33 Latin America Culture Facts You Will Love!

There is a lasting debate that American culture is influenced by Latin American cultures.

Although the merit of the case cannot be completely negated, it must also be understood that the fact that American culture is getting influenced in terms of food, beauty, and fashion is not an entirely bad thing. Latin America, like all places which have had the shackles of colonization, has gone through many changes.

The cultural diversity and unity of the land come from the fact that so many people come from mixed descents. Even though the original settlers of the land had faiths and beliefs of their own, their systems got either erased or changed by the Spanish conquerors, or Conquistadors.

It is therefore after years of struggles that Latin America has now made its own mark and established a system wherein all cultural identities are welcome. Keep reading to know more!

Ethnic Groups: Latin America Culture

There are at least seven ethnic groups in Latin America and so it is not only technically home to the world's highest peak but also to people of many ethnic backgrounds!

Language: Latin America Culture

Latin America's culture is an amalgamation of the traditions of the indigenous who had been living in the continent long before European civilization and the influences of the colonizers.

Latin American countries are usually very diverse and identify as a happy group of people simply because of how proud they are of their culture.

Many people believe that their ancestors were a mixture of indigenous, European, and African people.

The Africans that were brought to Central America, the Caribbeans, and South America brought their own religious faiths and cultures, which mixed together to find the most urbanized outlook in the society.

Latin American culture largely revolves around family values, which is clearly visible through the fact that even though it is an urbanized continent, the people find their ways of honoring their indigenous cultures and their families.

Latin Americans often live in large families and enjoy a life that is filled with more people to share their joy with.

The general conception is that Latin Americans are very happy and jolly people and it is true.

They believe in sharing their happiness and anything they like. The Latin American culture asks for people to share the music that they love with other people.

While you might be scared of having a loud party late at night in the United States of America, it should be no problem in Latin America.

People will in fact appreciate the fact that you are having fun and also making some efforts towards sharing your joy with everyone. If you happen to take a trip to any of the Latin American countries, better be ready to listen to some very pleasant but loud music on public transports.

While Peruvian music is very famous, it cannot be denied that even the instruments and folk music of the indigenous peoples of Latin America have been reaching masses all over the world as more and more artists like Shakira incorporate the cultural pride of Latin America into their music.

People with Latin roots also have a knack for dancing. These Spanish-speaking countries gave birth to many dance styles such as rumba, salsa, tango, mambo, and cha-cha-cha.

Latin American culture, therefore, is not only centered around sharing the little joys of life but also around remembering and respecting the ancestors.

The United Mexican States even enjoys a national holiday, the name of which translates to 'Day of the Dead.' On this day, people remember their ancestors, offer flowers in their name and also enjoy making and having their favorite foods.

One of the important cultural elements of Latin American countries is that they greet each other rather pleasantly.

Exchanging hugs and kisses when meeting someone is completely normal for them. If you happen to be in Mexico City and wonder why someone you don't know seemed very sweet and said hi to you, the probable reason is that the people there are impeccably polite.

It is impolite to live in or visit any Latin American nations and not at least greet the people you randomly meet or come across with a sweet hi or hello.

Food also forms a large part of the culture of any place and while every Latin American country has its own cuisine, the entire expanse of Latin America is known for the greatest food, which is based mainly around meat, beans, and corn.

European colonization has also had a huge role to play towards the kind of food that is prevalent in the country, but most of the food-related traditions come from the indigenous communities.

The food in Latin America is also largely inspired by the local produce.

People in Latin America are also great admirers and supporters of football. You must have heard of Brazil's team in the FIFA World Cup. This team has won no less than five world cups since it began!

Religion: Latin America Culture

Religious beliefs form a very important part of the culture of a place and Latin America is no exception.

The colonizers did not just bring the Spanish and Portuguese languages to the land but also brought Catholicism with them. The people of North America, South America, Central America, and the Caribbeans, however, later found their way of finding an intermediate between the religion of the Spanish conquerors and their own faith.

Many traditions in Latin American countries surround the religious faith of the people. For example, there are various towns in Latin America that have a special day for honoring a local saint.

Traditions: Latin America Culture

Spanish is the official language of Latin America, but there is some difference between the speaking of the language in Spain and in Latin America. At the same time, the Spanish spoken in different parts of the continent is also largely different.

This is dependent on the accent and tonal quality of the original settlers of the land and how they managed to incorporate a new language into it.

Consumption of wine and other alcoholic beverages is also common in places such as Peru, Mexico, and Southern Chile. The wine production in Latin America is great, which gives rise to large-scale consumption of alcohol with meat-based food.

Rio de Janeiro Carnival is one of the greatest spectacles on Earth. As millions of people pour into the streets to watch the procession, artists from every field perform in extremely colorful outfits. The streets are lined with flowers for the artists, as they uphold the art and culture of Brazil and other countries of Latin America.

Did You Know...

Angel Falls, located in Venezuela, is one of the world's largest waterfalls.

The U.S. dollar is used in El Salvador and Ecuador.

São Paulo is one of the world's largest cities.

The Atacama desert located in the north of Chile is the world's driest nonpolar one.

Ushuaia, Argentina, is the world's most southerly city.

Romance languages are spoken by the people whose Roman and Latin roots get mixed to form a whole new language.

Colombia produces 70–90% of the world's emeralds.

Costa Rica literally means 'rich coast'.

The National University of Mexico is the oldest in North America.

Located in northwest Mexico, the Barranca del Cobre is larger than even the Grand Canyon!

The Amazon forest is responsible for the production of around 10% of the world's oxygen.

Mexico City sinks by about 10 in (25.4 cm) every single year!

About 80% of the people of Latin America reside in cities, which makes it the most urbanized continent in the world.

The world's largest salt flats,Uyuni, are located in Bolivia.

The term Latinx was coined in order to make sure that people did not have to define their gender identity through the words Latino or Latina.

The Pampas are known for the gaucho culture.

Latin America is one of the influences on the food, fashion, and beauty industries of America.

The diversity of the people greatly influences the politics and security of Latin America.