Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [24]
ENDANGERED CULTURES
The Europeans that made the long journey across the Atlantic did not come to admire the native culture. Spanish conquistadors valued the indigenous populations as an economic resource: they ruthlessly leveled the tribal society, plundered its meager wealth and hunted down and enslaved the survivors. Catholic missionaries followed closely behind, charged with eradicating heathen beliefs and instilling a more civilized lifestyle. As a result, native culture in Costa Rica came close to extinction.
The remnants of a traditional native lifestyle survived at the outer margins, kept alive by isolated families beyond the reach of law and popular culture. The indigenous groups were not even encouraged to assimilate, but instead were actively excluded from Spanish-dominated society. Well into the 20th century, they were forbidden from entering populated regions and were denied fundamental political and legal rights. Indigenous peoples were not granted citizenship until the 1949 constitution, though in practice their status did not change much as a result.
In 1977 the government created the reservation system, which allowed indigenous groups to organize themselves into self-governing communities. The government, however, retained title to the land. With this change, it was now permitted to engage in traditional languages and customs. Ironically, this more tolerant government policy also meant access to public education and job opportunities, which accelerated native language loss and Tico acculturation.
Presently, there are 22 reservations in Costa Rica but indigenous cultures remain highly endangered. The language of the once robust Central Valley Huetar is already extinct. In Guanacaste, the cultural inheritance of the Chorotega tribe, descendants of the rich Mesoamerican tradition, is now all but depleted. Many of the Bribrí and Cabécar who remained in the Caribbean lowlands tended to shed their native ways after finding employment on the banana plantations. The only exception is in remote pockets of the south, where some Guaymí still speak the native tongue, wear traditional garments, and hunt and gather to subsist (see boxed text).
The Brunka, also called Boruca, are what remains of three great chiefdoms that once inhabited the Península de Osa and much of the south; now they are restricted to a reservation in the valley of the Río Grande de Térraba. While their annual Fiesta de los Diablitos attracts much outside attention, their language is nearly extinct and their land is threatened by a proposal for a huge hydroelectric project (Click here).
Libel and slander laws put the burden of proof on reporters and they are frequently required to reveal their sources in court. In July 2004, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights struck down a defamation decision against Mauricio Herrera Ulloa of La Nación. The Costa Rican government has promised to abide by the ruling, which called for a revision of the criminal libel laws, though progress has been slow.
Return to beginning of chapter
RELIGION
More than 75% of Ticos are Catholic (at least in principle). And while many show a healthy reverence for the Virgin Mary, they rarely profess blind faith to the dictates coming from Rome – apparently ‘pure life’ doesn’t require being excessively penitent. Most people tend to go to church for the sacraments (baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage and death) and the holidays.
Religious processions on holy days are generally less fervent and colorful than those in Latin American countries such as Guatemala or Peru, though the procession for the patron virgin, La Virgen de los Ángeles, held annually on August 2, does draw penitents who walk from all over Central America to Cartago to show devotion. Semana Santa (the week before Easter) is a national holiday: everything (even buses) stops operating at lunchtime on Maundy Thursday and doesn’t start up again until the afternoon of Holy Saturday.
Roughly 14% of Costa Ricans are evangelical Christians; increased interest in evangelical religions is