Colombia culture

Colombia culture culture food people and festivals 

Many aspects of Colombian culture can be traced back to the early culture of Spain of the 16th century and its collision with Colombia's native civilizations (see: Muisca, Tayrona). The Spanish brought Catholicism, Africans, the feudal encomienda system, and a caste system that favored European-born whites.

Colombian culture is very similar to a lot of other Latin American countries, with a few special elements that make it unique. Looking at Colombian history for example, the Spanish colonial era has left a lasting influence throughout the country, with a high rate of Roman Catholics in Colombian society. The Spanish decimated the indigenous population here, yet many elements live on in Colombian customs, music and language.

The geographical make up of Colombia, with its treacherousness of the terrain and sheer variety of climates made communication and travel very difficult, and therefore helped foster regionalism. Football however, is a uniting factor in Colombian society, despite the large rift between economic classes. Long ago in Colombian history, carnivals became an opportunity for the whole population to congregate and enjoy la fiesta, which is an important aspect of Colombian culture.

Music is a very important part of Colombian culture, with Cumbia and Vallenato enjoyed country-wide. Shakira is famously from this Latin American country, as is Nobel Prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a famous figure in Colombian literature. Colombian art is often synonymous with Fernando Botero.

The music varies greatly between regions but cumbia is widely accepted as thenational musical genre. Cumbia is a mixture of Spanish and African music, the latter brought by slaves. The style of dance is designed to recall the shackles worn around the ankles of the slaves.

Combining the sounds of an accordion, a small drum called the caja vallenata and a wooden ribbed stick and fork known as the guacharaca, vallenato is one of Colombia's most popular traditional forms of folk music.