Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [21]
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RELIGION
Colombia is a Catholic nation, although few people these days regularly attend mass. Before 1991 the Constitution only recognized the Catholic Church; marriages conducted by non-Catholic ministers, for example, were not considered valid under the law. The 1991 Constitution acknowledges all other faiths, although non-Catholics remain a small minority.
On San Andrés and Providencia, which were originally settled by the English, a majority of the islanders remain Protestant.
As in other Latin American countries, Colombia has Mormons and evangelical Christian missionaries, but their overtures fall largely on deaf ears.
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WOMEN IN COLOMBIA
If you asked a Colombian what the most important thing in life was, most would answer ‘family.’ For those travelers accustomed to the radical individualism of much of the developed world, it can be difficult to fully grasp what this means for Colombians, and for women specifically.
Women are the heart of a Colombian household. Machismo may be alive and well outside the home, where men are unquestionably in charge, but inside the Colombian home, women rule the roost. Some might argue this is a healthy balance between male and female power, with clearly delineated roles within the everyday environment, somehow equal in its own way. Feminists will doubtless argue it limits opportunities for economic advancement for women. Both are right.
In the countryside, women generally do not attend university, and tend to marry young; in the city, middle- and upper-class women make up a high percentage of university students, although many ultimately choose not to pursue careers in order to start a family.
Women make up a significant number of the country’s high-ranking politicians and diplomats, including cabinet ministers and ambassadors. In fact, a quota law passed in 2000 requires that at least 30% of appointed positions in the executive branch be filled by females. There is certainly a cultural shift underway – even if mostly a legislated one.
Women, single or married, prefer the title señora, not señorita.
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Bogotá is Colombia’s cultural capital. For a taste of what’s on, check out www.culturarecreacionydeporte.gov.co.
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ARTS
Colombian culture expresses itself most truly in its music, its dance (as danced in nightclubs and bars) and in the ever popular telenovelas (soap operas) that rule the airwaves.
The arts in Colombia – in terms of literature, painting, sculpture and theater – are a fringe interest. Still, artsy travelers interested in discovering what their Colombian brethren are up to may find a few things of interest. Bogotá is the artistic capital of Colombia.
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Music
Colombia is famous for its music. We don’t mean Shakira (who, despite being a Colombian, isn’t particularly popular in her own country), or the multiple Grammy-winner singer Juanes (who is). Vallenato and cumbia both were born on Colombia’s fertile soil, and the country has borrowed the Caribbean’s salsa and made it its own. Merengue and reggaetón are popular as well.
Vallenato, born a century ago on the Caribbean coast, is based on the German accordion. Carlos Vives, one of the best-known modern Latin musical artists, transformed vallenato into a vibrant pop beat and spread it across the country.
Cumbia, a lively 4/4 style with guitars, accordion, bass, drums and the occasional horn, is the most popular of the Colombian musical styles overseas and has had the most influence on international music, from Mexico to Argentina and New York.
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THE RHYTHM OF COLOMBIA
Here are 10 songs to get you into Colombia’s groove.
‘Bonita,’ Cabas
‘Cuatro Rosas,’ Jorge Seledon
‘El Carpintero del Amor,’ Andrés Cepeda
‘Hijo de Tuta,’ Lisandro Meza
‘La Camisa Negra,’ Juanes
‘La Canoa Ranchá,’ Grupo Niche
‘La Vamo a Tumbar,’ Grupo Saboneo
‘Somos Pacifico,’ Choquibtown
‘Te Mando Flores,’ Fonseca
‘Vivo en Limbo,