Colombian Culture Essay

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Colombia has a population of approximately 43 million people. Within that population, there is a variety of ethnic groups such as: mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1% (Colombia Guides). As a result of these ethnic groups, the culture of Colombia is rich but extremely diverse with great influences from its African, European, and Native Indian roots. There are many components that make up the Colombian cultural customs and traditions however, religion, and family is the most important.
In Colombia the majority of the population adheres to Christianity whereas, the main religion in Colombia is catholic, which accounts for eighty percent of the population. The remaining twenty percent is divided from least to greatest amongst: Protestant, Seventh-day-Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Mormonism, Hinduism, Indigenous religions, Hare Krishna movement, Rastafarian movement, Orthodox Catholic Church, and spiritual studies. In addition, Roman Catholicism was deemed the country’s first religion, until the adoption of the constitution religious freedom act in 1991(World mark encyclopedia of nations 2007).
The role of the Catholic Church in Colombia’s society is both …show more content…

Arranged marriages is a thing of the past in Colombia however, members of the upper and middle class families are encouraged to marry within their classes. During the dating process, men and women have freedom to choose whom ever they would like to date, but a chaperone has to accompany them at all times. This practice is called courting, which usually continues for a year, and then the couple is married. Ordinarily, natives are married in the Catholic Church. For people of upper class the tradition catholic ceremonial wedding as religious rite to build powerful family unions (World culture

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