Traditions are those qualities, ceremonies and beliefs that we have held and have endured over the years as a people. From the time when all of the Americas was inhabited by Native people to the time in which invaders came across the waters to conquer these lands, over the years of slavery and oppression and domination that to this day persists, our traditions have been forged into a glue as it were that hold families and communities together. It is these traditions that are sometimes shared by all the Hispanic Culture and some that are unique to a certain region or people. Over the years, traditions steeped deeply in Native beliefs and culture, which by design in the Americas was accepting of other culture's beliefs, has blended with those of whom came to the Americas as travelers to find a home. Much of the blending came from marrying between the different people, but sadly enough the majority of blending comes from harsher and crueler means.
Over the many years that has passed since the first stranger with designs on taking this land as their own, there has ever been a drive to not only conquer the land but to also conquer the people who lived here. At one time this land was inhabited by many many strong, proud and individual nations. Each one had beliefs and shared the land as it was the belief of all Natives in the Americas that this land was not ours to own but to care for and share with all life forms that inhabited it with us. There was a belief that all living beings were united and intricately related to each other. From these traditional teaching, the native people of the Americas were open and accepting of the new comers and their traditions and beliefs. Not to make them their own but to understand and listen, respect and accept the traditions and beliefs of those whom they met in their path of life.
From these beliefs one begins to understand how the environment for the blending of the cultures and traditions began. The new comers to the Americas set about to exterminate the natives who had lived in the land and shared, traded and intermarried. Many of the stories reported about how the natives interacted were mistaken and false and in some cases outright lies to persuade and motivate the thinking of newcomers so as to facilitate the desires and designs of the foreign governments that were set about to rape the resources of the new world for their own profit and gain. Though there was a strong desire from the new comers to escape the oppression that was in fact robbing them of there traditions and culture, when they came to the new world, many times poor and destitute, they began a campaign that was more merciless than ever they had experienced themselves at the hands of their oppressors.
The natives who inhabited the land from the islands through out what is now known as South, central and north America were opened and friendly to the new comers, and based on legend and lore were sometimes confused into believing that these new comers might even, in one well known instance, be a returning King. The people from Europe who came to this new land brought with them ideas and traditions that were foreign to these native people of the Americas. Once the atrocities began in some cases the damage was irreparable and no opportunity was available to make a stand, as was the case on the islands. History as written by the Europeans states that all of the male Indians living on the island were exterminated and that the last of one of those from the island was taken to France as a gift for the Queen. It is also recorded and believed by some that that native without his people and so far from the traditions and land that he knew, he soon died from a broken heart. Weather this is true or not, the fact remains that the manner in which they were handled demonstrates a great difference in the way in which the same received them upon their arrival.
The females were much admired by the European men as they were open, warm and uninhibited in their ways. Few were the new comers who took a native woman to be his wife upon coming to the new world but many were the new comers who did take them to be their concubines.In breeding with natives was rampant and the oppression of the church from Europe descended upon the natives and began to change the ways that they had lived previously. A free people were enslaved and treated as cattle. A new religion and belief was forced upon them along with new traditions and ways. New illnesses were introduced to further weaken the race as the natural immunity was unable to fight these new diseases and old herbal remedies were not know to cure themselves. African slaves were brought to the continents and were introduced into the life of the native whom had previously never known of African people, traditions or ways.
As each of these factors came to bare, the Hispanic Culture in the Americas was written not only from the Culture imported by the Spaniards, but combined with that of the Natives and the African also. So it is, if you were looking upon a house that in the Americas you would say that the foundation of the Hispanic Culture is built upon the traditions of the Native people who were and are still to this day struggling for their rights and freedoms all over the Americas. The walls would be be those of the Spaniard Traditions that seem to be what holds all of the Hispanic Cultures together as Latin America not only to those who live outside our world but also to those of us who live within the Culture itself. Many are the times when immigrants from different Hispanic Cultures see a little picture of home amongst other Hispanics they chance to meet and do not feel so alone or far from home. In this since it wraps it's arms around you with a comforting and protecting embrace from those who do not understand your culture allowing a momentary respite. Within the walls exists traces of African roots to varying degrees depending on the region in which a certain Hispanic Culture has developed. The easiest way to learn more of the traditions aside from the brief outline is to look into the culture as if you were treasure hunting.
The places in which you can see the influences are in the food, music, religions, holidays, dress, language, art, physical features, drinks, games, history, stories. The list of places as far as traditions goes and discovering them is indeed long and not able to be summed up in one article. It is a worthwhile endeavor if you truly enjoy and appreciate learning of other traditions and cultures of Hispanic Americans.
The reason why it is important to learn and give respect for the traditions of each individual Hispanic American race, or at least those of interest is, that it will tell you a story of a people. It will give you an insight into what that person's belief might be or what their family history, traditions and holidays might be. What style of cuisine they might be accustom to as well as what style of music they enjoy. I have always advised those who are embarking on a trip abroad to learn what they can about the people who live there so when they go it will be easier to see what is there as opposed to seeing the traditions. I would think it would be the same if you are attempting to befriend someone from a Hispanic Cultural background or planning on working with Hispanic in some capacity. How much nicer it would be if you would give them the gift of seeing them as a person as opposed to seeing their traditions and culture.
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Lamentations of the Caves By Rebecca Cuevas De Caissie
