Cultura Bogotana

Colombians are very different quality of people. Our culture is deeply dived more for geographical aspects than convictions, but we are very similar. My background is based on a great linguistic difference. I grew up in the capital of Colombia. The other people from Colombia call me “ROLO”, but what does that mean? To be a “ROLO” is synonymous with being a very careful speaker of Spanish not only recognized in Colombia; but by almost all Latin America and Spanish speakers. ROLO’s speak with USTED (you) as a pronoun form, to preserve respect and distance in communication. However, the “ROLO” for the rest of Colombians appears distant and cold, maybe because the weather in Bogota, high in the mountains (6,496 and 11,483 ft above the sea), is colder, compared with the tropical weather of the rest of the country.

The ROLO loves potatoes. There are more than 20 varieties of potatoes and more than 15 of tubers available in the region. The people of Bogota made different kinds of soups but the most delicious is the “AJIACO”. The Ajiaco is a soup made with three kinds of potatoes and complemented with capers and avocado. The most impressive food for tourists is the quality and quantity of fruits they can find in Bogota; so many and different and some only can be found in this market.

Bogota is considered to be one of the most iconic cities in Latin-American

with many wonderful museums of art and collections. This was part of my background when I grew up; places like the National Museum, the Gold Museum, and many others. We participate every year in the International Festival of Theater, with a lot of shows from all over the world. Bogota is a pioneer in massive transportation; the Transmilenio changed the view of the city.

“The family is, as it is with nearly all of Latin America, a highly important institution to Colombians as engraved by the traditional Roman Catholic Church teachings. There is a deep sense of familial responsibility that stretches through many generations.

Traditionally, men were usually the head of the household, in charge of earning most of the family's income, while women were responsible for cooking, housework, and raising children. However, as in most cultures around the world, the dawn of the 20th century brought forth a great empowerment for women who were given a right to vote during the 1950s rule of Dictator Gustavo Rojas Pinilla. The Constitution of 1991 gave a wider opportunity for women, and today, the majority of families (regardless of economic class) have two working parents due to the need of an income to sustain a family. 

At a child's baptism, the parents of the child will choose godparents, padrinos. A child's padrinos will play an important role in his life, giving advice.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombian_culture) In my case this was my uncle and his wife, always close to the family.

Colombia the risk

Things fall apart

At the end of the 1800’s, after many companies slave great part of the population of West Africa. The empire moves to colonized Africa. One strategy was trough the religion. They send the missionaries to teach a new faith and destroy the culture of the people. In that way be ruled and accept the government of the colonizers. Okonkwo in different ways show the life and culture before and after the colonization. The destruction of the culture started when the invasive force destroy the hope and impost new rules in all the aspects of life. For Okonkwo his culture, religion and rules disappeared. Okonkwo seal his hope at the end to recover his life based in his culture but now his world don’t have sense “He mourned for the clan, which he saw breaking up falling apart, and he mourned for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like a women” (183) in a new faith his people is dived and he is extremely against of the change. Things Fall Apart is the definition of the colonization and how colonizers create the profound division in faith and intolerance for the old culture. Not was a process of assimilation was an imposition in all aspects. At the end Okonkwo decided to die in total denied of his own culture. He didn’t accept the fact of the people change even his own son. In other words Okonkwo decide don’t fight alone. Okonkwo is intolerant he resist to change and accept a new culture is impossible.