Presentation1

Argentina Culture

INTRODUCTION
This power point was created to share information and pictures on the culture of
Argentina. Some of the topics include food, schooling, and tourist sites. The
religion and etiquette practiced in the country is also discussed. Holidays and
ceremonies that are important to their culture is shared in some of the slides.
Gender roles is addressed and the differences in the expectations between the sexes.

Debora S. – Tourist sites and Attractions

Mark D. - Religion and Etiquette

Tiera J. – Gender Roles

Abbey I. – Food and Culinary Customs

Shandria H. – Holidays and Ceremonies

http://www.mileswithamission.org/Blog/February-
2011/Ushuaia,-The-End-Of-The-World.aspx

http://www.argentinaforless.com/travel-guides/ushuaia-
guide-expeditions-excursions.php

http://voyage-bons-
plans.aufeminin.com/album/see_234321_82/Argentine-Patagonie-
http://argentinastravel.com/destinations/regions/tierra-del-fuego/ de-la-Peninsule-de-Valdes-a-Ushuaia.html

TOURIST Argentina has a
vast variety of
SHOPPING shopping less
customary than
that of the
United States. It
is a famous past
time for the
many tourists,
though a bit of a
challenge
adjusting to the
unfamiliar
currency. The
local boutiques
and outdoor
shopping entails http://www.destination360.com/south-america/argentina/shopping
a bit of bartering
where the indoor
shopping has set
pricing. Though
the malls are
more
Americanized
the art shown in
the ceiling
reflects the
Argentinian
culture.
http://argentinastravel.com/activities/shopping/shopping- http://esphoto980x880.mnstatic.com/mercadillo-de-la-calle-florida_897171.jpg
centers/

IguazÃº Falls
 Iguaza Falls was discovered in 1541 by Cabeza De Vaca and established as a
National Heritage Site in 1984. The falls stand an amazing 265 feet tall and 2
miles long, bordering Argentina and Brazil. Still remaining one of the most
frequented tourist attractions in South America. Though the humidity and
heat is difficult to adapt to, it is well worth the discomfort to see these
breathtaking fall.

Wikipedia 2011 Wikipedia 2011

Recolta Cemetery is located in an elite
neighborhood of Buenos Aires. This is
the burial grounds for Argentina’s
most famous and notable people. The
layout of the cemetery is of wide tree
lined streets with rows of
mausoleums. The entrance to each
mausoleum has plaques containing
family name and members.
Uncommon to the United States, this
cemetery only displays the date of
deaths lacking any dates of birth.

http://artofbackpacking.com/photos-recoleta- Wikipedia 2011
cemetery/

Religion stats
 Total population 37,812,817
 Roman Catholic 88%
 Protestant 7%
 Muslim 2%
 Jewish 1.5%
 Other and Nonaffiliated 1.5%
(Gill, 2006)

The History of Argentina
Religion
 Before 1539, most of Argentina was populated by migrant/nomadic tribes.
 In 1539, Spanish colonizers spread Catholicism throughout Argentina.
 In 1816, Argentina gained independence from Spain. However, after gaining
autonomy, the Argentinean government and church still were intertwined.
 In the 1800s, the proliferation of immigrants created a rising number of
Protestants. These immigrants, mainly the Italian and German, carried over
their socialist and communist philosophy and culture.
 From the 1800s to 1990s, the Catholic Church increased its power and influence
over Argentina politics.
 In the 1980s, democracy and equality returned causing a revamp in religious
freedom. In 1994 the constitution passed a ruling to protect all religions in
Argentina from discrimination. A law requiring the president to be Catholic is
abolished; However, Catholicism is still the state religion and holds a
considerable grip on bureaucracy.
 (Gill, 2006)

Religious Culture
 Among Catholics in Argentina the Virgin Mary is the central
point of worship. Many homes, taxi cabs, areas of employment,
and even government offices all display statues of the Virgin
Mary. The Catholic religion is paramount among the
Argentinean people, yet only fifteen percent of Catholics in
Argentina attend church regularly.
 In every Argentina town’s central plaza there is a local Catholic
cathedral. Perhaps the most widely known cathedral is Basilica
of Lujan.
 The belief in witch doctors, sorcerers, and spiritual healers is not
uncommon. Tarot readings are common enough that you can
have your palm read at weekend craft fairs. These customs stem
from the proliferation of immigrants and are continually rising in
popularity.
 (Gill, 2006)

