South America Culture Ethnicity The majority of South Americas 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 Guaran 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 Gauran 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 continentwith the exception of those in the Amazon Basin, on the Pampas, and in Patagoniawere 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 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 Argentinas 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. Food South America Food Staples Corn (Maiz, Choclo) has been grown in South America for more than 5,000 years, and is possibly South Americas 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 cows 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. Its 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.f 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