Uruguay
The Block
A piece of cowhide, cut from blockmaker Alicia Hausman’s table covering, is featured in the centre of the Uruguay square. Leather has a great significance in Uruguayan culture and is used extensively in home furnishings, wall hangings, mats and clothing. Cattle ranching is a major industry and many of the country’s businesses are related to raising livestock. The crocheted piece in the centre symbolizes the rising sun, a prominent emblem on Uruguay’s coat of arms. Green leaves flow from a bright red ceibo, the national flower, to complete the design.
Cultural Profile
Uruguay is home to several unique species of birds, including the nandi (rhea) and hornero (ovenbird). The second smallest country in South America, Uruguay means ‘river of the painted birds’ in the Guarani language. Spanish is the official language although Portuñol (a Portuguese-Spanish mix) is also spoken.
Unlike most South American nations, its population is largely of European descent, with very little remaining indigenous people. There is also a small black community, descending from enslaved Africans brought over in the 18th and 19th century. Most European immigrants were from Spain, but some also came from Italy, with most arriving during the 19th and 20th century. Though most of these immigrant were Catholic, the Catholic legacy in Uruguay is not as obvious as it is in other South American countries. While most people will be baptized and married in church, very few Uruguayans attend church on a regular basis.
The Uruguayan people value friends and family and will always extend their hospitality to visitors. When invited into a Uruguayan home it is likely a guest will be offered mate, an herbal tea served in a gourd and drunk through a bombilla (silver straw). If asked if it is good, however, one would be wise to remember not to make the ‘OK’ sign as it is considered a rude gesture.
Music, reflecting the mood of the people and the land, is important to Uruguayans who love to dance. The tango, developed in Argentina, is very popular as are traditional dances including the milonga, the vidalita, the cifra and the pericon. The Carnival is an important part of the Uruguayan culture, though it differs from others carnival traditions in South America. The candombe is one of the most important parts of the Uruguayan carnival. It is a dance and music style developed in the 19th century by descendants of Africa. During the weeks preceding the beginning of Lent, drum players from one area gather on public squares and then parade around towns playing their instruments to meet with other groups of players. The Murgas are also specific to the carnival in Uruguay. They are street plays mixed with drum music and serve to satirize public figures or events.
Cattle-ranching is a way of life in Uruguay. The gaucho, the South American version of a cowboy, is still very much alive in the country. They work on communal farms, still proudly wearing their traditional clothes of bombachas, baggy pants, and woolen ponchos. Many of the country’s crafts stem from the material produced by this large cattle and sheep ranching sectors. Uruguayans excel in making handcrafted leather goods such as boots, belts, hats and purses, and are also known for their woven cotton and wool, brightly coloured garments and jewelry. Even though its economy is based largely on agriculture, Uruguay is a highly urbanized country. Many Uruguayans are employed in small family workshops and cottage industries, making clothes, shoes and tools.
The ranching at the heart of Uruguay’s economy also has an impact on its cuisine: Uruguayans are some of the most important meat consumers in the world. One of the culinary traditions of the country is the asado: an open-pit fire is lit, then the entire carcass of an animal is placed on a metal cross to be slowly roasted to perfection. An all-day affair, an asado is the perfect occasion for the gathering of family and friends that is cherished by Uruguayans.
In the 2011 census, around 5,500 people of Uruguayan descent were listed in Canada, most living in cities such as Montreal and Toronto.
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