Etiquette
 Argentinean people share an intimate proxemics with each other while
conversing. This is unlike the more distant area of comfort like North
Americans are accustomed. Rejection of a close physical distance while
partaking in a conversation will leave an Argentinean person feeling
awkward so it is important to be prepared to have your personal space
condensed while in Argentina.
 Touch ethic is much looser than North American culture. In Argentina
both Men and women great each other by exchanging a kiss on the
cheek. It is typical to exchange touches while interacting in a
conversation and is not considered sexual harassment. Only on formal
occasions do people greet by shaking hands.
 Eye contact is strongly encouraged. It is quite habitual to see people
gaze at one another as they pass by. Flirtatious actions and behavior are
the norm. It is common to see catcalling throughout the metropolitan.
 (Beebe, 2010) (Ferradas, 2001)

Punctuality and
Mannerisms
 Punctuality is not as strict or imperative as North American
culture.
 When invited to dinner at a local Argentinean's house it is
custom to arrive 30 to 45 minutes after the scheduled time.
 In business meetings the foreign party is expected to be on time
while the Argentinean member is not. It is not uncommon to
wait up to thirty minutes for a meeting to begin. Argentinean
people tend to like to converse socially before business meetings.
This usually causes meetings to run late. Be prepared to stay late
at meetings, for Argentinean people will likely postpone their
next engagement rather than meet a deadline if they are busy
socializing.
 (Gill, 2006)

GENDER ROLES
Perhaps the most obvious form of human
diversity is gender-the division of human
beings into female and male
(Beebe pg 143).

http://www.moon.com/destinations/argenti
na/essentials/conduct-and-
customs/gender-roles

GENDER ROLES
It’s a normal thing in the United States for
husbands to help their wives with cleaning the
house, cooking, or doing the laundry. This is
especially true in cases when wives, along with
their husbands, work and make their own
contribution to the family budget. However, in
Latin America, the situation is completely
different – such behavior on the part of men
would be ridiculed and considered
challenging the traditional “machist”
perception of manhood.
http://www.moon.com/destinations/argentina/esse
ntials/conduct-and-customs/gender-roles

GENDER ROLES
Argentina has a strong machista (chauvinist)
element. Argentine women are traditionally
mothers, homemakers, and children’s caregivers,
while men are providers and decision-makers,
although there are increasing numbers of female
professionals and other working women.
http://www.moon.com/destinations/argentina/essentials/conduct-and-customs/gender-roles

“ Women and men work, live and play together, so
it’s important to explore the effects of gender on
communication in order to improve our ability to
relate to one another”(Beebe pg 143).

GENDER ROLES
Today, with more than 100 million women
throughout Latin America a traditional Latin
American perception of gender roles is still
impeding improvements in the quality of
women’s life: the household work is
undervalued and there is an overall belief that
caring for the home and family is a woman’s
responsibility. The tensions between their
family life and work also have a negative
impact on women’s performance and
commitment in the workplace.
http://www.moon.com/destinations/argentina/esse
ntials/conduct-and-customs/gender-roles

GENDER ROLES
 In a world of ever-  The challenge is not to
increasing tensions and let any human
conflict arising from differences create a
differences in cultures, chasms so large that we
religious beliefs, and can’t find ways to
political ideologies, ethically adapt our
being able to understand communication to create
and appropriately adapt shared meaning (Beebe
to others is of vital pg 142)
importance (Beebe
pg142).

Argentinean Food and
Culinary Customs

• Argentinean cuisine has been influenced by different cultures,
including Spanish, Italian, British, and German settlers

• Argentinean natives grew crops of squash, melons, and sweet
potatoes

• Italians introduced pizza and pastas

•British immigrants influenced tea time with desserts and sandwiches
in the afternoons ( “Argentina”, 2011).

Argentina. (2011). Retrieved November 1, 2011, from
http://www.foodbycountry.com/argentina.

• Argentineans typically eat
• a small breakfast
• lunch
• afternoon snack and tea time
• dinner at 9 p.m.
•Street vendors sell food similar to fast food in the United States

•Favorite foods include
peaches, apricots, grapes and other fruits
beef dishes with vegetables
“empanadas” or stuffed hand pies
“choripan” or sausage sandwich
“helado” or Argentinean ice cream
sweet candied popcorn and apples (“Argentina”, 2011)


• Education in Argentina is based on General Basic Education in which
there are three stages
•Children begin schooling at age 5
• 1st stage - 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade
• 2nd stage - 4th, 5th, 6th grade
• 3rd stage - 7th, 8th, 9th grade
•Homeschooling is not practiced, and resources for public
schooling are limited (“Education”, 2011).

