What Would You Like To Learn?Click on the elements of culture below to read, listen, and watch
lessons related to Venezuelan culture.
HISTORYFood
Folk Tales
DANCE
Arts/crafts
Music
Language
Venezulea, South America
• Venezuela, officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America. Venezuela's territory covers around 916,445 square kilometres with an estimated population of approximately 29,100,000. Wikipedia
• Capital: Caracas• President: Nicolás Maduro• Currency: Venezuelan bolívar• Government: Presidential system,
Federal republic, Federation, Socialist state, Constitutional republic, Republic
• Official language: Spanish Language
Click the picture for a timeline and
more history facts!
Click the flag for a documentary about Venezuela!
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela
Map Venezuela & of south america
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Language
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Hola!
Click the word “Hola” for an instructional video on Spanish Greetings!
Art • Venezuelan art was mostly
religious.• Began emphasizing historical /
heroic representation in the 19th Century.– Heavily influenced by European
Art, some Venezuelan artists studied in France. *source*
• Modernism took over in the 20th Century.
• One of the most noted artists was: Armando Reveron (1889-1954).– Click his image to learn more!
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Art
• Red Devils of Yare: The red dancing devils of Yare begin their traditional battle against the forces of righteousness on Corpus Christi Day, and it is one of the most unique and colorful ceremonies of the Christian World. The outcome of the battle is also traditional, virtue will triumph but not until after a full day of strenuous opposition on the part of Satan’s henchmen. *source*
• It incorporates elements from Venezuela’s African-descendent past, and the maracas used by the devils have an indigenous origin.
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Click the images for the original sources.
Making ARt
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Corpus Christi is usually celebrated exclusively by the "Dancing Devils" in
mid-June, but this year the celebration date fell on June 24 — the
same day that revelers pay their respects to John the Baptist, a patron
saint to many people living on Venezuela's Caribbean coast.
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Breakfast in Venezuela
• Breakfast in Venezuela is a small meal that usually consists of a small pastry or toast served with coffee or fresh juice. A typical breakfast option is the famous Cachitos de Jamon (ham crescent roll) which is mainly made up of corn flour, eggs, ham and butter. Venezuela is one of the leading producers of cacao beans, so you might also consider enjoying a few delicious pieces of Venezuelan chocolate with your coffee at breakfast time.
Lunch in Venezuela
• The largest meal in Venezuela is lunch, which is also when most restaurants offer nice specials on traditional Venezuelan dishes, and cuisine from all over the world including Italy, France, Spain, the Caribbean, and foods from many other countries. Almost all restaurants offer a set meal with several courses for a reasonable price, which is often called menu ejecutivo or menu cubietro.
Dinner in Venezuela
• Like breakfast, dinner in Venezuela can be a lighter meal that might consist of smaller portions of many of the popular Venezuelan foods.http://www.republica-de-venezuela.com/restaurants/best-foods-to-eat-in-venezuela.php
Food
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Click the image to learn about a Venezuelan resturant!
Instruments – Bandola
• Related to the bandurria and mandolin.• Bandola llanera: traditionally with only
seven frets and four nylon or gut strings.• Bandola andina colombiana: this
instrument has six courses of strings in several different arrangements. It may have 12 strings in doubled courses, 14 strings with the first two courses tripled and the rest doubled, 16 strings with the first four courses tripled and the last two doubled, or 18 strings in triple courses.
Click the image for a video.
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Instruments – Friction Drum
• A friction drum is a percussion instrument consisting of a single membrane stretched over a sound box, whose sound is produced by the player causing the membrane to vibrate by friction.
• The furruco is used in Zulian traditional music such as parranda and gaita. NEXT
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Click the image for a video.
Instruments - Cuatro
• The cuatro of Venezuela has four single nylon strings, tuned (ad'f#'b).
• It is similar in shape and tuning to the ukulele, but their character and playing technique are vastly different.
• The cuatro is particularly designed for strumming: the fingerboard finishes flush with the top of the instrument, and the upper half of the sound board is often completely covered by a scratch plate made from hardwood.
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Click the image for a video.
Instruments - Maracas
• Maracas, sometimes called rumba shakers, are a native instrument of Latin America.
• The leather maracas were introduced in 1955 by Venezuelan percussionist Pan con Queso.
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Click the image for a video.
singingMaría Moñitos me convidóA comer plátanos con arroz,Como no quise su mazacoteMaría Moñitos se disgustó.
Ahí va la lora, ahí va con su lorito atrás
si la lora se me muere ¡ay! ¿quién me la llorará?
María Moñitos invited meTo eat bananas with rice,
Since I didn't want her lumpy mixture,
María Moñitos got upset.
Here comes the parrot, here she comes
with her baby-parrot behind herIf my parrot dies
Oh! Who will mourn her?
Click here to hear the song first!
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DANCE“Joropo”
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Click the image for a video.
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• National Dance– 36 Steps – Meant for couples– Resembles Waltz
• Originanted in Spain– Brought over in 19th Century– In Spain, Joropo meant “a party,” now refers to
this popular dance & music. – The dance has African and European influences.
• Begins with partners dancing close using small steps.
• Next, dancers face each other and make small steps forward & backward as though sweeping the floor.
• Finally, dancers hold each other’s arms, the woman does sweeping steps while the man stomps his feet along with the rhythm.
FOLKTALES
“The Clever Fox”
Click HERE for Mrs. Merk telling the story!
Click HERE to read along on page 133!!!
What lesson is learned from this tale?
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FOLKTALES
“The Horse of Seven Colors”
Click HERE for the story!
Click HERE to read along on page 130!!!
What lesson is learned from this tale?
Does this story have anything in common with the “Clever Fox”
story? If so, what? BACK
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