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People & Culture

The Paraguayans are very friendly and hospitable people with a notable attitude of trust that is perceived each day.

Paraguay offers a diverse and unique culture.  The culture is created by the mixture of the traditional Spanish culture with the native Guarani (the dominant indigenous group in the area).

Paraguay has two official languages: Spanish and Guarani, the latter has achieved the status of the official language in the Americas. The majority of Paraguayans speak both languages.

Mate and Tereré

Tomando TereréThe Mate is like a green tea made from the leaves of the plant Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis). The mate is prepared by boling water and is usually consumed during the winter. The variant is Tereré Mate, which uses cold water and is consumed in the summer. The other alternative is cooked Mate (or Mate roasted), which is taken as a tea or coffee, mixed with milk and sugar. The Tereré  and the Mate are served in a guampa (like a cup) and is taken using a bombilla (a straw made of metal).

Usually, the mate or tereré is taken by a group of friends; they share the bombilla and the guampa. The guampa is passed from person to person and one person is responsible for filling it with water once the tea has consumed by every person in the group. The guampa continues around until someone says thank you or “gracias”. The ritual of mate and tereré is an important aspect within the Paraguayan culture and social life, when you visit someone's house, generally you are given either mate or tereré.

Music

Harpa ParaguayaDespite the strong influence of the Guarani culture, the ever-popular Paraguayan music is predominantly of European origin, being introduced by the presence of the Jesuit missionaries during the colonial period.

The best known musical styles are the Polka and the Guarania. The Polka, which adopted the name of a European cult, has fast sound and is usually danced. The Guarania has a slower pace, melancholy musical style. The Guarania was created in 1925 by a well-known local musician and composer named José Asunción Flores.

Traditionally, both musical styles use the harp or guitar, which were brought by the conquerors and eventually took their own style in the country. The Paraguayan harp is distinguished and internationally recognized, and has been part of the country's national identity.

Dance

Danza ParaguayaThe traditional Paraguayan dance is based on the Polka, which is usually danced in pairs.  But, there is also a sub-style called Galopa Polka, which is danced by a group of women who wear clay jars on their heads.

Folk Art

Folk art is a fusion of styles of the Indigenous with notable influences from Spanish settlers. Paraguay is also famous for its embroidery and fabrics developed El Ñandutíknown as Ao Po'i, usually used for making garments. There is another type of colorful embroidery, which is called Ñandutí.  In simple terms, the Ñandutí resembles a spider web.  
Other typical crafts of Paraguay include woodwork, pottery, leather, and silver, known as “Filigrana”

ChipaFood

Typical Paraguayan foods are based on corn and yucca (mandioca). Yucca is usually boiled to remove “el almidón” (which is a thin powder) in order to make Chipa, which is a special form of bread.  The chipa is made by adding the yucca with milk, cheese, and eggs.

Chipa is an important part of Paraguayan culture and is prepared mostly during Holy Week. Corn is used to prepare two typical dishes of the country: Chipá Guasú and Sopa Paraguaya.

Religión

The majority of Paraguayans are Roman Catholic. Like the other countries in Latin America, Catholicism contains strong elements of indigenous superstition, known as Popular Religiosity.

The religious festivals are important events in the country and are usually celebrated with the family. Besides Christmas and Easter, other important religious events include the “la Fiesta de San Juan” (the Saint John Party-June 23rd) and the “laVirgen de Caacupé” (the Virgin Caacupe-December 8).

Official Holidays

January 1 - New Year's Day
March 1 - Heroes' Day
Last week of March and first week of April - Holy Thursday and Good Friday
May 15 - Independence Day
June 12 - Peace of the Chaco War
December 8 - Virgin Caacupé.
December 25 – Christmas

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