Nina Schmidt ~ Vancouver German and Spanish Lessons

Category: Cultural Corner

  • Cultural Corner: Day of the Dead

    Cultural Corner: Day of the Dead

     

    Unknown-4

    The Day of the Dead or El día de los muertos is a Mexican national holiday celebrated every year on the first two days of November. On these dates Mexicans remember family members and friends who have passed away.  Modern practices are a blend of pre-Columbian beliefs and the Catholic observance of All Souls’ Day. While the Day of the Dead is also observed in other Hispanic countries, here we will focus on Mexican traditions.

    In Mexican culture, death is accepted as part of life. The Day of the Dead is seen as not only a chance to reconnect with lost loved ones, but also for the living to make fun of death and celebrate having lived through another year. Rather than a somber tone, this holiday has the air of a celebration with people telling humorous anecdotes about the deceased and perhaps even singing or reciting their favorite songs, poems or jokes.

    Commonly, families go together to cemeteries to visit with the souls of the departed. Upon arrival, they clean the grave and build altars on the tombs or tumbas. This altar includes many offerings or ofrendas such as the favourite foods and beverages of the deceased, family photos, votive candles, incense or copal and flowers, particularly Mexican marigolds. In the case of children, small toys and candies are given. The hope is that these items will attract the missing souls back for a short time so that they may enjoy time with them once again. In some areas of Mexico, people even spend the night at the cemetery and set out an extra pillow and blanket for the departed.

    Alters are also commonly built in people’s homes, schools and workplaces.  Symbols of Christianity, such as the cross or photos of the Virgin Mary, are also sometimes incorporated. Families spend weeks every year constructing these colourful alters, to view some click here. The most common symbol of the Day of the Dead is the skull. Bakeries compete to see who can make the most popular pure sugar treat in the shape of a small skull called a calaverita. Symbols associated with the Day of the Dead are present in Mexican culture throughout the year as they are seen to bring good luck. Similar celebrations are found in other countries of Latin America, and even within Mexico there are regional differences in customs of observance. For ideas on how to celebrate El día de los muertos in Vancouver check out this link. 

  • Cultural Corner: Oktoberfest

    Cultural Corner: Oktoberfest

    Oktoberfest is celebrated annually in the city of Munich, Bavaria and generally takes place over the last 2 weeks of September and into the first weekend in October to take advantage of favorable weather. It is the world’s largest fair attracting around 5 million visitors every year!

    Munich is a city of around 1.5 million inhabitants found in the southern portion of Germany in the state of Bayern or Bavaria. Bavaria is Germany’s largest state by landmass and is the heartland of tradition in Germany.  In this region it is not uncommon to see people wearing traditional clothes or Trachten on their way to festivals throughout the year.  In the countryside, the Catholic Church’s bells ring out on Sunday mornings to call people to worship and neighbors still greet each other with a friendly Grüss Gott!

    Oktoberfest recently marked its 200-year anniversary, as it began as a Royal wedding celebration in 1810. However, since the early 1900s it has been more of a festival of the various breweries found in this part of the world. In fact, beer drinking, eating and traditional German Blasmusik are at the center of the celebration. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 7,000,000 liters of beer are consumed annually from specialty Krüge, or beer mugs, in the various beer gardens.

    Traditional German food is also consumed in enormous quantities. Some of the more popular dishes include Hänchen (roast chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), and many varieties of sausages or Würste,  eaten with mustard and large bread pretzels, or Brezel, (pictured above).  Common side dishes include dumplings, cooked cabbage and potato pancakes.

    Local families make day visits and children enjoy carousel rides and other family entertainment. Many wear their traditional clothes that comprise of Lederhosen for men and Dirndl for women. People sit outside for hours enjoying the weather, socializing and people watching.  Once the sun sets, the younger crowds take over, drinking and carousing late into the night. Smaller Oktoberfests are also held in German communities around the world. The Alpen Club in Vancouver holds its own festivities in the first weeks of October every year.

    Do you enjoy German food or beer? Visit my Facebook fan page below to post your recommendations!
  • Cultural Corner: The Tango

    Cultural Corner: The Tango

    The tango is an evocative dance that has its origins in 19th century Argentina. It developed on the riverside, or ribera, of the Riachuelo River in Buenos Aires in the early 1880s. At the time, Buenos Aires was a city in expansion due to large numbers of immigrants coming from Europe in search of work. The majority of the new immigrants were single men, largely sailors and artisans by profession. To mitigate their loneliness many frequented brothels or burdeles with live music for entertainment. As the atmosphere was somewhat melancholy, undertones of longing, loss and separation are present in the music.  The dance that developed is a slower, more intense and restrained version of the milonga, a dance that had previously been popular in the same circles, and features very intricate footwork and close partnering.

