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12 segundos de oscuridad
  Although situated on a continent noted for its varied geography—large forests and rivers, soaring mountains, burning deserts, chilling glaciers, active volcanoes, and impenetrable jungles—Uruguay is a land of gently rolling plains. Practically its entire surface is suitable for agriculture and habitation. With its temperate climate and wide expanses of undulating prairie, Uruguay closely resembles some areas of the northern Mediterranean or the central region of the United States. Nor does the population of this small and beautiful nation conform to the usual pattern of Latin American countries. Most of the Latin American countries have rates of population growth that rank among the highest in the world; in Uruguay, by contrast, the population remains stable. The mixture of races and the variety of languages present in many Latin American countries are not found in Uruguay. By the latter part of the 19th century, the native peoples were totally assimilated into a population that is now almost 90 percent white, descended mainly from Italian and Spanish immigrants. There are a considerable number of blue-eyed, light-haired Swiss in the southwest, and a group of Russians in the northwest. Only a few people have features that suggest Indian heritage, and it is hard to find a pure-blood Indian. About 4 percent of the people are of African descent. Spanish is the official language, spoken by all. Uruguay has much more to offer than its people for your interest! Everyday Life While there has never been so great a contrast between the rich and the poor in Uruguay as in other Latin American countries, to some observers it seems there are two Uruguays. One is Montevideo, which, with its surrounding regions, is home to nearly half of the country's entire population. The city is richly endowed with cultural advantages. Theater, music, movies, and art museums are plentiful. Uruguayans are passionate about soccer (futbol), their great national sport. The country has two first-rate soccer teams, the Penarol and the Nacional. It has been said that the rivalry between the supporters of the two clubs is no less intense than that which exists between the members of the two major political parties. Basketball, cycling, tennis, pelota, golf, and water sports are also popular, but none evokes the enthusiasm generated by soccer. The Montevideans enjoy walking through the city's many parks and boulevards, perhaps stopping at one of the numerous indoor or outdoor cafes for a cup of coffee and a chat with their friends. The other Uruguay is the backcountry. There life is full of daily hardships. Schools are generally inadequate, and the facilities for health and welfare meager. The descendant of the wandering, independent gaucho of earlier days is today quite likely to be a hired laborer living on a large estancia, or cattle ranch. Background Before the Spanish conquest, the territory of modern Uruguay was inhabited by various tribes of indigenous peoples. They left few archaeological traces, and not much is known of them. The major tribes were those of the warlike Charrua, a nomadic people living mainly in small clans. The men hunted, and the women worked in the fields. Because of their ferocity, the Charrua were never completely dominated by the Spaniards, a surprising fact given the newcomers' superior organization and weapons. Gradually the European settlers took possession of the entire area, although the Charrua continued to rise in rebellion well into the middle of the 18th century. By the middle of the 19th century, the entire Indian population had disappeared, either through intermarriage or as the result of a deliberate policy of extermination. The last four surviving Charrua who continued to live according to their own traditions were taken to Paris as examples of a lost culture. There they died, lending substance to the saying that all Uruguayans, even the native Indians, admired the French so much that they even preferred to die in Paris. During the 18th century, with the opening of vast lands for grazing cattle, a new Uruguayan emerged, one who has left an imprint even on the highly sophisticated city dweller. He was the free wandering horseman of the Uruguayan plains, the South American cowboy known as the gaucho. A descendant of the Spaniards, Indians, and blacks, the gaucho was characterized not by his origin or language, but by his lifestyle. He lived a nomadic existence on his horse, was totally independent, and was one of the most highly paid workers of his time. He was master of a boundless region that had its geographic center in Uruguay and extended from Argentina in the west, along the Uruguay River to southern Brazil. Men from all parts of the region were drawn to this well-paid profession. Spaniards and Guarani, Portuguese, and even English—these men formed a mestizo (mixed Indian and white) population that was to become the nucleus of the Uruguayan people. Something of the gaucho's boldness and generosity lives on in the friendly, hospitable Uruguayan of today. The gaucho spirit is still reflected in the Uruguayans' belief in the dignity of the individual, in their optimism and endurance, and in their willingness to face new challenges. Festivals and Holidays Uruguay has no state religion, but the predominant faith is Roman Catholicism. Religious freedom is guaranteed by the constitution. The Roman Catholic Church is not as influential in Uruguay as in most other Latin American countries. Holy Week, the week preceding Easter, is observed in Uruguay as Semana Criolla (Creole, or Native, Week), also known as Tourists' Week. A display of gaucho skills is one of the main attractions. Similar to a rodeo, it features expert riding, bull parades, knife throwing, and lassoing. The gaucho's traditional lasso is the boleadoras, a rope of leather with heavy balls at the end, which, when thrown accurately, ensnares an animal around the legs and brings it to a halt. Singing contests and folk dancing also enliven Semana Criolla. Folksingers accompanied by their guitars preserve the traditional gaucho ballads of adventure and love. Another great attraction is Carnival, which takes place just before Lent. In Montevideo, the celebration lasts a week or more. Parades, costumed performers, public balls, colored lights, and flowers transform the city, which spills over with high spirits. The high points of Carnival are the special musical and dramatic entertainments called tablados, which are performed on a low stage or platform. There is fierce competition for the valuable prizes given for the best performances among the various groups, each of which presents a tablado. Costume designers, performers, and musicians prepare and rehearse months ahead of the event. Each group is assigned a section of the main street for its stage. Although the blacks are few in number, they have had great influence upon the music and celebrations of Carnival. Typically African rhythms and instruments charge the atmosphere with