|
HISTORICALLY
SPEAKING NICARAGUA PATCH PROGRAM 1. Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America. It is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The name originated from the Indian word thea means “freshwater sea”. Locate Nicaragua on a map and its Capital. Identify it’s flag. 2. The official language of Nicaragua is Spanish. However, since it is located along the Caribbean coast, Nicaragua has a variety of indigenous languages spoken by the people as well as English. Some examples of recognized regional languages are Miskito, Rama, Sumo and Creole. Nicaragua has two distinct cultures: The Pacific and The Caribbean. Each culture has similarities and differences, with the pacific side being more Spanish and the Caribbean side being more connected to the Cultures of the Caribbean. Choose a language to learn how to speak a phrase or some words. 3. Nicaragua’s cuisine has a large variety of recipes that are based on corn. The countries main dish, Gallo Pinto, is made with white rice and red beans that are cooked separately and then fried together. This dish is eaten regularly in Nicaraguan homes, and is often served with fresh fruits and vegetables. Try a recipe, food, or drink from Nicaragua. 4. Nicaragua has a variety of festivals and celebrations that reflect its people value in culture and pride. There are a mix of traditional fiestas year round, festivals that come from ancient times and are celebrated by indigenous cultures, and holidays that are celebrated yearly. Some festivals and fiestas come from the days of the Spanish Conquests, and are celebrated in order to celebrate the history of the country. Nicaragua also celebrates holidays such as New Years Day, Christmas, Easter, and Independence Day. Learn more about the festivals or holidays in Nicaragua, go to a festival, participate in one, OR complete a craft that represents a festival. 5. Dance and music in Nicaragua represents the countries deep roots in culture in history, and reflect the people’s passion and pride for their country. Dance and music is expressed in many ways and are normally done on holidays and during festivals. Since Nicaragua has two distinct cultures, the pacific and the Caribbean, each has their own special dances that reflect the cultures. On the Pacific side, a dance called “Las Inditas” is preformed by women dancing to marimba music who hold fruit baskets on their heads to symbolize the peoples hard work. A traditional dance of the Caribbean is called “Palo de Mayo” which is preformed during Carnival. Watch a dance or video OR listen to music OR sing a song OR learn more information about a dance or instrument from Nicaragua. 6. Folklore of Nicaragua originated from ancient times and cultures. It is written about creatures, animals, and how things were created. Read a story, legend, OR listen to a legend or play from Nicaragua. 7. Nicaragua’s national tree is the madrono and is up to 30 feet high and is covered with white bell shaped flowers. In the jungles and forests there are a large variety of animal life. Choose [3] animals, trees, OR plants from Nicaragua to learn more about. Examples include: Sloth, armadillo, anteater, puma, mangrove tree, guardabarrancos bird, and frangipani flower. 8. Handicrafts from Nicaragua represent the times when tribes from all around the country would hand make their crafts from natural items. High-quality woodwork and ceramics are two of the most important cultural crafts made in Nicaragua. Local markets sell many smaller craft items such as hammocks, leather items, small wooden charms, jewelry with stones, clothing, baskets, masks, or clay figures. Create a craft or project using a traditional a skill OR jewelry OR observe someone creating a handicraft OR a traditional craft from Nicaragua. 9. Ladies dress depends on the holiday and region, the costumes can be a variety. Some examples of costumes can be: vulture dress: a long orange dress with ruffles at the bottom and black trim with a square neck and short sleeves with a flower in the hair. Men’s style includes: white stockings, black pants that go to the knees with a gold stripe down the side, and black flat shoes. Draw a picture of the clothing, dress up in Armenia themed clothing, create an accessory, complete our paperdolls OR view traditional clothing through books or the internet or our country manual. 10. There are a variety of cultural games played by children in Nicaragua. The most popular sport is baseball. Other sports that are played are: basketball, volleyball, and water sports. Learn a traditional game OR play a game that symbolizes Nicaragua OR play a water game or sport. 11. Nicaragua is on the Ring of Fire, a string of active volcanoes, in the Pacific. It has a line of volcanoes along the western edge. The highest volcano is the San Cristobal is the most active volcano. Sometimes when they erupt they can cause earthquakes as well. Find out more about safety procedures incase of an earthquake OR more about volcanoes OR find out more about activities or parks that are located on dormant volcanoes. Examples; zip line tours, nature walks, bird watching, camping, horseback riding, and hiking.
|