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HondurasCulturegram2020.pdf

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CultureGrams TM

World Edition 2020

Republic of

Honduras

BACKGROUND

Land and Climate

Honduras is just larger than Liberia or the U.S. state of

Tennessee. Located in Central America, Honduras is bordered

by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. In the northeast, the

Olancho Forest Reserve is a pine forest preserve about the

size of Connecticut. La Mosquitia, an area of wetlands,

mountains, and tropical forests, is located on the northeastern

coast. In 2013, the Honduran government granted the

indigenous Misquito peoples much of their traditional land,

equivalent to about 12.5 percent of Honduras's territory.

While Honduras is mountainous, it is the only Central

American country without active volcanoes, which usually

contribute to rich farmland. Due to the poor soil, many people

have practiced migratory (or "slash-and-burn") agriculture,

moving every few years to clear new land and plant crops.

This practice, along with timber operations, has destroyed

much of Honduras's forests. Wildlife has also been affected.

Efforts are now underway to reverse this trend and preserve

the remaining forests. Precious woods, gold, silver, copper,

lead, and zinc are found in Honduras.

The climate varies according to elevation: subtropical in

the lowlands and temperate at higher levels. Tegucigalpa, the

capital, is located at a high altitude and enjoys a relatively

mild climate year-round. The south is warmer than the rest of

the country, excluding the north coast. The south is also drier.

Though rains sometimes do not begin to fall until October,

usually the rainy season extends from May to November,

when Honduras is subject to hurricanes. In 1998, Hurricane

Mitch pounded the country for a week; over 11,000 Central

Americans died in the disaster, and billions of dollars in

damage were sustained. March through May is the hottest

season. Summer highs reach 90°F (32°C).

History

Early Inhabitants and Colonization

The great Maya Empire flourished in what is now Honduras

until about AD 800, when the Maya population began to

decline. Smaller empires controlled various regions until the

arrival of Spanish conquistadores, explorers who battled and

conquered the indigenous people. Columbus landed in 1502

and called the area Honduras, derived from the Spanish word

hondo (depths), because of the deep waters off the north

coast.

Several groups of natives battled the Spanish until 1539,

when the last of the Lempira (Indian chiefs) was killed.

Lempira is still considered a national hero. That same year,

the Spanish established a provincial capital at Comayagua.

Honduras was incorporated into Spain's Captaincy General

(colony) of Guatemala. Immigration increased when silver

was discovered in the 1570s.

Preferring British rule to Spanish rule, the Misquito

Indians of the Mosquitia region asked the British to invade

the country. However, troops were only able to occupy the

Mosquitia area, so they withdrew in 1859. Meanwhile,

Honduras and four other provinces declared independence

from Spain in 1821 and joined the Mexican Empire.

Independence and Political Transitions

Honduras became an independent republic in 1838. The

government experienced a period of instability beginning in

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the late 1800s and continuing until Tiburcio Carías Andino

took power in 1932. His military rule ended in 1949, but

military leaders continued to exercise control until 1981,

when elections bringing Roberto Suazo Córdova to power

restored civilian rule.

Another civilian, Rafael Leonardo Callejas, took office in

1990, but the military still had a great deal of power and

influence over all aspects of the country's activities. Carlos

Roberto Reina, a noted human rights activist, was elected

president in 1993 and worked to reduce the military's role in

politics.

Modern Challenges

Hurricane Mitch, one of the worst storms ever recorded in the

Western Hemisphere, devastated Honduras in October 1998,

displacing more than a million people and destroying the

country's economy and infrastructure. Years of reconstruction

efforts were unable to restore all that was lost, setting the

stage for massive emigration, corruption, and crime.

A string of democratic transitions was broken in 2009,

when a military coup removed President Manuel Zelaya from

office. The elections that followed were controversial and

seen as illegitimate by the international community.

Eventually, dialogue and mediation resulted in enough

political progress to restore normalcy. Juan Orlando

Hernández, who was first elected president in 2013, won

reelection in 2017 in an internationally criticized electoral

process that provoked widespread violent protests and

resulted in the worst political crisis since the 2009 coup.

Ongoing social problems include government corruption,

vigilantes, and widespread poverty. The trafficking of illegal

drugs fuels rampant crime and gang violence as well as

massive deforestation. Honduras has one of the highest

murder rates in the world. Due to these conditions, growing

numbers of Hondurans have fled the country, with most

hoping to enter the United States.

