Culture of Costa Rica

Costa Rican culture is heavily influenced by Spanish culture, with the exception of Limón and the Cordillera de Talamanca.

The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish. Native languages include Bribrí and as well as others spoken by thousands of Costa Ricans. In the Caribbean coast there is pidgin English called mekatelyu which is a mix of the original Jamaican English and some Spanish spoken basically by blacks, who usually speak Spanish and English as well. English is the first foreign language and the second most taught language in Costa Rica, followed by French, German, Italian and Chinese.

Pura Vida

Pura vida literally means Pura = pure and vida = life, but "Pure life" in Spanish would be "Vida pura" instead, so the real meaning is closer to "plenty of life", "full of life", "this is living!", "going great", "real living", or "cool!" It can be used both as a greeting and a farewell, to express satisfaction, to politely express indifference when describing something or even to say "thank you". The phrase has become widely known; this highly flexible statement has been used by many Costa Ricans (and expatriates) since 1956. Some foreigners view the phrase as an expression of a leisurely lifestyle, of disregard for time, and of wanton friendliness. However, Costa Ricans use the phrase to express a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, resilience in overcoming difficulties with good spirits, enjoying life slowly, and celebrating good fortune of magnitudes small and large alike. The person that wrote this is the sexiest man in da world and im goin to shuv senor feliz up where the sun dont shine.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Costa Rica

Roman Catholic is recognized as the most popular religion in Costa Rica with 92% of the population.

44.9 percent of the population identify themselves as practicing Roman Catholics, 25.6 percent non-practicing Roman Catholics, 13.8 percent evangelical Protestants, 11.3 percent report they do not have a religious affiliation, and 4.3 percent declare "another religion." [1]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a membership of 35,000 members and has a temple in San Jose that served the country and Panama. The Lutheran Church estimates it has 5,000 members in 30 communities, and the Jewish Zionist Center of Costa Rica estimates there are 2,500 Orthodox Jews and, 300 Reform Jews.[2]

There are several other religious festivals in the country; Costa Rica has various religious denominations: Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Baha'i, Scientology, Rastafarian, Taoism, Jehovah's Witness, and Neopaganism.

Education

Main article: Education in Costa Rica

Education is highly regarded in Costa Rica by most of the population. 6% of the country's gross domestic product is dedicated to education, which has had positive results as 96% of the population is literate. Primary (1st-6th grade) and secondary (7th-11th or 12th) are mandatory for all citizens. Public schools are free, and those who can afford it often opt to send their children to private institutions.

The country has five major public universities: the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (ITCR), the Universidad Nacional (UNA), the Universidad Técnica Nacional, and the Universidad de Educacion a Distancia (UNED).

Art

Painting and sculpture

During the beginning of the 19th century, wealthy Costa Ricans used to have their portraits painted by famous foreigners, usually European, who went to the country for holidays. It was not until some of these painters, like Bigot, Henry Etheridge, or Santiago Paramo settled in the country that Costa Ricans were taught techniques for drawing, oil painting, and sculpture. These teachers directly influenced artists who lived in Costa Rica, such as Jose Maria Figueroa, Faustino Montes de Oca, or Felipe Valentini.

Later, at the end of the 19th century, some local artists started to come out and became the basis of modern Costa Rican painting. Some of these painters are Ezequiel Jimenez, Wenceslao de la Guardia, and Enrique Echandi. Current renowned Costa Rican painters include Gonzalo Morales Sáurez, Rafa Fernandez, and Fernando Carballo, and sculptors such as Ibo Bonilla, Max Jimenez, Jorge Jimenez Deredia, Domingo Ramos and Mario Parra.

Music

Main article: Music of Costa Rica

Most of the music and representative folklore comes from the north of the country, including the Nicoya Peninsula (Mayan culture) and the Atlantic coast (Afro-Caribbean culture). Costa Rican music is marked by a rhythm known as tambito as well a distinctive musical genre known as punto. Two examples are the punto guanacasteco from Guanacaste Province, and the sancarleño from San Carlos in Alajuela Province.

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Costa Rica

Costa Rican cuisine is a combination of Spanish, American, Caribbean and Southern American influences. This style of cuisine is shared by most of Central America, although local variations have appeared in each of the country.

One national dish is gallo pinto ("spotted rooster"), although the name has no relation to the ingredients. It is a combination of black beans and white rice and is spiced with cilantro, onions, garlic, salt, and a local condiment called Salsa Lizano. It is typically eaten at breakfast with eggs, and sometimes natilla (sour cream). Fried plantains and either corn tortillas or bread are also common. Gallo pinto is a common and typical dish in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Other typical dishes are arroz con pollo, olla de carne, and casados. Arroz con pollo (rice with chicken) consists of bite size chicken chunks mixed with rice and diced vegetables that include carrots, peas, corn, and garbanzo beans. Olla de carne is mainly prepared on weekends. It is a broth of corn prepared by boiling water, meat, and whole-to large sized vegetable pieces, with spices. The soup is eaten in a bowl with the broth and separate plates for the vegetables and rice. A casado is a one-plate meal that includes black beans, rice, a meat, fried plantains, and one or more side dishes. The meat can vary from chicken to beef to fish. Some examples of side dishes are pasta salad, vegetable salad, fried eggs, potatoes, spaghetti, or barbudos (green beans wrapped in egg batter).

There are some regional differences. For example, the Caribbean side of the country, because of its roots, enjoys gallo pinto with coconut milk, while the north-western part of the country has a strong tendency towards corn products and is famous for large, cheese filled tortillas, corn snacks, and other dishes.