Spanish 2 Spring Culture Review

Practice vocabulary flashcards based on the Spanish 2 Spring Culture Review lecture notes covering Latin American and Caribbean cultural facts, figures, and traditions.

Jessica Alba

An American actress of Hispanic descent who founded a company in $2011$ that makes body care products without harmful chemicals, based on the ideology that a healthy life should be a right rather than a privilege.

Aguacate (Avocado)

A nutritious superfood consumed in Mexico for more than $10,000$ years; it began being cultivated in Florida in $1833$ and is known for benefits such as lowering cholesterol and helping the heart.

Eva Longoria

A Mexican-American actress and philanthropist who earned a master's degree in Chicano Studies in $2009$ and started a foundation in $2012$ to help young Latinas with education and entrepreneurship.

Ramón Estévez

The birth name of the famous actor Martin Sheen; in the past, many Latino artists changed their names to have more career opportunities in the United States.

Botánicas / Herboristerías

Natural pharmacies in Hispanic communities that sell plants and medicinal herbs as part of a cultural custom to heal without chemicals.

Nature-based remedies

Common Hispanic cultural practices for health, including using aloe vera for burns, chamomile or cilantro tea for stomach pain, potato slices for headaches, and corn hair for foot inflammation.

Medical Interpreter

A professional in U.S. hospitals who serves as a bridge between two languages and cultures, helping patients fill out forms and explaining patient traditions to doctors.

Indigenous Peruvian health concept

The belief that health refers not only to physical and mental wellness but also to being in harmony with family, the community, and animals.

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

A Catholic church built by Spanish conquistadors on the summit of the Great Pyramid of Cholula to announce their religion as dominant; its domes were damaged in the $2017$ earthquake.

Mural de los Bebedores

An indigenous mural found inside the Pyramid of Cholula that illustrates a religious ceremony where the Aztecs shared drinks to thank their gods.

Tenochtitlán

The capital of the Aztec Empire founded in $1300$ d.C. on an island in Lake Texcoco, which was later replaced by the Spanish-built Mexico City after the lake was drained.

Zócalo

The main square in the center of Mexico City which is located exactly above what was once Tenochtitlán.

Barrios Mágicos

A program started in $2011$ that identifies $21$ neighborhoods in Mexico City to preserve their history, traditions, and cultural essence for turists.

Xochimilco

A Barrio Mágico known for its water canals where the Aztecs originally transported food and where people now ride boats for fun.

Casa Azul

The famous childhood home and museum of painter Frida Kahlo in Coyoacán, which contains her personal objects, furniture, and art collection.

Anahuacalli

A museum in Coyoacán created by Diego Rivera to share more than $50,000$ pre-Columbian pieces from his private collection with the public.

Garibaldi

A Barrio Mágico where the Day of the Musician is celebrated on November $22$ with mariachis playing traditional music.

Parque Infantil de Diversiones

An amusement park in San Salvador founded in $1892$ that combines traditional rides with educational art workshops and ecological activities.

Jardín Botánico La Laguna

A botanical garden in El Salvador that was formerly a private German garden and now hosts over $20,000$ students a year for plant study.

Xuc

A fun musical style associated with the Carnaval de San Miguel in El Salvador, played with a typical instrument made of deer leather and a single string.

Circo Social

A program in Choluteca, Honduras, that uses circus skills to teach discipline, conduct, and emotional intelligence to marginalized youth.

Abba Dei

A street theater company from Choluteca, Honduras, that performs free plays based on news stories to raise social awareness about issues like gangs and robberies.

El martirio de San Sebastián

The oldest play in Honduras, arrival with early religious figures during the conquest, performed consecutively for over $370$ years.

Plátano (Plantain)

A staple of Caribbean gastronomy that arrived from Africa in $1543$; it is a primary ingredient in dishes like tostones and mofongo.

Mamey

A native fruit with orange pulp that the Spanish discovered in Cuba and called 'the fruit of kings' due to its flavor.

Ñapa

A Dominican market tradition where a vendor gives the customer an additional amount of a product for free as a thank you for their purchase.

Cocoteros

Street vendors on Cuban beaches who use a tricycle to carry fresh coconuts and prepare coconut water for customers on the spot using a machete.

Pregonero

A street vendor in the Dominican Republic who carries products on a tricycle and shouts or sings to announce what he is selling.

Paladares

Family-run, homemade food restaurants in Cuba that are operated out of private houses instead of by the government.

Guayabera

A traditional, light, and loose Cuban shirt with several pockets and decorative buttons, suitable for warm climates.

Bomba y Plena

Traditional Puerto Rican music and dance styles; the former has African roots and is fast, while the latter has Taíno influences and smooth movements.

Trajes Nacionalistas

Cotton dresses with soft colors and flower ornaments worn in the Dominican Republic, heavily influenced by historical Spanish clothing.