Hey everybody, I'm Bryan and I'm here to talk a little bit today about the people
of Central America and the unique cultural complex that exists there.
The people of Central America have a history unique to Latin America.
As with almost no other area, many peoples of native descent are still to be found,
along with the descendants of escaped slaves, all together in the numerous valleys and coastal areas
of a topographically packed region. So let's dive back into Central America.
People. As with most of the rest of Latin America, the people of Central America share European,
Native American, and African ancestry. Unlike many other places in Latin America, Central America
has a higher level of those of direct African and Native descent in some places than others.
People: African. In Belize, 32% of the population claims African descent
while Panama isn't far behind at 16%. Why is the African population higher here?
Well, as the Portuguese and Spanish slave trade began to ramp up in the later half of the 1500s,
many Africans who were sold were actually prisoners of war. These prisoners,
who were former soldiers, commanders, and even nobles, were not only trained for survival and
war tactics but were not keen on the idea of being slaves on sugar cane plantations, and many
escaped into the jungles of Central America. They established their own communities called Maroons.
Many of the rural towns and villages throughout Central America were first started as Maroons.
People: Native American. These Maroons weren't just the home of escaped slaves,
but many Native groups who also escaped into the mountainous highlands of Central America
would find their way to these settlements as well. In fact,
42% of Guatemala claims to be of Native ancestry. And Guatemala recognizes 21 Native languages
as state languages, many of which are of Maya or Arawak derivation.
People: European. Another strange feature of Central America is, at least in one area,
a high concentration of those of European descent. That area, Costa Rica. A 2011 census in Costa Rica
classified almost 83% of the population as white, the common designation for people of European,
and in this case, mostly Spanish descent. There is a catch however, Costa Rica does not differentiate
officially between those of Spanish descent and those of Spanish and Native descent, or Mestizos.
Thus, the high percent is a mixture of both. Additionally, the country of Costa Rica has
been a draw for European and U.S. retirees due to the cost of living and the natural
beauty. Thus, continuing to drive the white designated population up in this country.
People: Mestizo and more. Overall, almost 83% of Central America's roughly 47 million people
identify as Mestizo. However, as we've discussed in many other lessons, large numbers of diverse
peoples from Asia, the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean have come to call Latin America,
and specifically Central America, home. This melting pot lends itself to spectacular
and unique cultural traits. So, let's take a look at some of those right now.
Central America Culture: Religious festivals. The people of Central America overwhelmingly identify
as Roman Catholic, with Protestant Christianity being identified as a strong minority.
As a result, Fiesta Patronal, or Patron Saint Festivals, are very common throughout the region.
Most cities and towns will choose, or through spiritual events have chosen for them,
a particular patron saint and will have a celebration specific to their town or
region. In Honduras, the celebration for the Patron Saint Virgin of Suyapa
includes thousands traveling to the capital city of Tegucigalpa and participating in the Alborada,
or Dawn Chorus, and then celebrating with music, food, and fireworks. In Guatemala, Semana Santa,
or Holy Week around Easter, is not only filled with festivals but also highly decorated intricate
carpets which are created from sawdust, flowers, and other materials, and laid out in the streets.
These are called alfombras. This tradition is syncretized, or overlapping with another
tradition, as the alfombras, while laid out for the celebration of Catholic Saints today,
began as an honor for Maya Kings as they walked through the streets of the old empire.
Carnival. Brought by Portuguese colonizers and celebrated throughout Latin America and Europe,
Carnival is a week-long celebration and time of indulgence; which comes just before the Catholic
Holy Month of Lent, a time when people take vows to give up the excesses of life.
As people know they're about to give something up for Lent,
the week before they indulge heartily with food, drink, music, and the culmination of
large colorful parades which travel through major cities up and down Central America.
Central American sport: football. As with much of the rest of Latin America,
Central America's go-to sport is soccer, or football. Every nation has a team and some have
been incredibly competitive on a global level. For example, in spite of heavy criticism from experts
and commentators on Guatemala as a developing nation which could not produce a quality team,
Guatemala took 6th place, ahead of both Spain and Brazil in the 1964 Mexico City Olympics.
At the 1998 Gold Cup, another Guatemalan Squad tied Brazil, the reigning world champion, 0-0.
And did you know that during the 2001 America Cup, a Honduran squad beat Brazil 2-1;
and that Costa Rica made the semi-finals for the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Not too shabby at all. An indicative of each country's love of this pastime.
Cultural influence: the Maya. While some of the most popular ruins of the Maya Empire are
seen in Mexico, the actual empire was centered in Guatemala and much of the region is still
influenced by Maya culture today. In an earlier part of the lesson, we discussed that languages
related to Maya are officially recognized in Guatemala and that the influence of traditions
for Maya Kings has been passed into Roman Catholic Festivals. The modern country of El Salvador was
a key cocoa-producing region for the Maya. And today, this influence can still be felt if you
order chocolate caliente (the Spanish derivation of the Maya royal chocolate drink) on the streets
of Apaneca. Maize, the corn endemic, or native, to North and South America was probably first
cultivated in Central American highlands. And it was this cultivation which allowed ancient empires
to rise. Maize is still the key subsistence crop throughout Central America, even today!
Additionally, much of the traditional pottery work, colorful mosaic painting,
and many of the objects found along Central American streets are in the style of,
and in many cases produced by, the ancestors of the Maya and other tribes. In Central America,
picking up a pot could literally send you back in time as its influence stretches back to a time
of Native Empires, conquests, and civilization long before any European even knew it existed.
Conclusion. Not simply a stopover between North and South America,
and not just a place for ecotourism or export products, Central America represents a unique
blending of peoples who, in many different ways and for many different reasons,
came to this region and created a fantastically complex culture
all their own. Even with this small taste, the complexity of this region gives it a
rightly deserved place on any geographer's bucket list. Until next time, keep exploring!
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