For this assignment, you will be completing a written essay about the ethnic groups of Latin America. You will select an ethnic group, conduct research and write a full essay about the ethnic group's lifestyle, beliefs, political system, surviving methods, language, customs, values, norms, celebrations, entertainment, dance, food, jobs for men and women, clothing, typical foods, and how we can still see some of these different aspects of our ethnic roots displayed in our culture today.
Use the links below to find information for this research project.
Step One - Choose an ethnic group from the list below. (Note - this is simply a list, these are NOT links. You will find links to information in the boxes further down the page.)
Tainos (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico) |
Carib (Lesser Antilles) |
Maya (Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras) |
Aztec (Mexico) |
Guarani (Paraguay) |
Chibcha (Colombia) |
Inca (Peru) |
Araucanian (Chile) |
Quechua (Peru and parts of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador.) |
Nahua (Mexico) |
K'iche (Guatemala) |
Mapuche (Chile and southwestern Argentina) |
Q'egchi' (Guatemala and Belize) |
Kaqchikel (Guatemala) |
Mam (Guatemala and south-western Mexico) |
Mixteco and Otomi (Mexico) |
Aymara (Bolivia, Southern Peru, and, Northern Chile) |
Zapoteca (Valley of Oaxaca in Mexico) |
Garifuna (Belize) |
Kuna (Panama and Colombia) |
Step 2 - Use these websites to find basic information about the ethnic group. (Note - Not all of the ethnic groups are included in each of these websites. Each site includes some of the ethnic groups, but you may have to search in multiple sites to find the ethnic group you have been chosen.)
Britannica includes basic information for many of the ethnic groups included in this project.
World Book Student includes some of the ethnic groups for this project. You can also search for the countries that the ethnic group inhabited, and then read the history section for that country.
Search Student Resources in Context for either the name of the ethnic group or the country that the group inhabited.
The password is cran_log
Step 3 - Search for the country that the ethnic group inhabited in Culturegrams (username and password is below). Culturegrams will give you in-depth information on many of the project requirements including lifestyle, beliefs, language, customs, values, norms, celebrations, entertainment, dance, food, clothing, typical foods
Culturegrams is an online learning resource that provides concise, reliable, and up-to-date cultural information on hundreds of countries, as well as the U.S. states and Canadian Provinces. Please see the document below for the username and password for Culturegrams.
Step 4 - Look for additional recipes by country using these websites.
196flavors.com - Recipes from all over the world. Click on the pinpoint on the map to find recipes from the country of each ethnic group.
Tasteatlas.com : Recipes from all over the world