changes. Society was transforming from a conquering phase into a colonizing phase. New institutions were forming and new people and ideas flooded into the new lands freshly claimed for the Spanish Empire. Two remarkable women, radically different from each other, who lived during this period of change are a lenses through which many of the new institutions and changes can be viewed. Sor Juana and Catalina de Erauso are exceptional women who in no way represent the norm but through their extraordinary tales and by discovering what makes them so extraordinary we can deduce what was the norm and how society functioned during this era of Colonial Latin America.
The tradition still takes place today in many areas of Mexico. However, some parts of Mexico do the dance a little differently. The dance is more common in the central regi...
Wisner, Heather. “With a Hop, A Kick, And A Turn, Cumbia Enters the Global Stage.” Dance Magazine 80.9 (2006): 64-68. Humanities Abstracts (H.W. Wilson). Web. 7 Dec. 2011
Wanting to achieve a sense of fullness is arguably a goal that many, if not everyone, has. To live a life with meaning and transcendence is to live a life worth living; it is to have something that makes you see the beauty in the world and it is to have daily motivation. The Latinx community is a community that embodies this desire of having a meaningful life, and it is mostly evident in the community’s working class. As anthropological studies arise, scholars have also noticed this strong desire. However, they say that working class Latinxs ' longing of fullness stems off form the oppression and “trauma” that they have undergone. In other words, that desire is simply an outlet to escape from tension caused by unprecedented shifts in the lives
During the late 19th century and early 20th century, a form of Mexican folk music called the corrido gained popularity along the Mexico-Texan border (Saldívar). Growing from the Spanish romance tradition, the corrido is a border ballad “that arose chronicling the history of border conflicts and its effects on Mexican-Mexican culture” (Saldívar). A sort of “oral folk history,” the corrido was studied intensely by Américo Paredes, who then constructed his masterpiece, George Washington Gomez, around the “context and theme” of the corrido (Mendoza 146). But the novel is not a traditional corrido, in which the legendary hero defends his people and dies for his honor. Instead, through its plot, characterization, and rhetorical devices, George Washington Gomez is an anti-corrido.
During my visit, I was able to observe different dances that were very interesting. Two dances that caught my attention were the “Toro Mambo” representing the state of Sinaloa and “Payasos of Tlaxcala” representing Tlaxcala. The “Toro Mambo” from the region of Sinaloa is one of the most popular dances in Mexico. The dance is really interesting for the reason that it represents a story in where a bull would dance on a place known as the “mambo.” In this folk dance the dancer do movements at the same paste while trying to imitate how the bull would dance. In this dance the women wear long colorful dresses to represent joy and in order to move the skirts higher. In contrast, the men wear light color shirts and jeans that matches with their partner. In the other side the dance of the “Payasos de Tlaxcala” represents a story of a festival in the region of Tlaxcala. To perform this dance men and women dress like clowns in colorful outfits to amuse the people in the festival. During the dance, the dancers try to satisfy the public by putting humor in the dance and doing crazy movements. This dances are both very great and enjoyable to watch. It is amazing how you could learn so much in a little bit of time and in a beautiful art
Folklore is a collection of stories passed down from generation to generation that includes Legends, Myths and Fairy tales. Legends are a semi-true story, which has been passed on from a person to another person that has an important meaning. Myths are a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon. A Fairytale is a children's story about magical which they have imaginary beings and lands. Hispanic Folklore is the traditional is mostly about beliefs, legends, customs and stories of the community of the hispanic culture. Hispanic or latino culture encompasses the traditions, language, religious beliefs and practices, legends, music and history.
As in other Latin American countries, the culture of Nicaragua reflects Spanish cultural patterns, influential since the colonial period, combined with an ancient Native American heritage. Nicaraguans hold many colorful celebrations to commemorate local saints' days and ecclesiastical events. The marimba is extremely popular, and ancient instruments such as the chirima (clarinet), maraca (rattle), and zul (flute) are common in rural areas. Dances from colonial times survive, as do fine examples of architecture. The coast of Nicaragua was sighted by Christopher Columbus in 1502, but the first Spanish expedition, under Gil González Dávila, did not arrive until 1522; it established several Spanish settlements.
Hispanic American community are rooted from their origins in Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Spanish speaking countries that have come together and form a culture in the United State of America. The culture is built in different categories; for instance, religion, social custom, health practices their privacy, and birth. They come from a comprehensive familiar culture that has been called the second in America. Because of their pride and affection they feel unsafe to give up their past. Their notoriety in the United State has been their resistance to assimilate; their guarded image of Hispanic-American culture has been the tongue of flame. However, their remarkable legacy, Hispanics carry from Latin America is not their language, an inflatable skin, but breathe itself, capacity of soul, an inclination to live. The genius of Latin America is the habit synthesis. Their dance is colorful and beautiful. The dance is to keep in touch with their culture, pass down their culture heritage, and to unite people from different ethnicity who share their passion for dance. Through dancing, help in meditation, to promote health, and spiritual well being.
Rivas-Rojas, Raquel. “FABULAS DE ARRAIGO VICARIO EN LA NARRATIVA DE JULIA ALVAREZ. (Spanish).” Canadian Journal Of Latin American & Caribbean Studies 33.66 (2008): 157-169. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
All around the world, there are thousands of cultures. Although they are different, every culture partakes in dance. Dancing is something known worldwide. Every culture has traditional cultural dancing they partake in. Mexico has many cultural dances. La danza del venado is one traditional dance from Northern Mexico. La danza del venado, is known as the deer dance.
Miguel de Cervantes' greatest literary work, Don Quixote, maintains an enduring, if somewhat stereotypical image in the popular culture: the tale of the obsessed knight and his clownish squire who embark on a faith-driven, adventure-seeking quest. However, although this simple premise has survived since the novel's inception, and spawned such universally known concepts or images as quixotic idealism and charging headlong at a group of "giants" which are actually windmills, Cervantes' motivation for writing Don Quixote remains an untold story. Looking at late fifteenth- and early sixteenth-century Spain from the viewpoint of a Renaissance man, Cervantes came to dislike many aspects of the age in which he lived, and decided to satirize what he saw as its failings; however, throughout the writing of what would become his most famous work, Cervantes was torn by a philosophical conflict which pervaded the Renaissance and its intellectuals--the clash of faith and reason.
El libro cuenta la historia de la familia Buendía en el pueblo de Macondo. El pueblo es fundado por diversas familias conducidas por José Arcadio Buendía y Úrsula Iguaran. Los dos son primos y se casaron con el temor que sus hijos pudieran tener cola de cerdo. Igualmente tuvieron tres hijos: José Arcadio, Aureliano y Amaranta. José Arcadio, el fundador, es la persona que lidera e investiga con las novedades que traen los gitanos al pueblo, y termina su vida atado al árbol hasta donde llega el fantasma de su enemigo Prudencio Aguilar con el que dialoga. Úrsula es la matriarca y jefe de la familia, quien vive durante más de cien años cuidando de la familia y del hogar.
...national dance. As a native Afro-Cuban simply put, “This will never die. Nothing can stop it” (Farr 80).