Paraguay customs
The Republic of Paraguay is simply referred to as Paraguay. It is a landlocked country in central South America. It was originally inhabited by Guarani Indians. The southern border is completely bordered by Argentina, and the northeastern and northwest corners are Brazil and Bolivia respectively. The land area is 406,800 square kilometers. The total population is 7.033 million (2014), of which 95% are Indians and Indo-European mixed races. Catholicism is the state religion. The official languages are Spanish and Guarani (national languages). The capital is Asunción.
is the same as that of many Latin American countries. Since Paraguay was under Spanish colonial rule for a long time, its cultural habits have been deeply influenced by Spain. For example, when Paraguay people say hello: "Muchou. "Gustou" means "very nice to meet you" in Spanish.
In Paraguay, people dress more casually in daily life, and often wear Western-style clothing for formal occasions. Some of the local Indians still maintain their original dress customs. Their most common ornament is lip decoration, a small stick embedded on the lower lip. Women and children wear a collar.
and local Indian boys usually hold a coming-of-age ceremony until they are 14. After the tribal chief pricked the boy's lower lip, the rest of the men prayed to the god "Tupa" and could only eat corn porridge for three consecutive days. From then on, he had the same rights as adults.
Girls have to undergo certain tests even when they reach the age of 13. People locked her in the house and separated her with a barrier. For three weeks, the girl could only eat a small amount of food, could not speak or laugh, and looked at the ground. Girls then have the same rights as adult women.
in social occasions, and Paraguay people pay great attention to etiquette. When meeting guests, they usually shake hands. But if a woman reaches out to a man, the man must shake hands with him. Men must never reach out to shake hands with women first. For relatives and friends, men hug each other when meeting, and women kiss each other. Moreover, when Paraguay people walk with friends, they often like to hold their arms in arm, and they also like to be close to each other when talking to others. Therefore, if you want to communicate with local people, you must learn to adapt to these ways of showing closeness.
When talking to Paraguay, you should also avoid touching on political topics. Appropriate topics are family, sports and weather. Don't praise the other person's personal effects too enthusiastically, otherwise he may give them to you as a gift.
If you are invited to a Paraguay home, flowers or wine are suitable gifts. The local meal is lunch, and families usually gather together for lunch whenever circumstances permit. They are accustomed to having dinner late and don't eat until about 8-9 years later. He is also good at drinking beer and often hands a cup to a friend. Locals also like to drink a kind of mate tea. It is an evergreen shrub. The more guests drink, the happier the host will be.
There are also many local flavors in Paraguay, mainly including: delicious catfish surubi), nutritious Paraguay croissants called Paraguay soup sopaparaguaya), beef and vegetable soup soyo), and delicious tapioca juice. Paraguay beef is worth tasting, and there is also an iced herbal tea Terere. There are also many Brazilian restaurants that serve you Brazilian barbecues and buffets.
There are also performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in nightclubs and restaurants. Women in traditional costumes put a vat on their heads and danced La Botia, while Gaochu people danced brightly to the melody of percussion music. In the restaurant, you can also enjoy guitar and harp playing, which are indispensable for Paraguay music.
Paraguay is also known as the "weaving country." Itaugua is a beautiful place of hand-knitted ribbons, where you can buy cheap tablecloth knitted by the Guarani people. The more famous local products in Paraguay include matai tea and its tea sets, spider embroidery, hand-woven tablecloth, curtains, leather carvings, etc., all of which can be purchased at drug stores or roadside on the main streets of the city center.
Paraguay people also designated the five days before the New Year as "Cold Food Days." No one can make a fire to cook, but can only eat cold milk and other food to commemorate the Paraguay Revolutionary Army soldiers in the War of Independence more than 100 years ago. Because the Paraguay revolutionary army soldiers ran out of ammunition and food five days before the New Year, but the revolutionary army soldiers still fought to the death and defeated the enemy.
The Guarani people in Paraguay also have a custom of house burial. After a person dies, relatives and friends will put the deceased's used items into a wooden box and bury them with the deceased.