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CLICK HERE FOR A Sample Of What You Will See While Learning Spanish And Culture In Intibuca
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Spanish Language Institute Of Intibuca
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The Lenca Indian HeritagesThere Are Several Lenca Indian Heritages in IntibucaA. The Educated Urban Mestizo CultureThese are the shopowners, professionals, teachers and
government workers who They are the real power in the community as the decisions they make affect the life of the others. They are the ones who do all the activities that control the culture. They serve on committees, do the political activities, run the community activities and are the people who dress well. Usually the women of this class wear suits. The men usually dress well but not elegantly. B. The Working Class Urban Dwellers
C. The Wealthy Landowners
These are the lucky landowners who usually live on large
tracts inherited from their Many of these people treat their workers well and are kind to them allowing them to eat from the plantain, potatoes, corn and other crops they produce. Their concerns are the prices for coffee or beans and have little interest in other aspects of life except soccer and politics. Often they are active in the political party of their choice. D. The Poor Rural Mountain PeopleThese are the people we usually think of when we say Lenca. They live in small mountain aldeas like Ologosi, Chogola and others where they have lived for centuries. They usually inherit their small farms and seldom sell their properties. Many of these properties are not even titled but their families have lived on the same plot for centuries.
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live well. The women work very hard and long hours but the life of the
men is not very difficult. When their work day is over they sit down
while their wives who may have worked just as hard prepare their food and
serve them by placing their plates on the table. They have enough
food, nice clothes, usually a vehicle and live well according to local
standards.
These
are the servants, the yard workers, those who work the trucks and do all the
scut work of the culture. They are poorly paid and seldom eat well.
They work hard long hours for very little. They do not receive bonuses, nor
does anyone ever say "Good Work". They live at the mercy of their
employer and one look or one word of protest could lead to their being fired
without question and without mercy. These are the people who make the lives
of the Educated Urban Mestizo people satisfying. They have no power and no
say in how the culture develops.
ancestors. Many are descendents of the Spanish but there are pure
Lencas who also own land. They often have lovely homes in the
countryside with many workers who tend the crops and do all the work.
They usually also have a nice home in town where they hold fiestas and enjoy
a good life.
They
walk to town to buy groceries (rice, corn flour, sugar, tomato sauce,
spices, salt. margarine, lard, yeast, condiments and candles) all the basic
requirements for living in the bush. Often they bring produce or fire
starters (ochote pine) to market in town. Often women bake bread and cookies
and bring them down the mountain in large pan on top of their heads.
These are the people who were here when the Spanish came and their
lives have changed little over the centuries.
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