The culture of El Salvador is a Central American culture nation influenced by the clash of ancient Mesoamerica and medieval Iberian Peninsula. Salvadoran culture is influenced by Native American culture (Lenca people, Cacaopera people, Maya peoples, Pipil people) as well as Latin American culture (Latin America, Hispanic America, Ibero-America). Mestizo culture, Afro-Latin culture and the Catholic Church dominates the country. Although the Romance language, Castilian Spanish, is the official and dominant language spoken in El Salvador, Salvadoran Spanish which is part of Central American Spanish has influences of Native American in the languages of El Salvador such as Lencan languages, Cacaopera language, Mayan languages and Pipil language, which are still spoken in some regions of El Salvador.
Type Symbol Year ImageAnthemNational Anthem of El Salvador1879MottoDIOS UNIÓN LIBERTAD1821Flag and Coat of armsCoat of arms of El Salvador and Flag of El Salvador1912ColorCobalt blue and white Additional appendages are in golden Amber (color)1912 BirdTurquoise-browed motmot1999ReptileGreen iguanaFishAmatitlania Coatepeque, Endemic SpeciesArtFernando Llort style ArtMusicXucInstrumentXylophoneDishPupusaFlowerYucca gigantea2003TreeTabebuia rosea1939UNESCO World Heritage SiteJoya de Cerén1993Patron and National PersonificationMonumento al Divino Salvador del Mundo
Native Homeland
Salvadorans inhabit the lush Central American nation of El Salvador. El Salvador is one of seven countries in the giant isthmus of Central America. The surface of El Salvador features tropical forest, jungles, mountains, volcanoes, plains (savanna), rivers, lagoons, lakes, calderas and the Pacific Ocean. The forests of El Salvador contain a wide diversity of flora and fauna. El Salvador is a home to ecosystems, biomes, living, nonliving natural resources and also home to a plethora of diverse species. In terms of nonliving resources, El Salvador contains rich volcanic soil, fertile earth that gives life to lush vegetation. Native vegetation such as Yucca gigantea, Cassava, Echites panduratus, and Crotalaria longirostrata which are used in Salvadoran food. El Salvador also contains gold under its surface, however all type of mining has been abolished in El Salvador. The Native American indigenous ancestors of Salvadorans, have been living in the region for thousands of years. El Salvador is periodically hit with earthquakes and tropical storms, occasionally but rarely by cyclones.
Demonym
Salvadoreño/a in Spanish and in English Salvadoran is the accepted and most commonly used term for referring people of Salvadoran ancestry. However, both Salvadorian and Salvadorean are widely used terms in daily life by English-speaking Salvadoran citizens living in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Both words can be seen in most Salvadoran business signs in the United States and elsewhere in the world. This is because the sounds "ia" and "ea" in Salvadorn and Salvadorn sound more closely to the "ñ" sound in the Spanish term .
Centroamericano/a in Spanish and in English Central American is an alternative standard and widespread cultural identity term that Salvadorans use to identify themselves, along with their regional isthmian neighbours. It is a secondary demonym and it is widely used as an interchangeable term for El Salvador and Salvadorans. The demonym Central American is an allusion to the strong union that the Central America region has had since its independence. The term Central America is not only a regional cultural identity, but also a political identity, since the region has been united on various occasions as a single country such as the United Provinces of Central America, Federal Republic of Central America, National Representation of Central America, and Greater Republic of Central America. The same can be said for El Salvador's neighbors, specifically the original five states of Central America.
Nicknames
Salvi is an informal demonym referring to the Salvadoran people and their culture, specifically to overseas born Salvadorans in the diaspora located in the United States. The word is formed by Anglonization and taking the first five letters of the affectionate diminutive hypocorism form of Salvador (Salvita) to a shorten form "Salvi", with plural being Salvis. The slang term Salvi was coined and used for self-identification by the first generation wave of Salvadoran Americans born in the United States from parents who had escaped the civil war in the 1980s, and has been used as a term of endearment. The term has been widely used and is in mainstream usage particularly among younger members and masses of the Salvadoran American sector. The term Salvi is preserved in a very positive light when compared to its other older counterparts and predecessors such as Guanaco and Salvatrucha which have fallen into disuse among Salvadoran Americans, regarded as derogatory and negative. The term Cuscatleco is reserved for older generations of Salvadorans, specifically those born in El Salvador.
Outside the United States and especially within El Salvador itself the term Guanaco/Guanaca is still commonly used and is not considered offensive. It is used much in the same way Salvi is used among Salvadoran Americans, it is regarded as a term of endearment among Salvadorans especially those within El Salvador itself.