emotion, particularly in the musical form known as the can-domble. The tango and the milonga, two popular dances, represent a mixture of African and Spanish influences. Local Cuisine Uruguayans have always eaten large amounts of beef, and today hold the distinction of being the fourth-largest consumers of meat per capita in the world. With the arrival of the European immigrants, the traditional diet of churrasco, grilled or spit-roasted beefsteak, and a few vegetables was augmented by Italian pastas and Spanish stews. More recently, a large variety of products from the United States—from soft drinks to frozen dinners—are bringing further changes to the country's eating habits. The national beverage of Uruguay is mate, a drink made from an aromatic herb and similar in its effect to coffee or tea. It is sipped through a bombilla, a tube made of metal, which is attached to the mate gourd, a small, ball-shaped container. Puchero, a dish of Spanish origin, was formerly a staple in many homes. It consists of beef cooked with vegetables, sausages, and other ingredients and flavored with a spicy sauce. The asado—the South American barbecue—is a popular event. It often features asado con cuero, a fat young cow barbecued with the skin on, to seal in the juices. Friends and Neighbors There is a strong kinship between the peoples of Uruguay and Argentina. Only about 40 minutes from Buenos Aires by plane, Montevideo is geographically closer to the capital of Argentina than to cities in northern Uruguay. Books, magazines, radio and television programs, movies, concerts, and art exhibitions originating in Buenos Aires are readily available to Montevideans. Although Montevideo has an extensive cultural system of its own, including a number of television stations and daily newspapers, it is, to some degree, a satellite city of Buenos Aires. It is not unusual for a Uruguayan traveling in another Spanish-speaking country to be mistaken for an Argentine. The accent and inflections of residents of Montevideo are quite similar to those of the Portehos, the inhabitants of Buenos Aires. The distinctive speech sound is the yefsmo, in which // and y are pronounced like the s in measure or vision. Some of the popular expressions used in the two cities are derived from Italian immigrants. For example, ciao, an Italian greeting, is as commonly used in Montevideo and Buenos Aires as it is in Rome. The cultural life of Argentina has also been influenced by the Uruguayan artists, writers, and intellectuals who are attracted to the busy metropolis of Buenos Aires. It appears that a Uruguayan must be accepted in Buenos Aires in order to triumph in his or her own country. Uruguay's long coastline of magnificent beaches provides favorite vacation spots for millions of holiday seekers, particularly from Argentina and the southern part of Brazil. During the summer months (January through March), tourism provides a vast source of income for Uruguay. In turn, there is a constant flow of people from Montevideo to Buenos Aires during the winter months (July through September). This continual interchange of visitors strengthens the bond between the two capitals, forging a unity that has withstood the separation of political divisions. Land and Country One of the smallest of the South American republics, Uruguay is situated on the continent's east coast between Argentina and Brazil. Uruguay was known during colonial times as Banda Oriental, a name de rived from its location on the eastern bank of the Uruguay River. Except for the northern and northeastern borders, which touch Brazil, Uruguay is almost completely bounded by bodies of water. On the east, Lake Mirim separates Uruguay from the southern coastal tip of Brazil and the Atlantic Ocean. On the south, it is bordered by the estuary of the Rfo de la Plata, and on the west, it is bounded by the Uruguay River, which separates it from Argentina. Uruguay is rich in waterways. However, all the rivers are short and of little navigational importance, with the exceptions of the western part of the Rio Negro and the two great rivers that form the country's western and northern borders. Outside of the northern highlands, which are a continuation of the Brazilian plateau, Uruguay is a land of rolling, grassy plains and low hills. The tallest point of the Sierra de las Animas mountain range is Mirador Nacional Mountain, which is 1,644 ft. (540 m.) high. Almost three-fourths of the country's total area of 68,037 sq. mi. (176,215 sq. km.) consists of natural pasturelands. Probably because of the blue-purple tint of the flowers and grass that cover its undulating pastures, Uruguay was called the "Purple Land" in a book of that title written by 19th-century British author William Henry Hudson. Uruguay also lies outside the usual Latin American framework because of the foreign influences that have played a part in its history. Following liberation from Spain, a number of South and Central American countries came under the political and economic influence of the United States. Uruguay, on the other hand, functioned as if it were a part of the world community associated with the British Empire. This relationship had its roots in the role that Britain played in mediating the treaty that established Uruguay as an independent state in 1828. After World War II and the reorganization of the British Empire, Uruguay began to move toward the North American orbit; but without British support during its first century of independence, Uruguay might not have been able to retain its identity as a nation. However, the ties with Britain were economic ones and rarely extended to the cultural life of Uruguay. In this area, Uruguay was much more influenced by the French. France's intellectual domination of Spain during a period in the 18th century made a lasting impression on the Spaniards who later settled in Uruguay. Uruguay is distinctive, also, in being the only South American country that spends more on education than it does on defense. Uruguay has no compulsory military service. The close proximity of its two powerful neighbors, Brazil and Argentina, makes the prospect of international warfare unlikely, and the functions of Uruguay's army in the past have been more ceremonial than military. Since the early part of the 20th century, Uruguay has had a social-security system that has been unique, not only in Latin America, but also in the entire world. Uruguayans have been the recipients of such benefits as maximum working hours, minimum wage rates, pension and retirement plans, family allowances for workers, free medical care for those unable to pay, and free education. Among other innovations, Uruguay was the first country in Latin America to legalize divorce laws that protect women; the first to give women the right to vote; and the first to make voting obligatory. The death penalty was abolished years ago. | |
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Article Contributors Anonymous user updated 1 year ago Anonymous user updated 1 year ago |
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