Choosing a Culture: Assignment One

Assignment One 

Activity #1

Map of Venezuela

The country I have chosen for my cultural portfolio is Venezuela, a country at the top of South America, whose entire northern boundary is the Caribbean Sea.  When I was a child, I learned that my favorite Chicago White Sox player, a shortstop by the name of Alfonso “Chico” Carrasquel, was from Venezuela.  That was the first time I had heard that country’s name.  Later, the Sox recruited another Venezuelan named Luis Aparacio, who also played shortstop like Chico; more recently the Sox won the 2005 World Series with Venezuelan Ozzie Guillen, as manager.  More recently, I learned that Major League Baseball has been very actively involved in running training facilities in that country for a number of years.   Other things I know from reading the newspapers and watching the news on television are that Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the Western Hemisphere and that politically, its President, Hugo Chavez, is not well liked by the U.S. government.  Because of these experiences, I have chosen to learn more about the culture of Venezuela, particularly its history, politics, educational system, present-day economy, among other things, as they affect the lives of today’s Venezuelan Spanish-speaking citizens.

Activity #2

The Flag of Venezuela

1)  As a definition of culture, I would suggest it means all the aspects of human activity within the confines of time, place, and resources that a given social group of humans create for themselves.  That includes language, economic activity, religious or spiritual beliefs and practices, social stratification and organization, norms and values, marriage and family life, geographical resources and foods available for consuming, customs, and leisure activities and arts.  A society’s cultural beliefs and practices, I think, determine the course and quality of life for each member of that society.  As such, I believe it is the underpinning that helps individual members of that group survive and, hopefully thrive.

Placed alone on a small desert island, humans by themselves would likely lose the structures as well as the know-how to survive for long.

Plaza de Altamira, Caracas

(2)  The 3^rd Edition of the Oxford Encyclopedia English Dictionary provides this definition: “(2a) the customs, civilization, and achievements of a particular time or people, or (2b) the way of life of a particular society or group.  (1996, p. 347)  My definition does correspond to the dictionary’s, though I have tried to include more specifics. 

(3)  Like most of us, much of my culture was the product of my parent’s experience.  I was born into a family in the Midwest of the United States by first generation Americans of Scandinavian heritage at the end of World War II.  So much of my early years were shaped by values and practices of that time and place:  being educated as far as I could go; belief in hard work and achieving; being informed and engaged in civic affairs; being a good protestant in the Lutheran Church; giving unstinted love and support to family members; using good “educated” language (no swearing or using uncouth words!).  These provided a backbone.  In college, I chose to major in the liberal arts because I felt it important to study the great ideas and thinkers of the present and past and to read works of great literature.  College tuition was very cheap then, too!  These studies have definitely been crucial in shaping my curiosity and interest in literature, philosophy, the arts, history, foreign language, sociology, anthropology, politics, and science.  I am a ‘60’s kid who still loves rock n’ roll and who did get involved in the civil rights struggle and protested against the Viet Nam War.  Teaching school introduced me to the challenges as well as the delights of helping young people become the best they can be.  Now retired, I have found that my income is about 55% lower; I am no longer upper middle class.  My desire to travel will be affected by that situation.   One additional note about my experience: I lived in Canada for 12 years, and that has impacted and strengthened my earlier liberal views about the role of government, especially health care.  On the other hand, while I was there, I always felt American, never Canadian, which is why I ultimately did not seek citizenship there when I could have.

Simón Bolívar

(4)  As mentioned in the first activity of this portfolio,   I know that Venezuelans play American baseball, that oil is their major export, and that their President currently is Hugo Chavez.  I’ve also learned in this class that their national hero is Simón Bolívar who was their father of independence, and that their political history is rather mixed with elements of disruption—coups and dictatorships—as well as years of calm and democratic government.  In the 16^th century, Spanish colonial explorers arrived to search for gold and other riches, while missionaries came to convert the Amerindian natives and build Roman Catholic missions and churches. With them they brought their language and governmental forms which they imposed on the native populations.  This history is pretty typical of Spanish colonization in the Western Hemisphere of all the Americas.  I’m ready now to learn more about the culture of Venezuela.