• Because of this, class time is shared between the younger
students who are taught in mornings, and older students taught in
the afternoon.

• Classes begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 6:00 p.m. with a break in
the middle of the day.

Education and Schools in Argentina. Retrieved November 1, 2011,
from http://ExpatArrivals.com/argentina/education-and-schools-in-
argentina

• Secondary education is called Polimodal, meaning the students pick their
subjects.
•It was not required to complete Polimodal education until 2007.
• Evening classes are available for those 18 and over who want to
complete secondary education.

• State Universities offer classes free of charge. Private universities
charge tuition and fees (“Education”, 2011).

Education and Schools in Argentina. Retrieved November 1, 2011,
from http://ExpatArrivals.com/argentina/education-and-schools-in-
argentina

The concept of adaption in
Argentinean culture
• Argentineans have been able to adapt and accept different cultures.

• Immigrants who settled in the country influenced Argentina with their
own culture and backgrounds (“Argentina”, 2011).

• Those with different ideas helped to influence Argentina’s food and
agriculture, along with social behavior and schooling.

• Adaption has allowed Argentina to flourish into a rich country, filled
with influences from around the world.


Holidays celebrated in
ARGENTINA
 January 1 New Year’s Day
 January 6 Epiphany
 March/ April Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday
 May 1 Labor Day
 May 25 Anniversary of the Revolution 1810
 June 10 Malvinas Day, commemorating the Falklands War
 June 20 Flag Day
 July 9 Independence Day
 August 17 Anniversary of the death of General Jose de San Martin
 October 12 Columbus Day
 December 8 Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception
 December 25 Christmas
(Gofen& Jermyn, 2002, p.119)

Argentina Traditions
Surrounding National
Holidays
 New Year’s Day is celebrated January 1 in Argentina (Gofen& Jermyn, 2002,
p.119). It is celebrated with family over a late dinner and fireworks at
midnight (The Allure n.d.) According to “The Allure of Argentina”, a
common New Year’s Day tradition is to run around the house with a
suitcase, which means you will travel more in the coming year.
 According to “The Allure of Argentina”, Easter is celebrated over a two
week period. Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday, the day before Easter , is
known as Semana Santa, or Holy Week (The Allure n.d.) “The Allure of
Argentina” claims this week involves a complete reenactment of the
Passion of Christ in many villages in Argentina.
 May Revolution of 1810, otherwise known as National Day is celebrated on
May 25 in Argentina (Gofen & Jermyn, 2002, p.119) According to “The
Allure of Argentina” , Argentina traditionally celebrates National Day with
parades, music and traditional foods within each region and most public
transportation is free during the holiday for those attending the festivities.

Argentina Traditions
Surrounding National
Holidays Cont.
 The people of Argentina celebrate Christmas on December 25 (Gofen/
Jermyn, 2002, p.119) According to “The Allure of Argentina”, the
traditions in Argentina that surround Christmas include many of the
same that are common in America. Christmas trees, not just evergreen,
but every type of tree are decorated with lights and ornaments (The
Allure n.d.) Houses are decorated inside and out, many with nativity
scenes (The Allure n.d.) Although Christmas takes place in the summer
in Argentina, holiday feasts include roasted pork, roasted turkey, mince
pies and Christmas pudding (The Allure n.d.) According to “The Allure
of Argentina”, summer dishes such as , asado, a barbequed meat dish
and warm weather desserts such as ice cream and fresh fruit have
become a Christmas tradition in Argentina. After church services on
December 24, the Christmas feast is shared in late evening, followed by
a midnight toast of champagne, cider or clerico and a fireworks display
in early morning December 25.

