Culture & Cultural Activities in Paraguay
Members of an indigenous tribe called the Guarani were once the primary occupants of Paraguay. When Spanish settlers arrived in 1500, many of them took Guarani wives, thereby creating a fusion of European and indigenous cultures. As a result, many natives of Paraguay speak both Spanish and Guarani. Some speak Jopara, which is a mixture of the two languages. This cultural melange also expresses itself in embroidery, music and culinary arts.
Lace Making
The art of lace making, called "nanduti," clearly illustrates how the blending of Spanish and Guarani craft forms created a distinct Paraguayan culture. The wheel-based lace design, called "ruedas," originated in Spain and Portugal in the 1700s. The conquistadors and missionaries introduced this craft to South American countries, including Paraguay. Paraguayans in turn introduced their own lace design, called "nanduti," meaning spider web. As this craft evolved, the Paraguayans added palm leaf shapes to their lace design. The Paraguay town of Itaugua conducts a Nanduti festival in July, where visitors can watch the lace-making process and purchase lace products.
Music
In the middle of the 19th century, the people of Paraguay developed three types of polka music: the Galopa, the Krye’y and the Canción Paraguaya, or Paraguayan Song. Like most polka rhythms, the Galopa and the Kyre'y are lively and upbeat. In contrast, the Cancion Paraguaya has a slow and melancholic rhythm. In 1925, a musician named Jose Asuncion Flores developed a musical style called Guarania. Slow, soulful and full of emotional angst, this musical style was an immediate success. Encouraged, Flores went on to compose longer pieces, called symphonic guarania. In Asuncion, Teatro Municipal (teatromunicipal.com.py) is Paraguay's main venue for concerts, dance performances and theater.
Musical Instruments
Like other cultural forms in Paraguay, the choice of musical instruments shows influence from both Spanish and Guarani cultures. In rural sections of the country, people play the instruments of the indigenous people, including flutes composed of sugar cane and rattles made of gourds. The early conquistadors brought the Spanish guitar and Spanish harp to Paraguay. These two instruments continue to play a key role in modern Paraguayan musical forms. Paraguay's rock music culture takes its inspiration from Caribbean musical styles.
Ceramics
The Guaranis also specialized in ceramic designs, and created objects such as funerary urns and jugs used for drinking. In Asuncion, the Museo del Barro (museodelbarro.com) features an extensive collection of indigenous ceramic, glass and clay works of art. The clay exhibit also features a series of sculptures. Created in the 20th and 21st centuries, these sculptures resulted from new kiln techniques developed in Paraguay. The museum also hosts temporary exhibits ranging from plastic art to photography.