_______________________________________

Reference

The Oxford encyclopedic English dictionary. (1996). New York: Oxford University Press.

Venezuelan Baseball

Artifact 1



Venezuelan National Team

 Venezuelan Baseball  

In most countries of the world, sports play a major role in shaping its culture.  That is certainly true in Venezuela, where there are professional leagues for baseball, fútbol (soccer), and basketball.  As well, individual sports such as tennis, paragliding in the Andes region, and horseback riding in the grass lands are popular. But the most popular sport of all, played by children and adults throughout the country is baseball.

Early game in Caracas

Because baseball originated in the United States toward the end of the 19^th Century, I was surprised to learn how quickly men began playing the game in Venezuela. In 1895, some students studying at American universities learned the game here and brought it back to show their friends.  They created The Caracas BBC, and splitting themselves into “The Red” and “The Blue” teams, played their first game on May 22, 1895.   Interestingly, that game was publicized in a newspaper named “El Tiempo,” but the reporter who wrote the article referred to the event as a “new kind of Chess game, the Base Bale.” (Landino, 2002)  It was only when photos appeared in a magazine several months later that the public came to understand “…this game of Base Ball provides health and strength to the body and happiness to the spirit.” (Landino, 2002)

  

During the ensuing years, many cities began to produce teams that seemed to come and go as the sport grew with clubs and participants.  Some of the teams during these early years of the 20^th Century had names like “Vargas,” Independencia,” “Los Samanes,” and “Magallanes (still a team today!).” (Landino, 2002)  The city of Maracaibo in the west of the country was an enthusiastic baseball town and by 1920, it had over 30 ball clubs and 10 stadiums!  Apparently the president of Venezuela, General Juan Vicente Gomez ordered the organization of the Maracay BBC “where he personally played as a pitcher, with his brothers and high government executives.” (Landino, 2002) 

Cardenales de Lara in 70's
from Barquisimeto, Venezuela

At this time there was no organization to arrange for formal competitions among all these teams.  Finally on January 15, 1930, a group called the Venezuelan Association of Baseball was formed to create professional tournaments and to promote and regulate the game.

Symbol for Caribbean Baseball Cup

Today the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League has eight teams divided into two divisions:  the Western and the Central-Eastern Divisions.  They play in the South American Winter League.  The championship is a Round Robin, consisting of two leading teams in each division, plus one wild card team; each team plays 16 games, and the winner earns the right to play in the Caribbean Series against teams from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Mexico. (Landino, 2002).

According to the Venezuelan Ambassador to the United States, Bernardo Álvarez, “Baseball is the center of our modern culture.  It’s part of our life.  It expresses the synthesis of modern Venezuela.” (Ortiz, 2007)  Others have stated that it is “more than a pastime, it is an integral part of the nation’s identity. (Ortiz, 2007)  Clearly, this American sport has been totally integrated into the Spanish culture of Venezuela, along with the cultures of several Spanish-speaking nations south of the United States.  Even President Hugo Chávez had hoped to play baseball in the military leagues as a left-handed pitcher. (Game Theory, 2011) 

President Hugo Chavez
swinging a bat.

I have been amazed to learn just how enthusiastic Venezuelans are about baseball.  In the US, baseball has largely been eclipsed in the public’s eye by other sports, especially football.  Weekends and now even weekdays feature games both professional and collegiate.  There is even an NBC program called Football Night in America, intimating this is what American culture is about!  What began in the 19^th Century with great enthusiasm here has been absorbed fully into Venezuelan life, becoming completely endemic to its culture during the past 118 years.

I have also learned that Luis Aparicio (whom I mentioned in an earlier article) not only  had been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, but that his city of Maracaibo “…considered [him] the greatest idol and legend of Venezuelan Baseball…”El Grande de Maracaibo.”(Landino, 2002)  I had no idea that “little Luis,” the shortstop I loved so much as a kid, was such a celebrated hero in his own country.

