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The wealth of cultural expression in Honduras owes its origins primarily to being a part of Latin America but also to the multi-ethnic nature of the country. The population comprises 90% Mestizo, 4% Amerindian, 5% Black and 1% Caucasian. This influences all aspects of the culture: customs, practices, ways of dressing, religion, rituals, codes and norms of behavior and belief systems.

Popular Culture

Popular culture in Honduras, as in most countries, is expressed not so much through sophisticated artistic creations, but rather by popular events that draw big crowds or audiences. In Honduras, such artistic-cultural events are held on specific days of the year and through special celebrations.

Hondurans celebrate national holidays and events in their town in the form of carnivals, fairs and parades throughout the entire year. For instance, 'The Isidra Fair' of La Ceiba is an event that lasts one week, with music, exhibitions and special food, culminating in the most popular carnival of the country: 'The Carnival of Friendship'.

The Hondurans also celebrate the "June Fair" or Feria Juniana of San Pedro Sula. This fair differs from others because it includes different musical concerts, performed throughout the week. Visitors can also attend sporting events, as well as a variety of exhibitions.

Another important fair is the one held in Puerto Cortés during the month of August. This is different from other Honduran fairs because it resembles the city of Venice, with its parades of gondolas and boats in Puerto Cortés' bay. Visitors can appreciate from anywhere in the city the amazing fireworks launched from the boats.

The most popular official day celebrated in Honduras is Independence Day on September 15. What makes this commemoration special are the parade of the schools and colleges that take place all over the country. In these, some of the biggest companies participate, adorning the parades with chariots of many types.

Honduras, being a predominantly Catholic country, gives special attention to the celebrations of Holy Week. In some regions of the country, such as Comayagua, Choluteca, Copán and Intibucá among others, processions are held, especially during Thursday and Good Friday. Through these events, Hondurans commemorate the sacrifice they believe Jesus Christ made for humanity. Some people - particularly the inhabitants of the North and South Coast - use this opportunity to visit beaches, rivers and swimming pools, due to the stifling heat that reigns during this time of the year.

Hondurans celebrate Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve on the 24th and 31st of December respectively. During these celebrations, the majority of Honduran homes cook special dishes to mark this important occasion. Among the favorites of the Hondurans are: tamales wrapped with banana leaves, roast pigs' legs and pastries, among many other dishes. All of these celebrations are complemented at the end of the night, with fireworks and firecrackers. However the government and media have campaigned against fireworks because too many children have been injured, such as being severely burned.

Other celebrations of special interest for the Hondurans are: Mothers' Day, Children's Day, Labor Day, Teachers' Day and Friendship Day, among other official and non-official holidays.

Ethnic cultures

Lenca Culture

About 6 % of the Honduran population are indigenous people sub-divided into small groups as follows: Lenca, Xicaques, Miskitos, Payas, and the Ch'orti' among others. Of these groups, the Lencas are the majority group, and it was this group that offered a major challenge to the Spanish conquerors, who had to use diverse tactics and tricks to subdue them.

Chief Lempira, one of the most important Honduran heroes, was from the tribe of the Lencas. His death at the hands of Alonso de Cáceres allowed the conquest of the final part of Honduran territory the Spanish.

In cultural terms, vvvthe Lencas have lost their language and the majority of their religious practices. However, they still make peace agreements in the traditional way, offer gifts to their ancestral gods, and some of their original forms of dress are still preserved. Basic nutrition comes from the sowing of grains, especially corn; from which they produce a drink called "Chicha" which has contributed to Honduran culture. Pottery is also an important cultural element for the Lencas artistically and economically.

Famous Hondurans

In the Catholic religion Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga stands out. This Honduran cardinal was a candidate to replace Pope John Paul II after his death.

Salvador Moncada is well known in the field of science. This scientist of Honduran origin is married to Princess Maria-Esmeralda of Belgium with whom he has two sons. His principal investigations have been centered in the area of pharmacology, especially with respect to the effects of products of the metabolism of diverse acids, as well as the synthesis, action, and degradation of the biological mediator nitric oxide.

In movies and American television, it is important to highlight the work of America Ferrera born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents. This actress, most famous as the lead role on ABC's "Ugly Betty", has been successful on the big screen with her role in Real Women Have Curves. She has also won some prestigious awards such as a Golden Globe and recognition from the Screen Actors Guild.

There are some famous Hondurans in news and talk radio and television. For example, Neyda Sandoval and Satcha Pretto work with Univisión of the United States. Renán Almendárez Coello from Honduras is well known as the "Bogeyman of the Morning" on the radio station KLAX-FM of Los Angeles. He has been active in charity specifically assisting the poor of Central America and Mexico.

In sports, Hondurans have stood out in soccer. Among the most outstanding players are José Enrique Cardona who played for Atlético Madrid in Spain; Gilberto Yearwood who played in Elche, Spain; Carlos Pavón who currently plays for Real España; and lately David Suazo, current player of Inter Milan, who was named The Most Valuable Foreign Player of the Italian league in 2006.

Music

Some of the most notable Honduran musicians include: Rafael Coello Ramos, Lidia Handal, Victoriano López, Guillermo Anderson, Victor Donaire, Francisco Carranza, Camilo Rivera Guevara, Moisés Canelo, among others.

At the internationally level stood out, the musical group: Banda Blanca with their hits "Soup of Caracol", "Fiesta", "Do you Know Who Came?", among many others. Although the group produces merengueros rhythms, the calypso and other Caribbean rhythms, their specialty is the rhythm 'Punta', which they popularized during the 1990s.

