April 2005
An enewsletter for CultureGrams™ subscribers
This month's Culture Matters enewsletter will help teachers, librarians, administrators, and students stay informed about the world's cultures, while providing classroom resources and giving tips for using CultureGrams. Check out our online archive for access to past issues.
Regional Focus
This month: Central America and the Caribbean
Next month: Oceania
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The name Barbados comes from the Portuguese term os barbudos (bearded ones). It refers to the bearded fig trees found on the island by Portuguese explorers.
The Nicaraguan national instrument is the marimba (which is similar to a xylophone). It is usually accompanied by guitars, maracas, and traditional flutes (zuls).
In Saint Kitts and Nevis, a popular local dish is goat water, a spicy stew made from goat, breadfruit, and dumplings.
Nearly as many Jamaicans live outside of Jamaica as on the island. Most expatriates live in England and the eastern United States.
The United Kingdom's territory of Montserrat is known as the Emerald Isle for both its early Irish settlers and its lush vegetation.
Holiday Focus: Costa Rica's Anniversary of the Battle of Rivas
On April 11, Costa Ricans celebrate the anniversary of an 1856 battle in which a 9,000-man civilian army under the command of Costa Rican president Juan Rafael Mora defeated the forces of William Walker, a U.S. adventurer who invaded Costa Rica after taking over Nicaragua. The holiday is also called Juan Santa María's Day in honor of a Costa Rican drummer boy who died while setting fire to the building in which Walker's men were positioned, forcing them to flee. Juan Santa María is still regarded as a national hero for his bravery. The victory helped unify Costa Ricans and is seen as one of the most important dates in the country's history. Today, people celebrate the holiday with parades, concerts, dances, and food.
Some Upcoming World Holidays
Rwanda – Genocide Memorial Day April 7
Commemorates the start of the 1994 genocide.
North Korea – Birthday of Kim Il Sung April 15
Honors the man who led the nation from 1948 until 1994.
Brazil – Tiradentes Day April 21
Celebrates the death of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (known as Tiradentes), a nationalist who died in the struggle for independence.
Italy – Liberation Day April 25
Commemorates Italy's liberation in World War II.
Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, & Tonga – Anzac Day April 25
Honors the armed forces and war dead.
Vietnam – Liberation of Saigon April 30
Commemorates the 1975 defeat of South Vietnam.
Summary: Students learn to synthesize and analyze population and other data. This activity may be applicable to math and social science classes.
Curriculum standards: Conforms to the National Council for Geographic Education's curriculum standards.
The geographically informed person knows and understands (9.) the characteristics, distribution, and migration of human populations on Earth's surface.
1. Divide the class into four teams. On each team, students could be assigned to be readers, record keepers, and calculators.
2. Assign each team approximately 45 countries (divide the Population Data Table into four sections).
3. Have the students in each team organize their countries by population into the following eight categories:
a. 1 to 100,000
b. 100,001 to 1,000,000
c. 1,000,001 to 10,000,000
d. 10,000,001 to 50,000,000
e. 50,000,001 to 100,000,000
f. 100,000,001 to 500,000,000
g. 500,000,001 to 1,000,000,000
h. 1,000,000,000 and above
4. Organize and display the data using frequency tables, line plots, bar graphs, circle graphs, line graphs, or stem-and-leaf plots.
5. Have the different groups compare their data.
6. Have the students conduct similar exercises using tables for area, GDP per capita, literacy, infant mortality, or life expectancy.
Follow-up:
1. The data conducted in this exercise could also be used to conduct basic probability tests (such as population size to land area).
This nation's central mountain range, Cordillera Central, boasts the highest point in the Caribbean.
The United States has enforced a trade embargo against this Caribbean nation since 1961.
This Central American nation has the world's second largest barrier reef.
The United States purchased this territory in 1917 to block any enemy approach to the Panama Canal during World War I.
This nation is the easternmost island in the Caribbean.
Answers: 1) The Dominican Republic; the top of Pico Duarte has an elevation of about 10,000 feet (3,048 meters). 2) Cuba. 3) Belize. 4) The U.S. Virgin Islands. 5) Barbados.
Note: You could write one of these on the blackboard every week, discuss how proverbs reflect cultural values, or ask students to find an English proverbial equivalent.
Wah eye no see heart no grieve. (Antigua and Barbuda)
If the eye doesn't see, the heart won't worry. (What you don't know won't hurt you.)
Day does run 'til night catch it. (Barbados)
Day runs until caught by the night. (Whatever you do will catch up with you in the end.)
No tro way you belly and tek trash tuff um. (Antigua and Barbuda)
Don't lose the substance for the shadow. (Don't lose the forest for the trees.)
Tan chat pa la, rat ka bay bal. (Trinidad and Tobago)
When cat isn't there, the rats have a party. (When the cat's away, the mice can play.)
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has been plagued by years of instability. When a popular revolt ousted Jean-Bertrand Aristide from Haiti's presidency on February 29, 2004, many Haitians hoped the change in government would eventually bring about improved security and economic conditions.
But more than a year after the revolt, little has changed. An interim government has been unable to bridge divisions between rival armed groups. Despite the presence of 7,000 UN troops, hundreds of people have been killed or injured in political and gang violence. Still, though the outlook remains bleak, new elections are scheduled for November.
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