 

Reference List 

Baseball in Venezuela: Not-so-sweet home. (2011, November 11).  Game Theory

     [Web log].  Retrieved September 27, 2012 from      http://www.economist.com/blogs/gametheory/2011/11/baseball-venezuela.

Landino, L. A. (2002).  History of baseball in Venezuela.  Retrieved September 17, 2012       from  http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/fall02/landino.

Ortiz, M. B. (2007, November 18). Politics makes toxic mix with MLB’s investment in Venezuela.  Retrieved September 28, 2012 from http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=3077371&type=story.

Visual Artists of Venezuela

Juan Pedro López

Artifact 2

Visual Artists of Venezuela

I chose to research the topic of visual arts in Venezuela because I have a great interest in the work of people who create art that we can see and touch.  I have a cousin and several friends who have devoted their careers to working in these media.  As a result, I wanted to explore the work of Venezuelan visual artists to discover what their contributions have meant to the culture of Venezuela.

One of the earliest visual artists of Venezuela who painted and sculpted in the mid-18^th Century was Juan Pedro López (1724-1787). Like many European artists before and after him, he was commissioned by the Roman Catholic Church to create altar pieces, sculptures, and paintings based upon Biblical stories.  His work remains a recognizable presence in cathedrals as well as museums throughout Venezuela, and López remains one

of the country’s greatest painters (Lopez, n.d.)                 



Martin Tovar y Tovar

Martin Tovar y Tovar (1827-1902) is generally classified as an early modern realist.  After studying under several artists in Caracas, Madrid, and Paris, he became the official painter for the government.  According to Wikipedia, he was commissioned “to paint a gallery of portraits of leading figures.” (Tovar y Tovar, n.d.) As well, he created a series of paintings illustrating battles in Venezuela’s struggle for independence.

By the middle 19^th century, Venezuelan painters and sculptors joined a new art movement causing a stir in Paris.  Visual artists were experimenting with the effect of light on fleeting impressions in landscapes.  Arturo Michelena (1863-1898), born in Valencia, went to Paris to study and became “… the first Venezuelan artist to succeed overseas and, with…Martin Tovar y Tovar (1827-1902), one of the most important Venezuelan painters of the 19^th century.” (Arturo Michelena, n.d.)

Arturo Michelena

 


Emilio Boggio
Self Portrait

In the early 20^th Century, landscapes featuring impressionist techniques were notable in the works of painters Emilio Boggio (1857-1920) and Armando Reverón ((1889-1954).  Both traveled extensively during their careers between Venezuela and European art centers, with Boggio ultimately settling and dying in France. 

Armando Reveron

While Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro were known to be influences on Boggio, (Emilio Boggio, n.d.) Reverón who studied in Spain was very interested in the subjects and techniques of Francisco Goya and El Greco, among others. (Armando Reveron, n.d.) Reverón returned to Venezuela and settled in the central coastal area to focus on the effect of lighting of tropical landscapes.  He was known for his ‘blue period.’

  

Alejandro Otero

The mid-20^th Century artists, Alejandro Otero (1921-1990), Jesús Soto (1923-2005), and Carlos Cruz-Diéz (1923- ) are primarily known for their work in kinetic art—sculptures with moving parts.  Otero abandoned painting to focus on civic sculptures, receiving commissions for public art in many American cities.  One of them, called Delta Solar, was installed at the Air and Space Museum in Washington for the American Bicentennial. (Otero, n.d.).  According to Soto’s website, his sculptures require the viewer to be ‘in them’ so that the art “is inseparable from the viewer; it can only stand completed in the illusion perceived by the mind as a result of observing the piece.” (Jesus Soto, n.d.) 

  

Carlos Cruz-Diéz

Carlos Cruz-Diéz is internationally recognized with works of kinetic and op art and is one of the most important artists to come out of Venezuela.  He’s received many awards and honors and has been a teacher in Venezuela as well as Europe.  In 1997, The Carlos Cruz-Diéz Print and Design Museum was opened in Caracas.  Its goal was “to create “a graphic image of the country.’” (Carlos Cruz-Diez, n.d.)  He presently lives in Paris. 

