Saturday, April 6, 2013

Chilean Culture


Chile's traditional food is greatly influenced by Spain and other European countries. Many dishes contain seafood since Chile is a costal country. One of the most unique meals to the country is Piure, which has red sea squirts, onion and lemon.


The main language of Chile is Spanish. In addition, there have been other languages used such as German. Out of all the languages, 10 are still used and one is not. The language that is most used has changed over time. The main language is Spanish because of the influences Spain has had on their country in the past.



Traditional Chilean clothing includes the Chamanto, which is similar to a reversable poncho. This is often worn with a Chupalla, a horseman hat made of straw. It is worn mostly in rural areas, but is used in traditional dances and rodeos. This type of clothing has Spanish and African influences.


Chile's main religion is Roman Catholic, making up 70% of the population. The majority religious groups are Evangelicals and Prodestants (15.1%), Jehovahs Witnesses (1%), Church of Christ of Latter-day Saints (0.9%), and Jews (.1%). Recently there has been a rise in atheism and agnosticism (9%). The religious distribution was mainly influenced by Spain.


Chilean art has been highly influenced by European culture. Landscapes and battles are commonly depicted throught paintings. In the 1900s, artists began to use expressionism and connect themselves to their art. In modern Chile, abstract and pop art are popular.
Automate (1954) reflects Matta's interest in the sciences and pre-Columbian figures.

Chilean music is as diverse as the country itself. Folk music has a legacy in Chile, as it was extremely popular at one point and it has recently started to make a comeback. Both the Cueca and the Tonada are identifying musical styles of Chile. The most modern Chilean music is contemporary pop with a folk background to it. It was influenced by the original Spanish colonists.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

How Did Chile's Geography Influence the Country


Chile is located on the Western coast of South America.

  • Atacama Desert is located in the Northern part of Chile.
  • Chile is located on the Nazca plate, making it prone to earthquakes.
  • Easter Island is off the coast of Chile.
  • Eastern Chile is bordered by the Andes Mountain Range.
The physical features of Chile influence several parts of their culture. Firstly, because they are mostly isolated from other South American countries, they developed a homogeneous culture. Also, because Chile is so long and narrow, each reigion of the country has a different climate. This makes the Chilean government unique because there are 12 districts within the country, and the capitol, Santiago, is in the center.

The Spanish Invasions (1535-1818)

The indigenous Araucanians that occupied Chile successfully held of the first Spanish invasion in 1535. Then in 1541, Pedro de Valdivia of Spain invaded Chile and established Santiago.

(Pedro de Valdivia)

In 1553, he was captured and killed by the Araucanians.
Chile claimed its independence from Spain after Napoleon overthrew the king of Spain in 1810.

(Napoleon)

Spain regained control of Chile in 1814.
 In 1818, Chile became independent with Bernardo O'Higgins as their leader.

(Bernardo O'Higgins)