THE PEOPLE

Population

Ninety percent of the population is mestizo—of mixed Spanish

and indigenous heritage—while only about 7 percent has

purely indigenous ancestry. Two percent is black, and 1

percent is of European descent. The indigenous peoples live

mostly in isolated regions, such as La Mosquitia and the

mountains in the southwest. The principal indigenous ethnic

groups include the Misquito, Tawahkas, Pech, Tolupans,

Maya-Chortis, and Lencas. Honduras's black population is

primarily made up of the Garinagu, commonly known as

Garífuna. There is also a group known as the Sambo—a

mixture of black and indigenous inhabitants.

A little over half of Hondurans live in urban areas.

Tegucigalpa is the largest city; San Pedro Sula is the second

largest and considered the country’s industrial center. La

Ceiba and Puerto Cortés are important ports on the

Caribbean Sea. An estimated one million Hondurans live in

the United States.

Language

Español (Spanish) is the official and dominant language.

However, some Garinagu speak Garífuna, and the indigenous

populations may speak their own languages, including

Misquito, Mayangna, and Pech, many of which are in danger

of becoming extinct as they fall out of use. Some people,

mostly on the Bay Islands, speak Creole English. English is a

required course in secondary schools, but few people are

fluent.

Common Spanish Phrases

English Spanish

Please Por favor

Thank you Gracias

Yes Sí

No No

Religion

Almost half of Hondurans are Roman Catholic, but

Protestantism has been growing since the 1970s and is

nearing the same level of participation as Catholicism. A

variety of Protestant churches are present in even the

smallest towns, and such churches tend to be more common

than Catholic ones in some areas, such as along the northern

coast. Most

evangélicos (Protestants) attend church

regularly. Some follow specific rules affecting their lifestyle

(no coffee, dancing, etc.). Many participate regularly in

church-sponsored activities. Honduras is also home to a

small number of Jews and Muslims.

The Catholic Church was introduced to the area now

called Honduras by the Spanish in the 16th century. It

maintains a strong influence on society through festivals and

family celebrations. Though the Honduran government is

secular, faith plays a significant role in politics, and recourse

to Christian values is commonly used to facilitate compromise

between groups with varying political opinions. Many public

holidays center on religious themes; each town and city has a

patron saint, for whom it holds an annual festival. As a

whole, Honduran women tend to be more religiously involved

than men.

General Attitudes

In Honduras, as in much of Latin America, social

philosophies such as fatalism, machismo, and la hora latina

are evident. Fatalism exists partly due to the difficulties of life

in poverty; people are aware of limited social mobility and try

to accept their position in life as something they cannot

control. This attitude often relieves frustration and allows

people to focus on what is good in life rather than what is

unpleasant. During conversation, people often add the phrase

Si Dios quiere (God willing), particularly when making

commitments. Machismo is indicative of a male-dominated

society in which women are expected to remain submissive.

La hora latina refers to the concept of time and schedules.

Since Hondurans generally consider people to be more

important than schedules, being late for appointments or

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social events is a way of life. For example, a person would

not hesitate to stop and talk to a friend on the way to an

appointment, even if it meant being late. This is true even in

urban settings, where punctuality is a bit more important,

because good relationships and personal contacts are often

needed to conduct business and work with the government.

Hondurans typically value their ties to the land and to

agriculture. Environmental issues are important to some

Hondurans, but financial concerns take precedence in many

instances because many people live in poverty.

Spanish Saying

Casado case quiere. (The married need their own home.)

Personal Appearance

Hondurans normally wear Western-style clothing. Shorts

rarely are worn in public except in the coastal areas, where it

is hot and humid. Today, formal shirts and ties have largely

replaced urban men’s guayaberas (decorative shirts of light

fabric that hang to just below the waist). Urban women who

can afford to do so tend to follow the latest trends with

respect to clothing, hair, and makeup.

In rural areas, where the majority is poor, many people

wear secondhand clothing imported from the United States.

Rubber boots or sandals are typically worn when working in

the fields. Baseball caps or wide-brim hats are common.

T-shirts with English slogans are popular throughout

Honduras, even though the wearer often does not speak

English. Dressing up for special occasions is important to

most Hondurans. Families often save up in order to buy new

clothes for special occasions, especially Christmas and New

Year’s. The wealthy tend to wear the latest Western fashions.

CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES

Greetings

A handshake is an appropriate greeting for men. Urban

women are usually greeted with a kiss on the cheek, except in

business settings, where a handshake may suffice. Rural

women greet one another by placing one hand on the upper

arm of the other woman. An abrazo is a warm embrace

shared by close friends and relatives. When meeting someone

for the first time, a person addresses the other by official title

or Señor, Señora, or Señorita (Mr., Mrs., or Miss). The titles

Don (for men) and Doña (for women) are used before first

names to show respect for people middle-aged or older. Usted

(the formal version of “you” in Spanish) is appropriate

among acquaintances or those meeting for the first time.

One customarily gives a general greeting when entering a

room. In small groups, people greet and say good-bye to each

person. People commonly say Que le vaya bien (May it go

well with you) when parting. While passing someone on the

street, one says Adiós. The word usually means “Good-bye,”

but in this case it is meant as a general greeting.

Common Spanish Greetings

English Spanish

Hello Hola

Good-bye Adiós

May it go well with you Que le vaya bien

Gestures

Hand and body language is important to communication.

Waving the index finger is often used to say “no.” Clasping

both hands indicates strong approval. Touching the finger

below the eye warns caution, and a hand placed under an

elbow usually means someone is thought to be stingy. People

commonly point with their lips or chin because pointing with

the index finger is rude. Beckoning with the index finger also

is rude, so people beckon by waving the hand with the palm

facing down. To express enthusiasm or hurry, they place their

middle finger and thumb together and shake their hand,

producing a snapping noise. Poorer people tend to avoid eye

contact when conversing.

Visiting

Visiting is a common pastime on Saturday afternoons and

Sundays, and people often visit unannounced. People in rural

areas also visit during the afternoon, when it is too hot for

them to work in the fields. Hondurans are courteous and

generous to guests in their homes. Hosts almost always offer

their guests refreshments, such as juice, soda, coffee, or

sweets; refusing these refreshments is impolite.

Unexpected visitors arriving at mealtime are often

extended an invitation to eat with the family. Even people of

humble circumstance will share whatever they have to make a

guest feel welcome. If a guest does not feel like eating, the

host may wrap up a little food to send home with him or her.

When leaving a home, guests are especially respectful to the

head of the household by making sure to shake hands and

offering thanks for the visit.

Social events may have an indicated starting time, but

hosts and guests understand this is very flexible; being

several minutes or even an hour late is not uncommon.

Eating

Hondurans eat breakfast between 6 and 8:30 a.m., the main

meal around noon, and a lighter evening meal sometime

between 6 and 8 p.m. Coffee breaks are customary in the late

morning and midafternoon. Meals are eaten in a leisurely

manner. Diners keep both hands (but not elbows) above the

table. People customarily hold the fork in the right hand and

knife in the left; rural people might use pieces of corn or flour

tortillas instead of utensils. Families do not necessarily eat

together, either because they lack plates or table space or

simply as a matter of convenience.

At finer restaurants, a 10 to 15 percent tip is appropriate;

tips are not necessarily expected at less formal restaurants.

One usually says Buen provecho (Enjoy your meal) at the

table before a meal. A person approaching or passing a table

in a restaurant may also say Buen provecho to the people at

the table.

LIFESTYLE

Family

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Structure

Family ties are strong in Honduras. On average, families

have between two and three children. Rural families are

usually larger than urban ones. A lack of sex education and a

cultural tendency of avoiding contraceptives have resulted in

a growing number of pregnancies among unwed teenage

girls.

In rural areas, and to a lesser extent in urban ones,

members of the extended family, including grandparents and

other relatives, often occupy the same household or live near

each other. Grandparents frequently raise the children of

Hondurans who have immigrated to the United States,

Canada, Spain, and other places in search of work.

Migration within Honduras has also affected family

structure. Today, major cities are populated in part by

families who have migrated from rural areas, leaving their

extended families behind. Such urban residents tend to refer

to their villages of family origin as mi pueblo (my town) or mi

lugar (my place), even if they were born in the city where they

reside.

Parents and Children

Girls are expected to begin helping with child care and

household chores such as washing dishes and taking out the

trash at a young age. Some families expect boys to help with

such chores as well, but in many cases urban boys do little,

while their rural counterparts help with agricultural tasks

when they are old enough.