    The tango reached a wider audience in the early 1900s, when it was brought to Paris, France by Argentinian sailors. By the years leading up to World War I it was a worldwide sensation. Upper class Argentinians back home that had previously turned their nose up at it due to its associations with criminals and the lower classes, now embraced it and the previously lewd lyrics were cleaned up. By the early 1930s the tango was in its golden age and no one person better epitomizes this era than the singer Carlos Gardel.

    Born abroad in 1890, Gardel moved to Argentina at the age of two and grew up in the Abasto neighborhood of Buenos Aires. After having started his career singing in bars and private parties he soon rose to fame with his beautiful baritone voice and photogenic features. He began touring internationally in the 1920s and was wildly popular throughout Latin America. Unfortunately, his life was cut short when he died in a plane crash in 1935. His death at a young age has immortalized his image in Argentina. Luckily many of his recordings are still available for listening today. To view an original video clip of Gardel performing one of his most famous songs, Mi Buenos Aires Querido click here.

    The tango remains popular today and tourists in large numbers descend on Buenos Aires every year to visit various venues in which to view live tango or even take lessons themselves. Opportunities to view the tango vary from impromptu dances on the streets to formal sit-down dinner shows featuring a variety of dancers and musicians. A student of mine who has recently returned from Buenos Aires highly recommends Bar Sur as THE place to go to see live tango in Buenos Aires.

  • Cultural Corner: La quinceañera

    Cultural Corner: La quinceañera

    When a girl turns fifteen years old in many parts of Latin America her family throws her a special birthday party. Both the girl and the party may be referred to la quinceañera. This term comes from the number fifteen in Spanish which is quince. This age traditionally signified when a girl turned into a young woman.  The closest equivalent in North American culture would be a debutantes ball.

    The celebration begins with a church mass, or misa, in which the young woman is accompanied by her family and fourteen friends coupled off into seven pairs. These friends represent the first fourteen years of her life. The girls are referred to as damas and their male chaperones are known as chambelanes. They may be friends, classmates or even cousins. Everyone is dressed in their finest and the birthday girl generally wears a white, pink or pastel ballgown and a crown or tiara. During the church ceremony, the priest recites prayers and discusses the talents and honors of the girl and presents her with a bouquet of flowers.

    After the mass, there is a large fiesta generally held at a banquet hall. Daughters of well-to-do parents are often presented with ostentatious gifts and their quinceañera may even take place in a lavish setting such as a cruise ship. The celebration follows a set formula with rounds of speeches, toasts, gift presentations, meals and dances.  The highlight of the event is a formal waltz or vals for which the teenagers have been practicing diligently for weeks. The birthday girl waltzes first with her father and then her escort. Choreographed dancing involving numerous couples is also common. To see a video of a quinceañera waltz click here. After the formal dances are over a modern dance party carries on late into the night.

    In 2006, an independent American filmmaker made a low-budget film titled La quinceañera about a second-generation Mexican family planning for the daughter’s 15th birthday party. The film is in a mix of Spanish and English with subtitles. I enjoyed this film for its natural feel and controversial subject matter. View the trailer here. I have this title and 35 others in my video library for the use of my students.

     

  • Cultural Corner: German Etiquette

    Cultural Corner: German Etiquette

    Part of learning a new language is also learning the culture that surrounds it.  Here we will focus on German cultural norms surrounding meeting, greeting and addressing people in various situations. Keep in mind that the following are generalizations and there are always exceptions to the rule.

    Making Plans

    One of the things that will strike you most about German culture is a near obsession with planning. (I admit I have inherited this Germanic quality). Germans in general are a forward thinking society that finds a sense of security in knowing when and where they will be and what they will be doing at any given time. Plans are often made well in advance and canceling out on someone is considered very poor form, especially at the last minute.  Similarly, punctuality is key. Arriving right on time is best and being anything later than 15 minutes requires you to notify the person waiting for you that you are on your way and have a good excuse for your tardiness!

    Addressing People

    Although things are relaxing with the younger generations, Germans are still more formal when addressing people than are North Americans. A good rule of thumb is to stick with the formal form of address, Sie, when meeting another adult for the first time as the informal form of address, du, is generally reserved for people on a first name basis such as close friends, classmates and family members.  If someone wishes to be on an informal basis with you they will let you know. If you wish to initiate being on a first name basis, you can ask politely “Können wir einander dutzen?“, literally, “Can we use the du form with one another?”