All of Banda Blanca's took them to participate in several festivals such as: The Carnival of 8th Street of Miami, Carnival of Broadway Street, Los Angeles, California; Carnival of Acapulco, Mexico; Carnival of Barranquilla, Colombia; Carnival of Tenerife, Spain; Festival of Jazz Aruba and many more.

Other musical groups include: The Professionals, The Gran Banda, The Rolands, the rocker group Black Devils, Trilogy, etc. They stood out nationally and some of them internationally.

Cuisine

see Honduran cuisine

Hondurans have a variety of traditional dishes: The baleada is one of the most representative dishes of the Honduran gastronomy. It is basically made up of a flour tortilla which is folded and refilled with refried beans, quesillo or Parmesan cheese and sour cream. Many people however add to the baleadas roast meat or scrambled eggs to the taste.

In addition to the baleadas, the following are also popular: The meat roasted with chismol carne asada, chicken with rice and corn, fried fish with pickled onions and jalapeños. In the coastal areas and in the Bay Islands, seafood and some meats are prepared in many ways, some of which include coconut milk.

Among the soups the Hondurans enjoy are: Bean soup, Mondongo Soup, or soup of intestine, Seafood soups, Beef Soups, all of which are mixed with plaintains, yucca, cabbage among other things, and complemented with corn tortillas.

Other typical dishes are the montucas or corn tamale, stuffed tortillas, tamales wrapped up with banana leaves, among other types of food. It is also part of the Honduran typical dishes an abundant selection of tropical fruits such as: Papaya, pineapple, plums, zapotes, passion fruits, and bananas which are prepared in many ways while they are still green. All of which makes of the Honduran cuisine something different and especial.

Soft drinks or beer are often drunk with lunch or dinner.

Religion

In Honduras freedom of worship exists, however the Hondurans are predominantly Christian and for the most part Catholic with an increasing number of evangelicals.

The first catholic mass celebrated in continental American territory was carried out on August 14, 1502 in Punta Caxinas. Two weeks after the discovery of Honduras by Christopher Columbus. Since then, the Spanish took charge inculcating the catholic faith among the Honduran natives. Nowadays the catholic church in Honduras is composed by eight dioceses: Tegucigalpa, Comayagua, Choluteca, Olancho, Yoro, San Pedro Sula, Trujillo and Copán which are a part of the Conference Espiscopal of Honduras.

Other religions like the diverse Protestant churches are structured by three confederacies: The Shepherds' Association of Honduras, the Evangelical Brotherhood of Honduras and the Apostolic Network of Honduras.

In recent years, both the Catholic church, and a big number of subdivisions of the catholic church as well as the Protestant churches, especially the Pentecostal division, have experienced an important growth in the number of new parishioners. This is perhaps, the result of the progress in routes of communication, which allows them both; the catholic church as well as to the evangelicals to make useful time of the T.V. stations, radio, newspapers, universities and Internet pages.

In addition to these religions, there are in Honduras, small groups of people who profess religion such as Islam or Judaism, among others.

The Press, Television and Radio

The first printing was brought to Honduras by General Francisco Morazán from Guatemala, through which the general began to publish in 1830 'The Gazette' of the government. To the publication of 'The Gazette' was later followed by bulletins, and informative weekly papers of the same government.

In 1831, it was born the newspaper known as 'The Beam', which had a short duration. At the end of 1800s, 'The Chronicle' was born and then there would come 'The Newspaper of Honduras' followed by 'The People'; as official newspaper of the Honduran Liberal Party which also disappeared.

Nowadays, Honduras is provided with a good number of newspapers and magazines, through which; the Honduran people stays well informed. Of these the most ancient is 'La Prensa', founded on October 26, 1964 in San Pedro Sula, After it came ‘El Tiempo' in 1970. In the capital city Tegucigalpa, appeared in the middle of 1970s 'The Tribune' and later 'The Herald'.

With the Internet it came Hondudiario.com, Proceso Digital and the English weekly paper, Honduras This Week, among others. Lately it have appeared in the country, sports magazines such as: 'AS' and 'Diez'; with emphasis in the discipline of the soccer.

The Honduran people, begun to get informed through television in 1959 with the arrival of channel 5. To this one, 3 and 7 of San Pedro Sula joined to the list of channels. Channel 6 and Mayan T.V. Added themselves later to the informative Honduran networks.

Except for the news and sports programs, the majority of these channels transmitted for some time, programs produced in countries like Mexico and Venezuela. As a result of this, many Honduran grew influenced by celebrities of comedies, soap operas, etc. from these countries, therefore adopting their 'sayings' and ways of behaving.

With the arrival of the cable system, things have changed a lot, now the Hondurans have the opportunity to watch programs from Spain, Argentina, and the United States among others. The cultural impact of these programs in the long term, remains to be seen.

The radio also has contributed in big way, to the cultural development of Honduras. The big ones and rivals are: Radio America and HRN. The last one belonging to the radial and National System of Broadcasting Stations.

Bibliography

1. 'Sociology', por Alex Thio. 5th edition. Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc.

References

http://www.mapzones.com/world/central_america/honduras/introindex.php

See also

• Latin American culture
• Hispanic culture

• Articles lacking sources from September 2007
• Misplaced Pages articles needing copy edit from September 2007
• Honduran culture