Children rarely leave home until they marry. Even then

they may continue living with parents, despite the common

expression Casado casa quiere (The married need their own

home). Doing so allows couples to have time to get

established without worrying about housing costs or child

care. Young couples in these situations do typically help out

with household expenses and housekeeping, however, and

their presence in the home can be beneficial to aging parents

as well. Adult children—especially daughters—are expected

to care for elderly parents when needed. Retirement homes

are rare and used mainly by the wealthy.

Gender Roles

While the father is respected as the head of the household, the

mother has the greatest responsibility and influence in

everyday family life. Traditionally, fathers work outside the

home for a wage, while mothers tend to the home and the

children. In rural settings, women also care for family

crops—mainly maize and beans—and small farm animals,

such as chickens and pigs. In urban areas, women are more

likely to work outside the home (in positions like

housecleaners, factory employees, secretaries, teachers, and

bank tellers) and help manage family finances. However,

employed women are still expected to complete all domestic

tasks.

Though women are still underrepresented in

decision-making roles, in recent years they have been taking

on more of these positions, both in business and government;

they account for roughly one-quarter of legislators.

Nevertheless, women still face significant obstacles to

equality, including widespread domestic violence and income

disparity. According to traditional custom, some women are

not permitted to leave the house without being accompanied

by a man. As women pass men on the street, they may be

subject to comments on their appearance, some of them lewd.

In general, women are affected by machismo, a prevalent

attitude that expects female submissiveness.

As in other Spanish-speaking countries, Hondurans carry

both their paternal and maternal surnames. The father's

surname is considered the family name, but it is the mother's

surname that appears at the end of the entire name. Both

surnames follow one or two given names. When a woman

marries, her name does not change as a rule, though some

women choose to take on their husband’s last name preceded

by the word de (of). For example, if a woman named María

Suárez married a man with the last name Martínez, she might

decide to change her name to María Suárez de Martínez.

Housing

Rural

Traditional Honduran houses can still be found in rural areas

and usually consist of a red-tiled roof over an adobe

structure. This type of house is ideal for the Honduran

climate because the combination of adobe and tile does a

good job of keeping the interior cool during the summer and

preserving warmth during the rainy season's chillier

periods. Nevertheless, houses may also be made from wooden

slats and tree limbs.

The hallways between the rooms tend to be outside, as

individual rooms are built when additional space is needed.

The doors usually stay open all day, allowing ventilation and

encouraging neighbors to stop by and chat. Many Hondurans

grow fruit trees, and some tend to animals. Most rural homes

have access to electricity, though modern appliances are

rare; cooking is usually done on wood-burning stoves.

Urban

Houses in cities are usually made of concrete or bricks and

roofed with sheet metal or composite board. Inside walls are

made of cement that is polished and painted. Floors consist of

granite or marble tiles. The typical middle-class home has a

living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry area, two

bathrooms, three bedrooms, and a small room for a maid.

Outside is a small patio and parking area. Increasingly,

smaller, less expensive homes with just one bathroom, two

bedrooms, and no driveway are being built. Inside, even the

poorest homes generally have a television and a stereo. Most

families remain in the same house their whole lives. Many

middle- and lower-class families add rooms to their houses or

build additional structures on their lots to accommodate

family growth.

Economic Circumstance

Life in the Honduran countryside and in poor urban areas

can be, and often is, difficult. Latrines, instead of flush toilets

and indoor plumbing, are the rule rather than the exception.

Sewage systems are available only in the largest cities, and

even those are inadequate. Rural youths who come to the

cities to find work may live in environments that are

unsanitary and unsafe. With little or no money, they often

squat on property on the outskirts of major cities. Sometimes

they create makeshift housing from scavenged construction

scraps.

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Dating and Marriage

Dating and Courtship

Traditionally, young women have their formal initiation into

social life at age 15, when elaborate parties are held to

recognize their coming of age, though this practice is

declining. Couples meet and establish relationships at school,

in their neighborhoods, at church groups, and at work.

According to customary patterns, teens begin dating in

groups around age 15; a young woman is usually

accompanied by one or more other young women. Later on,

around age 18, couples date without accompaniment, with the

exact age at which this happens varying according to family

and socioeconomic status. However, dating norms are

changing, and many youths today begin dating at much

younger ages and without much supervision.

Still, activities are simple and usually involve socializing,

or—in urban areas—movies or dinner. Couples often get

together at parties, nightclubs, or (in rural areas)

community-sponsored dances. Men typically pay for all

date-related expenses, at least initially.