______________________

One of the things I’ve noticed about Venezuelan artists is how over the course of years, their work has gravitated from being influenced by the politics of religion as well as the independence movement within the Spanish culture to a more apolitical approach to expression. 

The work of these Venezuelan artists reflects the changing subject matter, styles and techniques of the last 400 years in Spanish and European art.  From the religious work of López to the public art installations of both Soto and Cruz-Diéz, from the Baroque 18^th century to the op art and sculpture of today, Venezuelan artists have developed their own techniques, using their own landscapes and subject matter.  Today their Spanish academies, design centers, and museums exist to further the development of new artists as well as to contribute to an international body of work.  Their work today seems very separate from the strongly political nature of Venezuelan culture today, especially under the leadership of President Hugo Chavez.

Marlins Stadium Walkway
with Cruz-Diéz

I have enjoyed learning about all these artists and having a chance to view some of their work, with a few examples shown here.  I had no idea that a number of public art installations in the US have been completed by Otero and Soto, or that a walkway along the Florida Marlins new stadium was created by Venezuelan Diéz-Cruz.  If you wish to get a fuller appreciation of two of these men, follow the links below:

         Jesus Soto Website                Carlos Cruz-Diéz Website

Reference List

Alejandro Otero (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved October 7, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Otero.

Armando Reveron (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved October 7, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armando_Rever%C3%B3n.

Arturo Michelena (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved October 7, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arturo_Michelena.

Carlos Cruz-Diez (n.d.). Atelier Cruz-Diez.  Retrieved October 8, 2012 from http://www.cruz-diez.com/media_files/file/Cruz-Diez_CV_Eng_Summary.pdf.

Columbia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. (2009) World and Its Peoples: the

Americas.  New York: Marshall Cavendish References.

Emilio Boggio (n.d.). Artfact.  Retrieved October 7, 2012 from http://www.artfact.com/artist/boggio-emilio-gv7lp5fols .

Emilio Boggio (n.d.)  Wikipedia.  Retrieved October 9, 2012 from

            http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Boggio.

Jesús Soto (n.d.) Soto.  Retrieved October 8, 2012 from http://www.jr-soto.com/fset_intro.html.

Juan Pedro Lopez (n.d.).  artexperts.com Retrieved October 7, 2012 from http://www.artexpertswebsite.com/pages/artists/lopez.php.

Martin Tovar y Tovar (2003). Artfact. Retrieved October 7, 2012 from  http://www.artfact.com/artist/y-tovar-martin-tovar-rlyw2kacs9.

Oil: The Centerpiece of Venezuelan Wealth

Artifact #3

Oil:  The Centerpiece of Venezuelan Wealth

One thing I know about Venezuela, besides baseball, is that it has oil—lots of it.  So I wanted to investigate just how much it affects both the culture and the economy of the country.

Oil Rig on Lake Maracaibo

According to Cesar J. Alvarez and Stephanie Hanson in a paper from the Council on Foreign Relations, Venezuela has “proven oil reserves...among the top ten in the world.” They add that about 80% of the country’s total export revenue provides about 50% of government income.  That means that all other industries and services together provide the rest.  (2009, February 9)  The development of oil fields, production, refining, and export of oil are all the responsibility of the government oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PDVSA).  This company is state owned and includes subsidiaries formerly owned by foreign businesses (e.g., Shell, Exxon) before Venezuela nationalized them in 1976.

Lake Maracaibo Basin

Venezuela has the largest reserves of oil in the Western Hemisphere. Two regions of the country contain these oil fields.  The larger one lies in the northwest under Lake Maracaibo, the Caribbean and small islands.   Most of that oil is light, heavy crude. The smaller one in the southeast lies under the Orinoco River Delta and continues into Brazil; that oil is extra-heavy, tar-like crude, and is more difficult to refine.(Wilpert, 2003, August 30) The importance of oil to the culture and economy of Venezuela is shown by its being written into the nation’s constitution in 1999, under the presidency of Hugo Chavez.

