Costa Rica Culture

Costa Rica Culture - Costa Rica has not benefited from the same kind of rich cultural legacy as many of its neighbours. The small indigenous population was dramatically reduced at the time of colonisation, so there was no significant development of traditional arts and crafts.

Other art forms were also historically neglected because of the country’s poverty and relative social uneventfulness. However, as Costa Rica has developed so has its culture, and in recent years the arts have begun to thrive.

People and community

Costa Rica Culture - The vast majority of Costa Rica’s population of 4.1 million is mestizo, of mixed Spanish and Indian and / or black descent. The minority is made up of indigenous Costa Rica (just 1%), black descendents of Jamaican immigrants (3%), Chinese immigrants (1%) and a few others.

There are also a significant number of resident Nicaraguans who have moved across the border in search of jobs, and on the opposite end of the wealth spectrum, expatriate North Americans drawn to the charms of a tropical paradise. Just as the landscape varies greatly throughout the country, so do the customs and traditions of the people.

Most black Costa Ricans live on the Caribbean coast and have a distinctive culture which incorporates their Jamaican heritage. People in Guanacaste also have a characteristic culture which sets them apart.

More than three-quarters of Ticos are Catholic, but many go to church only on holidays and for the sacraments. The family is accorded great social importance and culture celebrations generally have a family focus.

Art and Crafts

Costa Rica Culture - Artistic activities really began to progress in Costa Rica in the early 20th century. In the late 1920s a group of painters called the Group of New Sensibility developed the country’s first individual style, known as the landscape movement. This group included Teodorico Quiros, who was much later given an award for lifetime achievement in the creation and promotion of Costa Rica artistic culture.

Costa Rica’s most internationally renowned sculptor, Francisco Zuniga, created huge statues of the female figure during a long career beginning in the 1930s. As the 20th century advanced various distinct styles followed these early examples.

Modern artists produce work across the visual arts spectrum and, although not well known internationally, they are starting to gain recognition. San Jose is the headquarters of the art scene, with the majority of the country’s museums and galleries. Since 1992, the capital has also hosted biannual International Art Festival.

Theatre

Performance art has been a cultural success story for Costa Rica, as an exploration of the many theatres in San Jose reveals. Costa Ricans have long loved theatre, and drama has been taught at schools since the beginning of the 20th century.

The famous Teatro Nacional (National Theatre), built in 1897, is an important venue for an array of performances including plays, opera and poetry readings. Going to the theatre is an enjoyable, affordable and highly varied experience, popular with both Ticos and tourists. Most productions are in Spanish, but they can e fun even if you do not understand much of the language.

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