Festivals of Argentina
 The oldest festival in Argentina is the Manca Festival, otherwise known
as, Festival of the Pot (Gordon, 2004, p.34) According to Gordon it is
celebrated the third and fourth Sunday in October. Indian crafters put
their native pots and pottery on display to trade them to Argentines for
clothing or dried meats (Gordon, 2004, p.34)
 The National Folklore Festival is held in Cosquin each January
(Gordon, 2004, p.35) In an outdoor theater, folk music is performed by
muscians and dancers from ten o’ clock in the morning until midnight
(Gordon, 2004, p.35)
 In February, a weeklong wine festival called La Fiesta de la Vendimia is
held to celebrate the grape harvest (Gordon, 2004, p.36) The grapes
vines are blessed by a Catholic priest and those who attend receive free
red wine (Gordon, 2004, p.36)

Adapting to Argentinean
Traditions
 When traveling to a new country such as ,Argentina, it is
important to know a little bit about the country’s traditions. How
a country celebrates tells a lot about their values. It is also good
to know when a festival is coming so that you can plan your trip
to take part in the festival. I chose to research the holiday
traditions and festivals of Argentina because I wanted to learn
what the people of Argentina choose to celebrate.
 In The Blue Book of Communication Studies, Beebe, Beebe and
Ivy (2010) wrote that “ By paying attention to what a culture
values, we can get important clues about how to respond to
communication messages, establish relationships, and avoid
making embarrassing errors when interacting with people from a
given culture.” Because all cultures do not value the same things
it is important to understand what a certain culture does value.
(Beebe, Beebe &Ivy. 2010)

Conclusion
Group 3 hopes this power point gave viewers a better

insight into the culture of Argentina. Overall this was a

project to help better understand this country and make it

possible to communicate with someone from a different

background. Adapting to the differences in others is key to

better communication.

Questions

1. How would giving students the option to
complete secondary education affect children in
the United States? Why?

2. Why do you think women in Argentina are
treated differently than women in the United
States? Please explain.

3. If you were to plan a vacation to Argentina,
which holiday or festival would you most like to
participate in and why?

4. If you could visit one place discussed in the tourist
sites and attractions slides, which place would you
chose and why?

Works Cited
 Argentina. (2011). Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://www.foodbycountry.com/argentina
 http://artofbackpacking.com/photos-recoleta-cemetery Retrieved 10/31/2011
 http://artofbackpacking.com/photos-recoleta-cemetery Retrieved 10/28/20
 http://www.argentinaforless.com/travel-guides/ushuaia-guide-expeditions-excursions.php 10/26/2011
 http://argentinastravel.com/activities/shopping/shopping-centers Retrieved 10/26/2011
 http://argentinastravel.com/destinations/regions/tierra-del-fuego Retrieved 10/26/2011
 Beebe, S. A., S. J. & Ivy, D. K. (2010). The Blue Book of Communication Studies (TCC Custom Edition ed., pp. 86-178).
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
 http://www.destination360.com/south-america/argentina/shopping Retrieved 10/26/2011
 Education and Schools in Argentina. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from
http://ExpatArrivals.com/argentina/education-and-schools-in-argentina
 http://esphoto980x880.mnstatic.com/mercadillo-de-la-calle-florida_897171.jpg Retrieved 10/26/2011
 FERRADÁS, C. A. (2001). Argentina. In C. R. Ember & M. Ember (Eds.), Countries and Their Cultures (Vol. 1, pp. 77-
92). New York: Macmillan Reference USA. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CCX3401700019&v=2.1&u=tacoma_comm&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
 Gender Roles-http://www.moon.com/destinations/argentina/essentials/conduct-and-customs/gender-roles (Last
updated 2011/Retrieved November 1, 2011)
 Gender Roles-http://unworks.blogspot.com/2009/06/gender-roles-revisited-latin-american.html (Last updated
2009/Retrieved November 1, 2011)
 Gill, A. (2006). Argentina. In T. Riggs (Ed.), Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices (Vol. 2, pp. 34-39). Detroit:
Gale. Retrieved from
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?&id=GALE%7CCX3437900066&v=2.1&u=tacoma_comm&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
 Gofen, E & Jermyn, L. (2002). Cultures of the World Argentina. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation.
 Gordon, S. (2003). Discovering Cultures Argentina. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation.
 http://www.mileswithamission.org/Blog/February-2011/Ushuaia,-The-End-Of-The-World.aspx Retrieved 10/26/2011
 http://www.studiesabroad.com/programs/country/argentina/city/cordoba/cultureCorner/moneyMatters Retrieved
10/31/2011
 Tall Sands Enterprises LLC (2005-2011). Argentina Traditions--Holiday celebrations, Observances and Festivals. The
Allure of Argentina. Retrieved October 24, 2011, from http://www.the-allure-of-
argentina.com/argentinatraditions.html
 http://voyage-bons-plans.aufeminin.com/album/see_234321_82/Argentine-Patagonie-de-la-Peninsule-de-Valdes-a-
Ushuaia.html Retrieved 11/15/2011
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls Retrieved 10/31/2011


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