CULTUREGUIDE CHILE SERIES 1 PRIMARY (K–6) Photo by Olga Stalska on Unsplash CHILE CULTUREGUIDE This unit is published by the International Outreach Program of the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University as part of an effort to foster open cultural exchange within the educational community and to promote increased global understanding by providing meaningful cultural education tools. Curriculum Development Matthew Gardner spent two years in Chile as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He majored in international studies at Brigham Young University, with a minor in Latin American studies. He was a 2002 Outreach participant. Editorial Staff Content Review Committee Victoria Blanchard, CultureGuide Jeff Ringer, director publications coordinator Cory Leonard, assistant director International Outreach David M. Kennedy Center Editorial Assistants Ana Loso, program coordinator Leticia Adams International Outreach Adrianne Gardner Elisabeth Guyon Eliza A. Tanner, professor of communications Megan Hale Brigham Young University Anvi Hoang Yolanda H. Adams, area specialist Antoinette Longman Kimberly Miller Rebecca Thomas Julie Volmar Audrey Weight J. Lee Simons, editor Kennedy Center Publications For more information on the International Outreach program at Brigham Young University, contact International Outreach, 273 Herald R. Clark Building, PO Box 24537, Provo, UT 84604- 9951, (801) 422-3040, [email protected]. © 2005 International Outreach, David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602. Material contained in this packet may be reproduced for single teacher use in the classroom as needed to present the enclosed lessons; the packet is not to be reproduced and distributed to other teachers. Additional packets may be obtained by contacting International Outreach at (801) 422-3040. Copyright Note: CultureGuide materials are the original creation of the curriculum developers and editorial staff, with the exception of country flags from Comstock.com, where noted. Included from the public domain is CIA World Factbook 2004 information found in the “Facts About” section and some- times the country map or flag. TABLE OF C ONTENTS Why Study Cultures? . 2 Traditions The Month of September . 3 Folklore & Language Chilean Spanish . 7 Food Popular Chilean Foods . 9 Cross-cultural Contributions Soccer . 13 Reference Material Facts about Chile . 17 History and Holidays . 18 Additional Resources . 20 Visuals . 22 W HY S TUDY C ULTURES? or most of us, cultures are misunderstood; they are nebulous, vague, and hidden. FLike the famous iceberg analogy, we know that most of what a culture is cannot be seen. But what does that mean? And why, then, should we study cultures if we do not know what we’re studying in the first place? In the late twentieth century, Brigham Young University did not embrace a new dis- cipline, but rather a new area of study—the study of cultures. Typically, anthropology is the social science that studies cultures. Why should they have all the fun? The study of cultures unites other academic disciplines (as needed), drawing upon litera- ture, political science, sociology, and even the more applied areas of nursing, social work, law, and business. The study of cultures has grown into nothing short of a revolt against disciplines, “a mode of inquiry” that looks at things in new ways.1 In 1982, the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies established International Outreach as a formal program to help build bridges of intercultural understanding. Since then, more than 10,000 gratis cultural presentations have been given to local area public schools, taking students to new places using language, mul- timedia, and imagination. CultureGuides derive from the same expertise that has been honed in classrooms—with the exciting exception that these intercultural learning tools are not geographically bound. Thanks to the Internet, accessible multimedia tech- nology, and our trusty eMACs, a limitless audience can learn about different cultures. Globalization, the driving paradigm of the post-Cold War world, means that now, more than ever, culture matters. Culture is the invisible context that may keep us from understanding important people, places, and ideas; it exists whether or not we think about it. Intercultural education can help us, not only as an intellectual exer- cise, but also in very practical ways to combat racism, to expand business, and to communicate effectively. CultureGuides share the same aim as Edward T. Hall, the eminent cultural scholar, to try to “make culture real.”2 Even though our “student guides” are not present in every classroom, we hope that CultureGuides will make classrooms of the mind and cultural laboratories wherever you may reside. 1 Ziauddin Sardar and Borin Van Loon. Introducing Cultural Studies, Totem Books, New York: 1998. 