Orinoco River Delta

For every barrel of oil produced from these oil fields, PDVSA must pay a royalty of 30% to the state.  According to hydrocarbon laws, “…all state activity related to oil exploration and production are to be dedicated to the public interest.” (Wilpert, G. 2003, August 30)  Who and what benefits, then, from the use of this revenue? 

Caracas Shantytown

Since Hugo Chavez came into office in 1998, he has formulated a plan to use these funds to benefit the poor through his “third way,” a kind of socialism especially dedicated to spreading land ownership, health care, and education for the poor.  He has created special schools to increase literacy rates among the poor; he has expropriated land holdings to give title to the millions of poor who squatted on land in the slums of the larger cities; he has arranged with Cuba to provide them with oil at a 40% discount in exchange for medical treatment in Cuba as well as the staffing of newly formed, free medical clinics in Venezuela by Cuban doctors and nurses. (Alvarez & Hanson, 2009, February 9)   

According to Francisco Toro in the Guardian, the

…near-mystical bond with the poor is the most important of the assets that oil funds.  Chavez has been careful to keep the spigots open, channeling a constant stream of populist giveaways to his supporters.  An oil-for-appliances deal with China, for example, has allowed Venezuela to import more than 3m Chinese-made stoves, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and flat-screen TVs, goodies handed out directly to governing party supporters as part of “My Well-Stocked Home” – a government social program, whose logo includes the comandante president’s face.  (2012, September 27)

Supporters of President Chavez
at Election Rally

While Toro’s remarks indicate a negative view of Chavez’s motives, the recent election results from this month indicate that his policies draw huge support from a large number of Venezuelan voters.  In 2007, PDVSA spent $14.4 billion on social programs (Alvarez & Hanson, 2009, February 9). 

________________________

Oil revenues have indeed been important in changing the lives of many Venezuelans for the better and in giving those with little hope for a decent life, the chance to have something more.  Oil has affected the economy, the politics, and the living conditions of the entire culture.  According to Wilpert, about 45% of Venezuelans in the formal economy work for the state in a bureaucracy which, he suggests, discourages entrepreneurial development.  Many economists express concern about the dominance of oil in the long-term interests of the country.  Because so much of its revenues come from oil, Venezuela is subject to the hazards of price fluctuations on the world market as well as inflation.  In many ways, it has put most its eggs in one basket and at present, the government has not invested nearly enough in other economic assets.

I have enjoyed learning about the part that oil plays in the economy as well as how Chavez uses that oil wealth to assist the poor.  He has also used it to influence the policies of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) to maintain a stable oil pricing strategy among all its members.  Finally, the government has been active in working to counter the influence of the United States in Latin America with trade and investment deals with Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Cuba.




CITGO Headquarters, Houston

CITGO Refinery
in Lemont, IL

I have learned that the Venezuelan Petroleum Company is the world’s 3^rd largest oil company, behind Saudi Aramco and ExxonMobil.  Did you know that through PDVSA, Venezuela bought CITGO oil in the US and now owns “one of the world’s largest refiners” in our own country? (Alvarez & Hanson, 2009, February 9)  Truly, oil is perhaps Venezuela’s most important cultural artifact, as it benefits the people in many ways and gives its government striking international influence among other nations. 

___________________________________________________________

Reference List

Alvarez, C.J. & S. Hanson. (2009, February 9).  Venezuela’s oil-based economy.  Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved on October 23, 2012 from  http://www.cfr.org/economics/Venezuelas-oil-based-economy/pl12089.

Toro, F. (2012, September 27). The Hugo Chávez cult is over.  The Guardian.  Retrieved on September 27, 2012 from

       http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/27/hugo-chavez-cult-oil-venezuela?newsfeed=true.

Wilpert, G. (2003, August 30).  The Economics, culture, and politics of oil in Venezuela.  Venezuelanalysis.com. Retrieved on September 27, 2012 from http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/74.

