Unit 4: Culture Flashcards
Semana Santa in Spain
Description: Religious holiday celebrated a week before Easter Sunday. They have religious celebrations in the streets: They have religious, intricately decorated parade floats with flowers and candles, there’s also alfombras (carpets) of flowers and altars.
Cultural significance: It commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians remeber the events that form the base of their religion. It is much more religiously significant in hispanic countries rather than here in the US.
Cinco de Mayo
Description: Celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. It’s observed primarily in the United States.
Cultural significance: It’s a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage.
La tomatina
Description: A food fight festial held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Buñol. “World’s biggest food fight”.
Cultural significance: A strong tradition in Buñol since 1944/1945. No one knows exactly how it started. It’s a fun event in honor of the town’s patron saints, Luis Bertran and the Mare Deu dels Desemparats.
El Día de las Ñatitas
Description: Annual festival on November 8 where decorated ñatitas are decorated and paraded to the cemetery. Some have sunglasses and cigarettes while others are colorful and have flowers and hats.
Cultural significance: Combines Catholicism with precolonial Inca beliefs to give gratitude to the spirits occupying the ñatitas. The skulls are thought to bestow blessings on those who care for them.
Christmas in Cataluña
Caga Tío - “Poo log” and Caganer - “The Pooping Man”. Figurines in Nativity scenes in Catalonia. They are hidden among the traditional characters of the manger scene, the game is to find it.
Cultural significance:The Caganer is a sign of good luck. It’s poop represents the fertilization of the lands for providing a good harvest.
