Argentinian Traditions And Argentinian Culture: Argentine society is heterogeneous in traditions, beliefs, practices, rituals and identifications. There is no typical Argentinian family customs and traditions. Family life differs according to many factors, such as region, ethnic background and income. Traditionally, fathers were considered the head of the family, mothers were in charge of the household, and young married couples lived with their parents in quarters built onto the house.
In Argentina, Latin American passion is combined with a cosmopolitan European lifestyle. Modern Argentinian culture has been strongly influenced by its European immigrant population. The majority of Argentines being descendants of Spanish and other European colonists. The character of Buenos Aires, the cultural capital, has stemmed from its high proportion of European descendants plus their imitation of European fashion, architecture and design. Argentinians believe that women have the right to a career as well as marriage and family. Some families have hired help to do domestic chores.
Young married couples usually find a place of their own rather than living with parents. Argentina’s culture has only minimal indigenous influence, although yerba mate, which originally came from the Guarani Indians, features heavily in Argentinean culture. Argentinian cowboys were mestizos, of mixed European and indigenous descent.
The traditional clothing worn by the gauchos consists of a poncho, loose trousers and a wide-brimmed hat. The gauchos are a part of Argentinian culture and a national symbol. The gauchos were nomadic horsemen who tended cattle in the central Pampas grasslands of Argentina in the 18th and 19th centuries. There are still large farms or estancias in many areas of Argentina. Near Buenos Aires, they are usually cattle ranches. Gauchos, who wear the traditional baggy pants and flat-topped hat, still work on some cattle ranches.
In Patagonia the estancias may be sheep ranches. In other areas, the estancias may have vineyards, orchards or fields of grain. Some very large estancias are like little villages, with their own chapels and schools. Sometimes the wife and children of the owner live in the city while the children are at school.
The 300,000 indigenous people in Argentina live in small rural communities or in the cities. Although many indigenous Argentinians have preserved their traditional way of life, others have adopted a more European lifestyle.
Tango is part of Argentina’s national identity and one of its cultural symbols. Football is Argentina’s national sport. Football was introduced to Argentina in the second half of the 1800’s by the British immigrants in Buenos Aires.