Education in 21st Century Venezuela

Education in 21st Century Venezuela

 

University Classroom Building

Educating the people of Venezuela until the last 15 years has been a spotty effort, filled with fits and starts.  The authors of Wikipedia state that education “in colonial Venezuela was neglected compared to other parts of the Spanish Empire which were of greater economic interest.” (n.d.)  While the first university was founded in 1721, there was little formalized education until the 1890’s.  More recently, and especially under the current presidential administration of Hugo Chavez, huge increases in both funding and constitutional imperatives have resulted in a literacy rate of 93.1%, the second highest in Latin America. (Venezuela’s Inclusive, 2012)

Primary Students at Lunch

Schooling today is compulsory for children from preschool through what we call high school, and while higher education is not required, students enjoy a free and full access to education at all levels, including university.  The system breaks down into 4 distinct levels, from ages 3 to 15.    The first level is preschool for children 3-6 years; the next level is primary and includes ages 6-11; that is followed by schooling for ages 12-15.  That roughly breaks down close to what we have here.  Secondary school has two different “tracks” and these include either a two-year or a three-year option.  Diversified is for students to train in the arts or humanities or the sciences and lasts two years.  A three-year course called “Técnicos medios” is for technicians in areas such as agriculture, health, and industrial.  (Venezuela-Education, n.d.)

University Students

Venezuela has both public and private schools and universities.  Most of the private schools are Roman Catholic, though their curriculum is overseen by the central government.  The remaining 7% of eligible people who remain illiterate are largely the impoverished or the indigenous peoples. 

 

 

To that end, the Chavez government has set up what are called “Bolivarian” schools, to assist those who haven’t been able to attend regular schools and who remain illiterate.  As well, there are 44 indigenous tribes living in the Orinoco River jungles and Amazon regions in the far south of the country that are being served through these.   Founded in 2004, the Indigenous University serves these folks in the heart of the jungle.  According to Daniels, “…”about 100 students from many of the country’s…tribes come to the university which teaches ancient customs alongside modern law and technology. …one student is currently working on a plan for a forest farming thesis on a laptop in a dirt-floor hut.” (2011)

Attending class at Indigenous University

While the benefits that the Chavez government has put into place are immense that push Venezuela into the forefront of world-wide literacy campaigns, there may be at least one reason to feel cautious.  According to Wikipedia, Mr. Chavez published an official reading list in May 2009.

 ’The Revolutionary Reading Plan’ will feature theorist Karl Marx, revolutionary Che Guevara, and liberator Simon Bolivar.  According to Venezuela’s culture ministry, the compulsory book list is being designed to help schoolchildren eliminate ‘capitalist thinking’ and better understand the ideals and values ‘necessary to build a socialist country. (n.d.)

____________________

The effort to reduce illiteracy and to promote education extending into university and technical/professional levels is the result of the “Bolivarian” ideal, set in motion through the constitution of 1999.  This is a reach back to promote the beliefs of the Spanish-American liberator Simon Bolivar, who was a strong believer in education for all.  In many ways, the government’s action solidifies the direct connection of its Spanish heritage into the present and future of Venezuelan culture. 

The similarities with American culture are several:  emphasis on preschool (gaining here); emphasis on education beyond secondary; efforts to educate indigenous people.  Neither country has paid much attention to, and or given much money to, assist its native peoples over the centuries past.  That appears to be changing in Venezuela.  For me, though, the idea of having an approved reading list that encourages a particular political view seems contrary to the whole purpose of education. 

 

Reference List

 Daniels, F. J. (2011, June 21).  Learning in the wilds:  Venezuela’s first indigenous university. 

 

      Venezuelanalysis.com. Retrieved November 11, 2012, from

 

      http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/6287.

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Education in Venezuela. Wikipedia. Retrieved October 29, 2012 from

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education _in_Venezuela.

StateUniversity.com. (n.d.). Venezuela-educational system-overview.  StateUniversity.com. 

 

      Retrieved October 29, 2012, from http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1663/Venezuela-

 

      EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEM-OVERVIEW.html.

Embassy of the Boliverian Republic of Venezuela. (2012, March 14).  Venezuela’s inclusive

      education system has boosted enrollment.  Embassy of the Boliverian Republic of Venezuela. 

      Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://venezuela-us.org/2012/03/14/venezuela’s-inclusive-

      education-system-has-boosted-enrollment/.