Check out this video of Alex Acuña rocking out on Peru’s national instrument, the cajón! The cajón started out as a makeshift instrument invented by African slaves, but it has evolved into a mainstay of all kinds of Peruvian and world music.
Cultural Tidbit: Afro-Peruvian Culture
What you may not know before arriving to study Spanish in Peru is that there is a large Afro-Peruvian population in the country. Many people do not realize that imported Africans and their descendants had such a strong impact on the evolution of the country’s culture. Today, people of African descent make up approximately 10-15 […]
Cultural Tidbit: Lunfardo
Often called the language of tango, Lunfardo is actually not a language or a dialect, but rather a slang vocabulary particular to the streets of Buenos Aires. Lunfardo developed among the same people who created tango, and it too is a fusion of Spanish, African, and European influences. According to expert José Gobello, Lunfardo is […]
Cultural Tidbit: Peru’s Street Children
Although Peru is an amazing country with many things to recommend it, it is also plagued by poverty. Lima, Cusco, and other cities are home to thousands of street children, who have nowhere else to go. Many of these children were abandoned because their parents could no longer afford to feed them, while others ran […]
Cultural Tidbit: Peru's Street Children
Although Peru is an amazing country with many things to recommend it, it is also plagued by poverty. Lima, Cusco, and other cities are home to thousands of street children, who have nowhere else to go. Many of these children were abandoned because their parents could no longer afford to feed them, while others ran […]
Cultural Tidbit: Porteño Part 2–Characteristics
So what are the prominent differences between the porteño dialect and traditional Spanish? One main contrast is that the word “vos” is used for informal second person singular – not “tú.” Porteño speakers also use a different inflection when pronouncing the tú verb forms. Instead of saying “tú hablas”, they say “vos hablás”, borrowing the […]
Cultural Tidbit: Porteño Part 1–Origins
Wherever you learn Spanish, you will find that the locals speak with their own particular accent and local vocabulary. If you learn Spanish in Argentina–especially Buenos Aires–you will hear plenty of people speaking porteño, which is the local Spanish dialect. This dialect came about due to the influence of Italian and other European immigrants. The […]
Cultural Tidbit: Gauchos Part 2
Gauchos increasingly got more respect due to the fact that they made noble strides in Argentina’s military in the early 1800s. They were passionate about keeping Argentina free from Spanish rule, mainly because they wanted to defend their own lifestyle. Due to the gauchos’ dedication to fighting on behalf of Argentina, gradually they began to […]
Cultural Tidbit: Gauchos Part 1
When you study Spanish in Argentina, you may have the opportunity to visit an estancia, or ranch. On these ranches, you can find where gauchos live and work. The word gaucho means “cowboy” and actually comes from a Quecha word “huachu” meaning vagabond and/or orphan. Traditionally, these men raised cattle in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. […]
Cultural Tidbit: Iguazu Falls
Nature and technology collide at Iguazu Falls, one of the most popular tourist destinations in South America. The falls are located on the Iguazu River, which forms the border between Brazil and Argentina. On a visit to the falls, you can observe both wild, crashing, cataracts of water and a modern engineering marvel–the Itaipu hydroelectric […]
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