    When greeting people, a firm handshake and eye contact are employed, even when addressing children. If you are in a business setting, keep in mind that small talk is kept to a minimum. It is not as important to build a rapport with someone when doing business in Germany, as Germans base their business decisions on someone’s expertise and experience rather than if their sons are in the same peewee league. In a work setting it is common to use Herr (Mr.) or Frau (Mrs.), and a surname rather than first names. If someone has another title, such as Dr. people use that as well, as education is highly valued in German society.

    In some German-speaking areas such as southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland it is common to exchange hugs and a kiss on one or both cheeks when greeting someone you already know, especially close friends and family. Finally, when taking leave of people at a gathering it is polite to say goodbye to everyone individually with some sort of physical contact or at the very least a wave.

    Here is a series of short and entertaining video podcasts titled “The Truth about Germany” which further explores German culture.

  • Cultural Corner: Gauchos and Yerba Mate

     

    Cowboys of Argentina and Uruguay are called gauchos in Spanish. These are men that live and work their whole lives on the open plains, or pampas, of South America. They have for many generations represented the liberty and romance of this harsh landscape. Although there are not as many of them as in the past they are still viewed as a strong national emblem of their respective countries.

    Gauchos are easily identified by their traditional clothing which includes: sombreros with a wide rim, wide-legged pants called bombachas, handkerchiefs, leather boots and a large all-purpose knife worn on their low back called a facón. In the rainy season they also use heavy woolen ponchos. These cowboys are responsible for large numbers of cattle and can spend many hours in the saddle. To help maintain energy and warmth they drink yerba mate.

    Yerba mate or mate, is a traditional drink found in some South American countries. Mate comes from a flowering shrub native to the area and has been consumed for millennia among the aboriginal peoples of this region. In places such as Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay it is still popular today. Similar in appearance to tea, mate is traditionally drunk out of a hollowed out gourd through a specialized metal straw called a bombilla.  Mate leaves are used repeatedly throughout the day and hot water from a thermos is added to revitalize the drink. The resultant beverage is very strong in flavor and acts as a stimulant but without the typical highs and lows associated with caffeine.  Mate also contains many minerals and antioxidants. The taking of mate is a social ritual in many South American countries and is associated with time shared among family and friends. Mate is now widely available in health food stores around the Vancouver area.

  • Cultural Corner: Flamenco

    Cultural Corner: Flamenco

    Flamenco is a dance that originated in the south of Spain in the region of Andalucía in the 18th-century. This area of Spain has been heavily influenced by Arabic culture as Arab people were in power here from 711 until 1492. Flamenco also has roots in the gitano or Roma (gypsy) culture.

    Traditional flamenco comes in two varieties: jondo, which invokes a type of mournful and soulful singing and carries deep emotional meaning, and a more lighthearted version, alegría, which means happiness in Spanish.  Nowadays there are dozens of newer versions of flamenco as artists around the world experiment with this art form. One thing remains constant however, the rhythms are very complex and take a long time to master.

    There are three parts to Flamenco: the guitarist, the singer and the dancer(s). Both males and females can take any part but one most commonly sees male singers and guitarists with female dancers. Generally a performance is broken up into sets with the dancers taking turns dancing alone, in pairs or small groups. Dancers use numerous props to accentuate their movements including their dresses, shawls, castanets and colorful fans called abanicos as well as special high-heeled flamenco shoes that make the distinctive tapping sound on the wooden stage.

    Flamenco continues to be very popular in Spain, especially in the city of Seville. Since 1980 a bi-annual month-long festival by the name of Bienal de flamenco has been held there in the month of September in even numbered years. It features numerous performances of both traditional and modern takes on flamenco. Another way to catch live flamenco in Spain is by visiting tablaos. These flamenco bars are open late into the night and serve local specialties such as sangría, an alcoholic beverage made of wine, citrus fruits, rum and carbonated water. Also on offer are Spanish appetizers called tapas. These are commonly made with shrimp, octopus, and chorizo, a spicy Spanish sausage.

    If you are heading to Seville on holiday here is a website for information on seeing live shows. Luckily you do not have to fly all the way to Seville to see flamenco as we have a great venue right here in Vancouver. Grab some friends and head down to Kino Café in the Cambie Village showcasing live flamenco Wednesday through Sunday nights.