The state of Honduras is considered to be a typical Latin American country, to which a strong Spanish influence was exerted. Much of the country's population is mestizo with a low standard of living, and they are mainly engaged in agriculture. In many rural communities in Honduras there are still established traditions and an entrenched way of life that has not changed in a few hundred years.
Traditions in society
One of the main traditions of Honduras in society is the greeting. It begins with a friendly "good day." And local residents consider it impolite on their part to cheat someone with a greeting, so they greet everyone present. Good rules are considered strong handshakes when meeting men and symbolic kisses in women. At the table, the people of Honduras traditionally wish everyone a pleasant appetite, since politeness is one of the main local customs that is observed everywhere and in everything. Since ancient times it has developed in such a way that attention is paid to a particularly important place. Having come to visit, for example, it is customary to give both the owners of the house and the children small presents.
Interesting is the fact that the Hondurans with genuine respect refer to the level of education of the interlocutor, emphasizing it when necessary. In society, people are traditionally referred to a person according to his professional status, for example "Dr. Amador" or "Professor Nunez". Such statuses in Honduras are displayed on both signboards and business cards. If the status of a resident is unknown, then simply "seigneur" is applied to him, a married lady is usually called "seigneur", and an adult girl is called "senorita". Only "don" and "donja" are treated to respected people. Such forms of treatment, combined with professional status, form a rather complex and intricate form of greeting, considering that each Hondurian has two names and two surnames.
Family traditions
The status of the family in Honduras is a special responsibility. Almost all families here are large, so they try to stay together. The family consists of several generations and numerous relatives along the side lines. With special honor and respect, residents of the country are among the oldest members of the family - grandparents. Because of the low standard of living and disease, few people live to the old age, so the families cherish the experience of older generations. Poverty forces all the members of the family to unite in order to survive in difficult conditions. Grandparents usually engage in a garden and a garden, grandmothers run the kitchen, parents work (mostly in the market), and the children are in the care of senior family members or uncles and aunts who raise their kids.
Traditions in Education
In Honduras, schooling is compulsory for all children from 7 to 14 years old. However, in fact, most of the students study only 2 or 3 classes, leaving the school to help their parents. This is due not so much to the poverty of the local population as to the problem of getting to school from remote areas of the country in time. In Honduras, there is a general shortage of educational institutions, teachers and teaching materials, so in most schools the classes are filled to 50 students. In the depths of Honduras, the population is nominally literate, but they can not actually write and read, since after the primary school course, literature does not fall into their hands.
The country's educational system has 3 levels: 6 years of primary school, 3 years of general secondary school and 3 years of studying a specialized program before entering the university. Honduras has a gender-based education system, although the school uniform is compulsory for both girls and boys. Teaching is in native Spanish, but some schools in the Isles de la Bahia teach English. The school year is traditionally opened in February, and students leave for the holidays in November.
Traditions in Religion
In spite of the fact that Honduras is a predominantly Catholic country, it is often noted here that the church is consecrated freely, civil marriage ceremonies are quite acceptable. The Honduran constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but the state sponsors Catholic schools, and religious education is included in the compulsory curriculum. A huge role in the life of the country is played by the Roman Catholic Church. Local residents willingly participate in religious festivals, mostly try to observe all church traditions, but the temples are not visited regularly. And in rural areas there is a clear mixture of Catholicism with local culture and religion. Sacred and heavenly patrons play an important role in local spirituality. Most of the holidays are connected with them.
Traditions in clothes
The style of clothing in Honduras is fairly democratic. At business meetings it is customary to appear in European-style suits, and in everyday life most of Hondurans manages light shirts and jeans. At the same time, national suits do not lose their popularity and relevance: various wide-brimmed hats and widely sewn leather pants. At festive and official events, men appear in suits or tuxedos, and women - in strict evening dresses. It is not customary to wear casual clothes in business circles and on holidays. Beach clothes and shorts are acceptable only within the shoreline and resorts, although on the islands of Islas de la Bahia this is less conservative.
Traditional festivals and festivals
In Honduras, as in other countries of the region, numerous celebrations and bright carnivals are held annually. A significant event in the country is the spectacular fair of La Virgen de Sayap , which lasts the first two weeks of February. In the third week of May, the Hondurans gather at a carnival in La Ceiba , which is accompanied by a parade with a costumed procession and live music. Bright religious events are held on the eve of Christmas Eve.
At this time, the locals traditionally go to relatives, on the streets they wish everyone a happy Christmas, see a theatrical performance, and then gather at a table in the family circle. On Christmas usually various children's holidays and fireworks are arranged. In the New Year, Hondurans wear their best suits and at midnight on the street congratulate all the people who met. All this, of course, goes to music and dancing.