Languages
In El Salvador, the official language is Central American Spanish. Less than one percent of the population speaks the Pipil language, in places such as Izalco and several other towns.Campbell, Lyle. (1985) The Pipil language of El Salvador. Mouton to grammar library (no. 1). Berlin: Mouton Publishers. However, there is no obligation academically or socially today to learn it, and the language is more commonly spoken by the elderly. Amongst the pre-Columbia languages that still exist common to places such as Izalco and Cacaopera is Nawat Pipil. English is taught as a second language and is commonly spoken by business people, as the country is developing through globalization.
Salvadoran Spanish
Central American Spanish is spoken by the majority of the country's population. The language and pronunciation vary depending on the region.
Sports
The main sport played by Salvadorans is association football. The Estadio Cuscatlán in the capital San Salvador is the largest stadium in Central America, with a capacity of just over 45,000. The stadium is the home ground of the El Salvador national football team, as well as club teams Alianza FC and Atletico Marte
The main football clubs in El Salvador play in the Primera División de Fútbol de El Salvador, which is made up of the top ten clubs. Below the Primera División exists a second level or Segunda División, made up of 24 teams split into two groups of twelve. There is promotion and relegation between the two divisions at the end of each season.
As of late 2021, El Salvador's women's national volleyball team has been among the top contenders in Central America's AFECAVOL (Asociación de Federaciones CentroAmericanas de Voleibol) zone.
Events hosted by El Salvador The nation will host surfing competitions for the 2031 Pan American Games with the rest of the sports taking place in Asunción, Paraguay. El Salvador will also host the 2027 FIBA Women's AmeriCup.
Traditions and Events El Salvador celebrates many holidays and traditions, including International Women's Day.
Another big tradition that El salvador celebrates is “Las Bolas De Fuego” translated to “The Balls of Fire”. This festival includes 2 teams that light up a ball of cloth on fire and start throwing it towards each other like it is a game of dodgeball. For outsiders, this tradition may seem strange but it is something that brings thousands of Salvadorans together and unites the country for a day. There are many reasons as to why this event is celebrated the way it is but the most well-known reason is because of the Volcanic eruption that occurred in 1658. Balls of fire from the eruption destroyed the town of Nejapa, resulting in everyone fleeing the town. This tragic chain of events is what made the annual event popular. They also celebrate San Miguel. San Miguel takes place every November during the festivities in honor of their patron, Our Lady of Peace. Another holiday they support is Fiesta de San Salvador. Fiesta de San Salvador is celebrated annually on August 6. Founded in the 16th century, the national holiday celebrates Salvadoran identity and marks the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ.
Architecture El Salvador's colonial structures, especially its colonial cathedrals, have been destroyed over time by historic earthquakes, consequently Modernist and Gothic style cathedrals have taken their place. During the Salvadoran civil war, large building construction projects were halted and eventually cancelled due to the collapse of the economy; the remainder of Streamline Moderne, early Modernist office and hotel buildings collapsed during the 1986 San Salvador earthquake and the January 2001 and February 2001 El Salvador earthquakes, while the few remaining old buildings were left uninhabitable. The seismic nature of El Salvador has until recently hindered the construction of high rise buildings and skyscrapers in the country; however, with new technological advances and the advent of earthquake-resistant structures, high rise buildings have begun blooming. Today the country has monuments, plazas, stadiums, high rise buildings, large malls and cathedrals built in Neo-Gothic, Modernist, Populuxe, Googie, Art Deco and Futurist style architecture.
Religion
The Catholic Church has been the most prominent religious institution in El Salvador since colonial times, with nearly 75% of the population identifying as Roman Catholic. Reformed churches like Anglican, Lutheran, Pentecostal, and Baptists have experienced significant growth since the 1970s. Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses are also experiencing growth in the nation. Today, nearly 20% of the population belongs to one of these churches. Today, over 40% of El Salvador is Evangelical Christian. Small communities of Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists also exist in some parts of the country.
Costumes relating to religion In El Salvador, there are different costumes used mostly in religious or other festivals, although in some of the older towns, they are still worn regularly. In female clothing, it is common to see elements like a scapular, a shawl, and a cotton headscarf with different coloured adornments.Trajes típicos These can be worn with a skirt and a blouse, or with a dress. The normal footwear is sandals. With male clothing, it is common to see a cotton suit or a cotton shirt, worn with modern jeans, sandals or boots, and a cowboy hat. However, these are rural fashions, and there can be many variations depending on the area. Also, 100% cotton shirts are commonly used (also known as guayaberas).
Music
The music of El Salvador has a mixture of Lenca, Maya, Cacaopera, Pipil and Spanish influences, as well as Palestinian Salvadoran Arabic music and also African.
Music instruments that are present in El Salvador are Native American Pan-Indianism instruments such as Native American flute and drums, African instruments like xylophone, Güira and Mbira, European instruments like Guitar, pedal steel guitar, Fanfare trumpet and piano, Arab instruments like Oud, Ney, Goblet drum and Qanun (instrument). Religious Contemporary Catholic liturgical music instrument such as Tubular bells, Pipe organ, and Glass harmonica are also present.