Culture of Colombia
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The culture of Colombia is vastly diverse and rich and is mostly derived from a sharp sense of familial and regional tradition.
Geography
Colombia is the only country in South America to have both a Pacific and Caribbean coastlines. More than half of the country is flat, however most population live in the mountainous Andes region, with tall peaks and high plateaux a common site in the Colombian interior. The capital, Bogotá, is located in the the middle of the country.
The country is divided into five major regions: Los Llanos (Spanish: the plains), El Caribe (Spanish: the northern Caribbean coast), the eastern Pacific Ocean coast, the southern Amazon rainforest, and the central Andes. Each region has its distinct culture with variations in dialect and mannerisms.
Religion
About 90% of Colombians are Roman Catholic.
Family
The family is, as it is with nearly all of Latin America, a highly imporant institution to Colombians. Members of the extended family are close and children rarely ever move far away from their parents. There is a deep sense of familial responsibility that stretches through many generations. This may be reflected in the fact that Colombia has the lowest divorce rate in the world.
Traditionally, Men were usually the head of the household. In charge of earning most of the family's income while women were responsible for cooking, housework and raising children. However, like in most cultures around the world, the dawn of the 20th Century brought forth a great empowerment for women and today, the majority of families (regardless of economic class) are composed of both working parents.
At a child's baptism, the parents of the child will choose godparents, padrinos. A child's padrinos will play an important role in his life, giving advice, and when needed, financial support.
Society
Due to Economic instability and high unemployment over the last century or so, Colombia has developed a huge rift between two economic classes (Low and High) with an almost nonexistent middle class.
The Amerindian peoples of Colombia's southern regions, near the Brazilian border, live in huts of thatched palm. In the capital, Bogotá is where about 7.7 million people live of the 44 million habitants. There are other important cities as, Medellín, Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena and others.
Manners and Communication
Colombians in communication are very diverse. They have different ways of communicating according to a certain region of the country, there can be differences by accent or the way things are said, every way of speaking has it's own rules. Overall, Colombians are known for being lively and witty communicators. Figures of speech abound in Colombian Spanish.
Entertainment
The country's most popular sport is football(soccer).
The traditional sport of bullfighting, brought to South America by the Spanish, remains popular in Colombia; bullfighting is normally to be seen in national festivals or in the bullfighting season.
Baseball has become a very popular game in recent years; it is specially popular among the people from the coast and is strongly promoted all around the country. Edgar Rentería is an example of a famous Colombian baseball player.
An ancient game called tejo, inherited from the Chibcha, is also played. The object of tejo is to throw a small metal disk at a gunpowder detonator in a small circular area. The winner is calculated by the number of explosions compared to number of throws.
Dancing is very popular in Colombia, with dozens of popular vibrant styles. Dancing to reggeaton is very popular in Colombia along with the rest of Latin America. Popular dance styles are salsa, Merengue, and Bambuco. The latter is a very complicated dance with many differently named steps.
Cumbia, which originated in the Caribbean Coast, is the national dance. It should not be confused with other kinds of Cumbia that has become popular throughout Latin America.
Cuisine
Main article: Colombian cuisine
The main meal of a Colombian's day is lunch, usually eaten at about 1 or 2pm. This meal consists of three courses: a soup followed by a main course followed by either a drink or dessert. Although, in some cases, in the morning after breakfeast a snack is eaten, also known as Medias Nueves and also after lunch, called Onces.
Many varieties of fruit virtually unknown to the Western world are enjoyed in Colombia.
There is a large variety of dishes that take into account the difference in regional climates.
Art and literature
Colombians have been producing art for thousands of years, with ornate golden figures and jewelry from millennia ago discovered by both ruthless conquistadors and careful archaeological digs.
Some Colombian artists, such as Enrique Grau and Fernando Botero, have received international fame in the 20th century for their awards and wide public acclaim.
The Colombian author, Gabriel García Márquez, won the Nobel Prize for his book Cien Años de Soledad (Spanish: One Hundred Years Of Solitude). Which is the history of a Colombian family, The Buendias, and their small town, Macondo, through the 20th century.