2 The Edge: The E-Journal of Intercultural Relations, Summer 1998, Vol. 1(3) Posted 10/11/98, http://interculturalrelations.com/v1i3Summer1998/sum98sorrellshall.htm. 2 International Outreach CultureGuides T RADITIONS THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER September is an important month for Chileans. On 6 September, Chileans have a “Day of Reconciliation” for those who died in the 1973 military coup that occurred on 11 September. On 11 September, many people protest the coup. They also cele- brate their independence from Spain on 18 September. The holidays that occur in September display Chile’s unique cultural values and traditions. Starting Points 1. Explain why September is an important month in Chile. Give a brief background of the history of 6, 11, and 18 September. This should lead nicely into a discus- sion of the traditions and events that occur during this time period. 2. With the students, discuss how the United States celebrates the Fourth of July. Next, analyze the similarities and differences in the ways that Chileans celebrate their independence day. 3. Show the students the picture of the flag of Chile (see Flag of Chile). Discuss how the flag was modeled after the flag of the United States. Lead a discussion about why Chile may have chosen to do this. Information Military Coup of 1973 A coup occurs when the military of a country takes control by forcing the country’s ruler out of office. On 11 September 1973, General Augusto Pinochet [pee-no-shay], the head of the Chilean military, led a coup that overthrew the socialist government run by Salvador Allende [a-yen-day]. During the three years that Allende was in power, the economy and the people of Chile suffered. On the day of the coup, Allende was killed in La Moneda, the presidential palace. General Pinochet was the mastermind behind thousands of deaths that occurred dur- ing the weeks and months that followed the coup. Pinochet held power until 1990. In 1998, at the request of Spain, the British government arrested him while he was in England for back surgery. Spain hoped to have Pinochet tried for the war crimes he committed in the 1970s and 1980s, but after months of dispute, England let him go because of his deteriorating health. Chile remembers those who died in the military coup with an official holiday that takes place on 6 September. On 11 September, many people go to the streets to protest the coup. Protesters put up barricades near foreign embassies, forcing the micros [mee-crows], or buses, to stop running. Although this day is not an official holiday, most people are not required to work. International Outreach CultureGuides 3 Chilean Independence Day On 18 September, Chileans celebrate the independence their country gained from Spain in 1810. Centuries before, Spain claimed the land of Chile and established cities across its frontier. In the nineteenth century, Latin America experienced a strong push for independence. Each Latin American country had different leaders that helped them attain their independence. Don Bernardo O’Higgins is celebrated as an important liberator of Chile. Another individual famous for his efforts is Don Jose San Martín, who crossed the Andes Mountains on horseback from Argentina and surprised the Spaniards in Santiago. The Chilean flag represents the independence of Chile (see Flag of Chile). The flag looks similar to the United States flag with its red stripe, white stripe, and blue field with a white star in the upper left corner. The Chileans actually designed their flag using the flag of the United States as an example. During September, the flag is displayed everywhere. It is quite common to hear people say that it is against the law not to fly the flag during the period of celebration and that it is against the law to continue to fly it afterward. Although Chilean independence includes the Mapuche [mah-poo-chay] Indians, these native Chileans claim they have never been defeated. They believe that they are independent from the Chilean state and government. Kite Flying September is a spring month in Chile, and the weather is perfect for being outdoors. During the September festivities, people commonly have barbecues and play soccer. Children also play unique games in the streets. One such game is kite flying. Chileans have a word for kite that is different than the word used by people from other Spanish-speaking countries. They call it a volantín [vo-lahn-teen]. Many of these kites are made by shop owners who are kite makers by trade. The kites include extremely long rolls of string containing pieces of glass. As the children fly their kites, each tries to get his or her kite above the others. Some children’s kites fly extremely high. The higher kites dive at lower ones and, with the glass in their strings, try to cut the strings of the other kites. When a kite’s string is cut, the kite plummets to the earth and the first child that reaches it is the new owner. Many of the kites land in trees.