Culture

Venezuela has a rich cultural heritage and is primarily the result of the assimilation of indigenous cultural traits with those of the Spanish and Africans who migrated to Venezuela.

The indigenous culture of Venezuela is reflected in its art (petroglyphs), crafts and its architecture referred to as shabonos. Art in Venezuela originally had a religious theme, which later changed to representation of historical and heroic themes. This change was led by artists like Martin Tovar y Tovar. The 20th century brought about further change in the art ethos of Venezuela with the inclusion of modern elements in it. Some of the well-known artists who were responsible for introducing aspects of modernism in Venezuelan art are Arturo Michelena, Armando Reveron, Carlos Cruz-Diez and Manuel Cabre.

The best representation of Venezuela architecture is The Universidad Central de Venezuela, (World Heritage Site) which was designed and built by Carlos Raul Villanueva. Other examples of modern Venezuela architecture are the National Pantheon, the Baralt Theatre and the General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge.

Literature in Venezuela made a major headway after the Spaniards conquered the country and was primarily based on Spanish themes. The period of the Independence war (1811-1812) in Venezuela was followed by rise of political literature. After this, came the romantic era and the main exponent of this was Juan Vicente Gonzalez. Literature was also influenced by humanistic and intellectual elements under the patronage of writers like Laureano Vallenilla Lanz and Jose Gil Fortoul.

Musical aspect of Venezuelan culture is best reflected by musical instruments developed by the natives like the Maraca. Spanish colonists introduced guitar, mandolin, the harp and violin in Venezuela while the Africans contributed drums.

Spanish and African influence is also noticeable in the religion, language and food of Venezuela. Culture in Venezuela has been enriched by French, American, Italian and the Portuguese influence, especially after the 19th century and is clearly reflected in the popular music, food and fashion trends in Venezuela. The mixed culture of Venezuela can be seen in the way the locals enjoy contemporary American music, wear branded clothes and adopt European fashion. The American influence can also be seen in activities such as baseball, which Venezuela has adopted, as its national sport.

A. Music

Venezuela is famous for its rich musical traditions. The most distinctive form of music, which originated in Venezuela, is the llanero music .It is essentially a rural form of music, which was rendered a modern touch by musicians like Juan Vicente Torrealba and Ignacio Figueredo.

Gaita style of music is mainly played during the Christmas season. This folk music is from the Zulia state in Venezuela and was introduced by the Africans who migrated here. There are different types of Gaita music namely, the folk Gaita, which has lost its popularity, the contemporary Gaita, Pop Gaita and the Romantic Gaita. Gaita Music is played to the accompaniment of instruments such as furros, maracas, cuatro, charrasca and tambora. The theme of the songs ranges from humor to love.

Many of the Venezuelan artists have created fusion music by combining rumba, Latin jazz, joropo, salsa and other Latin American music forms with the indigenous music. Some of the popular groups that fall in this category are Un Solo Pueblo.Huracan de Fuego and Grupo Madera.

Venezuela imported music styles from other countries such as Trinidad and Cuba and these styles eventually developed a distinctive rhythm and lyrics of their own .The notable examples are calypso music and Cuban -American salsa.

Pop and rock music have also come to stay in Venezuela and some of the music bands from here have gained international acclaim and popularity. Desorden Publico, Caramelos de Cianuro and Los Amigos Invisibles are some of the well-known musical bands of Venezuela. These musical groups, by incorporating Caribbean rhythms into pop and rock music have developed a signature style of their own. Jazz, house and avant-garde are other popular forms of music in Venezuela.

B. Language

Spanish is the official language of Venezuela and is spoken in different dialects introduced by the various immigrants who came here. Other languages commonly spoken by many locals are Portuguese, French and English.

C. Religious Practices

Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion in Venezuela. 96 % of the people in Venezuela adhere to this religion. About 2 % of people are Protestants while the remaining 2 % follow other religious faiths.

D. Major Events

The assimilative culture of Venezuela is noticeable in the number of events that take place here throughout the year. Annual festivals range from dance, theatre and jazz to Latin and chamber music.

For theatre lovers, Venezuela organizes Festival Internacional de Teatro in April every year. The festival is being held since 1976 and is rated as one of the best of the cultural events in Venezuela. It is marked by performances of some of the top theatre groups of Venezuela and Latin America. Some of the important theatres, which serve as the venue of these performances, are Teatro Teresa Carreno, Alteneo de Caracas and Teatro El Paraiso.

One of the most important events is the performance by the devil dancers of Venezuela. The event takes place every year in the month of June .Los Diablos Danzantes, as the devil dancers are referred to in Venezuela, take to candle lit streets and dance in the so called devil infested towns, most of which are near the Caracas. The event takes place in different venues at Los Cayenes, Patanemo, Venezuela.

The feast of John the Baptist is celebrated every year in Venezuela in the month of June .The highlights of the event are the purification rituals through water and fire and erotic rites. The celebration is also marked by wild dancing. The rituals and the rites are influenced by paganism, African and Roman Catholicism.

Festival Internacional de Musica is a major music festival which is held in various venues in Caracas, in October-November every year .The festival is attended by musicians, orchestras and bands from different parts of the world, who bring ethnic, jazz, classical and contemporary musical rhythms to the festival.

Miss Venezuela contest is one of the major events being held in the country since 1952.It is considered to be one of the most successful of the national beauty contests and winners of the title have also won in international pageants several times.

E. Etiquettes / Do's and Don'ts

Do's

- Do maintain good posture at all times including social occasions.

- Do stand close to others as moving away offends people in Venezuela.

- Do maintain eye contact as it is taken as a sign of showing interest in their culture.

- It is advisable to use your hand while pointing on things.

- Do not eat and walk at the same time in Venezuela.

- Light kiss on the cheek is accepted as a normal form of greeting with close acquaintances.

- Do follow customary greeting in the form of firm handshakes, which is considered suitable for all occasions in Venezuela.

Don'ts

- Do not address anyone by his or her first name without seeking permission.

- Do not use courtesy titles like Sir or Madam.

- Do not feel strange if the Venezuelans address you by your names translated in their own language because the name might sound awkward when translated back into English.

- Do not feel awkward if you see people touching other's arms while talking, as it is an acceptable behavior amongst Venezuelans.