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Culture of Chile

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Music of Chile

The national dance is the cueca (short for zamacueca) and first appeared in 1824. Another form of traditional Chilean song, though not a dance, is the tonada. Arising from music imported by the Spanish colonists, it is distinguished from the cueca by an intermediate melodic section and a more prominent melody. In the mid-1960s native musical forms were revitalized by the Parra family with the Nueva Cancion Chilena, which became associated with political activism and reformers like Chilean socialist Salvador Allende and his Popular Unity government. Violeta Parra, Victor Jara, Los Jaivas, Inti-Illimani, Illapu and Quilapayun are performers of this music. During the military rule in the 1970s, all forms of public expression contrary to the junta were repressed, and protest songs, which were played and circulated in a clandestine manner. In the late 1980s and after the return of democracy in the 1990s, new musical bands like La Ley, Los Tres and Los Prisioneros, began to appear. (See Music of Chile.)

The music-culture of Chile is very much like that of Brazil's, but is different in its own special way.

Chilean literature

Chileans call their country Pais de Poetas ("land of poets"). The country has produced two Nobel Literature laureates: Gabriela Mistral recognized in 1945 and Pablo Neruda awarded the Nobel in 1971. Other major poets include: Pedro Prado, Vicente Huidobro, Pablo de Rokha, Juvencio Valle, Rosamel del Valle, Gonzalo Rojas, Jorge Teillier, Enrique Lihn, Nicanor Parra, Carlos Pezoa Veliz and in recent years became more important figures as Raul Zurita, Bethany Gabriela Wright-Martinez, Juan Luis Martinez and Sergio Badilla Castillo.

The major novelist and short story writer of the 20th century was probably Manuel Rojas, although not as well known outside of the country. Isabel Allende, another novelist, has achieved worldwide success with her stories of magic realism in Latin America, probably reaching a larger audience than any other Chilean prose writer. Jorge Edwards, Jose Donoso, Miguel Serrano and Roberto Bolano are also notable novelists.

Chilean mythology

The most important mythology is:

Chilota mythology

Mapuche mythology

Rapa Nui mythology

Chilean comics

Condorito

Barrabases

Chilean cuisine

Chilean cuisine combines traditional indigenous cuisines prepared by the populations living in the region of Chile such as the Mapuche and the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. Further European immigration also brought with them various styles and traditions in cooking heavily influencing the cuisine of Chile such as the Italians and Germans. In the 20th century French cuisine marked an important turning point influencing culinary methods and creating a type of Criollo style that has been implemented in Chilean gastronomy. Many Chilean recipes are enhanced and accompanied by wine and Pisco. Throughout Chile each region spanning from north to south contain a variety of culinary recipes special to each location.

Anticuchos *Arrollado de Huaso *Asado *Bistec a lo Pobre *Cazuela *Charquican *Chilenitos *Churrasco *Cola de Mono *Curanto *Empanada *Ensalada a la Chilena *Humita *Manjar Blanco *Marraqueta *Mote con huesillo *Pan de Huevo *Pan de Pascua *Palta Reina *Pastel de Choclo *Pebre *Porotos Granados *Sopaipilla

Film production in Chile

Domestic film production in Chile is small but dynamic, it has been steadily growing since the return of democracy in 1990 and the country now produces about 20 motion pictures annually. Important filmmakers include: Raoul Ruiz (Palomita blanca), Miguel Littin (El chacal de Nahueltoro), Silvio Caiozzi (Julio comienza en julio), Andres Wood (Machuca)

The Politics of Memory

Having lived through the Pinochet years, many Chileans are now trying to interpret the past. Artists, journalists, and academics are involved in rethinking the Pinochet years and, indeed, in forgetting them. Writes one observer: "Memory, in a country like Chile, in a country that has survived its own massacre, is always unpleasant, and certainly, nowadays, unpopular." Marc Cooper, "Twenty Five Years After Allende," The Nation, March 23 1998, pp. 11-23. Another overview of the art scene from 1996 concurs: "Seven years after the end of the Pinochet regime, Chilean artists tend to avoid politics. Most reveal instead either a conceptual bent or an expressionistic response to local experiences." Ann Wilson Lloyd "In recovery - Chilean art - Report from Chile," Art in America, Oct. 1996. [*] In 2004 Chilean art historian and curator Chilean Beatriz Huidobro Hott again described a relatively apolitical landscape for art in Chile Beatriz Huidobro Hott "Chilean Art: Between Reality and Memory," ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, Spring 2004.

Sports in Chile

Football (soccer)

The most popular and widely followed sport in Chile, and practiced by Chileans from all economic backgrounds, it is the one sport that appeals to both young and old that is the most accessible. Federacion de Futbol de Chile is the governing body of "futbol" in Chile. Practices such as "baby futbol" which is a street level scrimage match is played on areas made of concrete. Located throughout Chile are football stadiums such as Estadio Nacional de Chile located in Santiago and where the final of the 1962 World Cup was held.

Skiing

Chile practices a host of sporting events and because of its' geographical location that is situated between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Skiing and snowboarding are done in between those two locations. With more than 4 thousand kilometers (2500 mi) of mountains, Chile is known internationally as one of the world's best skiing destinations and the best of South America. This recognition is based on the excellent quality of the slopes, a top-level infrastructure, a beautiful landscape, accessibility and proximity to urban centers.

The main ski centers are located in Central Chile right in the middle of the Andes, at heights that vary from 2400 meters (7872 ft) up to 3000 meters (9840 ft) above sea level. These centers are the ones with the biggest skiing surfaces as well as the best supporting infrastructure.

The centers of Southern Chile are located at lower altitudes and most of them are on volcano slopes. The scenery is normally spectacular, some passing beautiful forests and some with breathtaking panoramic views.

Surfing

A sport enjoyed by people around the world, and in Chile, as with everywhere, it attracts a huge following. Chile is a great destination for surfing, and from the Northern region to the Central region there are many beaches with the right conditions for the sport. You can surf practically all year round here, save for the middle of the winter (July and August) when weather conditions are non-conducive to surfing. The water temperature fluctuates between 10 and 20C (50 and 68F).

In the North, the waves are smaller, but very forceful and between Arica and Iquique, "tubes" are common. The temperature of the water fluctuates between 15 and 20C (59 and 68F). Due to the difficult conditions of the Atacama Desert, there are many unexplored, quiet beaches in this area. In the Central Region the water is a little bit colder, and there are steeper shores and bigger waves.

Chilean rodeo

Chueca

External links

Chilean Cultural Heritage Gateway

Marian Schlotterbeck "Artists Pursue the Disappeared" The Nation, July 12, 2007.

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Culture of Chile