Paraguay's architecture is displayed even in this fountain in a square.
Culture of Paraguay
Paraguayans’ cultural ancestry can be traced to the extensive intermarriage among the original male Spanish settlers and female indigenous, Guarani, brides. Paraguayan culture therefore is a fusion of two cultures and traditions: one European, the other Guarani. More than 90% of Paraguayans are mestizos, and this makes Paraguay one of the most homogenous countries in Latin America. A characteristic of this cultural fusion is the extensive bilingualism present to this day: more than 80% of Paraguayans speak both Spanish and the indigenous language, Guarani. Jopara, the mixture of Guarani and Spanish, is also widely spoken. This cultural fusion is expressed in arts such as embroidery (aho poí) and lace making (ñandutí). The music, which consists of lilting polkas, bouncy galopas, and languid guaranías is played on the native harp. Paraguay’s culinary heritage is also deeply influenced by this cultural fusion. Several popular dishes contain mandioc, a local staple crop, and other indigenous ingredients. A popular dish is sopa paraguaya, similar to a thick corn bread. It consists of many cheeses, onions, bell peppers, cottage cheese, yellow cornmeal, milk, seasonings, butter, eggs and fresh corn kernels. The 1950s and 1960s saw the flowering of a new generation of Paraguayan novelists and poets such as José Ricardo Mazó, Roque Vallejos, and Augusto Roa Bastos. The nation’s upper classes are, typically, only a generation or two from the peasantry. That does not mean there is no social hierarchy, for the usual distinctions between town and country dweller, employer and laborer, and mental and manual worker still apply. But there is a fairly high degree of mobility between classes, and even the poorest peasant displays a strong degree of personal pride.
Social life revolves largely around an extended family of parents, children and blood relations as well as godparents. The Paraguayans’ chief loyalty is to their family, and it, in turn, is their haven and support. Family interests determine to a large extent which political party they will join, to whom they will marry, what sort of job they will get, whether they will win a lawsuit, and—in some cases—whether they would be wise to emigrate for a time. Anyone outside the family, except for an old and trusted friend, is viewed with indifference, if not with suspicion. Inside the family, conservative values predominate. Godparents have a special relationship to the family, since usually they are chosen because of their favorable social position, in order to provide extra security for the children. Particular respect is owed them, in return for which the family can expect protection and patronage.
Paraguay ruins are always on tourists must see lists.
About Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay (Spanish: República del Paraguay; Guarani: Tetã Paraguái), is a landlocked country in South America. It lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, bordering Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest, and is located in the very heart of South America. The name “Paraguay” is derived from the Guaraní word pararaguay meaning “from a great river”. The “great river” is the Paraná River, which produces the greatest amount of hydroelectric power in the world.