Casual dating progresses to a couple becoming boyfriend

and girlfriend. Couples that have reached that milestone

typically marry eventually, sometimes after a number of

years. However, in urban areas this custom is changing

somewhat, as committed relationships are not seen as

necessarily having to lead to marriage. In more traditional

families, a man will ask his girlfriend's father (or mother, if

the father unavailable) for permission to marry her.

Marriage in Society

Marriage is an important institution in Honduras, and most

adults expect to marry. In rural areas, most poor people start

their families without marrying; young women may do so as

young as age 14. Common-law marriages generally are

accepted, so many people never officially marry. Single

mothers are common in all social classes, and many siblings

in these families have only the mother in common. Young

single mothers often return to live with their parents until

they are older or find another spouse. Among men, infidelity

is a widespread practice, and some men maintain two

separate families; such wives may know about each other but

choose to remain in the situation to save face or to secure

their children's and their own well-being. Same-sex marriage

has been prohibited by the constitution in Honduras since

2005.

Weddings

Friends and family generally throw a bridal shower for the

bride a week or more before the wedding. Bachelor and

bachelorette parties, which include drinking and celebrating,

are commonly held the night before the marriage ceremony.

By law, couples must marry civilly. Most follow this with a

religious ceremony held in a church. In urban areas, the

celebration that follows is held in either a home or a rented

hall in a hotel. A meal—perhaps of rice and chicken or a

buffet with many options—is served, toasts are made, and the

wedding cake is cut by the couple. Music (commonly

merengue and salsa) is provided by a stereo system, DJ, or

live band.

Traditionally, the costs associated with the wedding

ceremony and celebrations are assumed by the bride's

parents, though in some areas the groom's parents may take

on this responsibility. In upper-class families, both sets of

parents often contribute.

Divorce

Divorce is a common practice, but in the most religiously

conservative families it is strongly discouraged. Divorced

women may be regarded as promiscuous and have a hard

time remarrying, while divorced men are expected to remarry

quickly.

Life Cycle

Birth

Those of lower socioeconomic status tend to hold several

beliefs about pregnancy, a common one being that a pregnant

woman should not allow a craving to go unsatisfied. If she

does, her baby risks being born with an open mouth, a trait

often associated with lacking intelligence. According to

another belief, to avoid birthmarks on her baby’s face, a

pregnant woman should not go outside during an eclipse of

the sun or moon. Women are careful to avoid strenuous

activities and the lifting of heavy objects, no matter their

stage of pregnancy. In upper- and middle-class circles,

friends and family usually organize baby showers for

expectant mothers.

The birth of a child is a celebrated event; relatives,

friends, and neighbors visit the baby and are expected to

bring gifts. Typically, a woman is cared for by her mother for

about a month after she gives birth. Women who are formally

employed are entitled to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. In

Catholic families, the child is presented to the community,

usually at the end of a Sunday mass. Religiously orthodox

Catholic families continue to name babies after saints, but

this practice is no longer common among the general

population. Many parents place a small red object, such as a

bracelet, on the baby to guard against the mal de ojo ("evil

eye," a belief that someone looking at the baby with malice or

envious intent can cause physical harm).

Milestones

Though becoming increasingly rare, girls may celebrate their

passage to adulthood with an elaborate party at age 15. The

celebration involves a father presenting a pair of fancy

(usually high-heeled) shoes to a girl, which she puts on before

dancing a waltz with her father, usually to "The Blue

Danube." The father then conducts a toast and the guests join

in the dancing. A dinner may be served around 10 p.m., and

the party does not usually end until after midnight. Today,

many girls prefer a large present over such a party, and many

families simply cannot afford the expense of the party.

In rural areas, boys are considered men when they are old

enough to work hard in the fields or on coffee farms. At 18,

Hondurans are required to vote; at 21 they can legally marry

without parental consent. The age of legal adulthood is also

21, but people are not typically considered true adults and do

not achieve full independence until they marry.

Death

When a person dies, their body is typically handled by a

morgue, which then turns the body over to the family. The

family dresses the body in what is an important and generally

emotional step in the mourning process. The body is then

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transported to the family’s home or a funeral parlor (more

common in urban areas) for a wake.

Friends and relatives gather at the wake to grieve, pray,

and reminisce with the family of the deceased throughout the

night. A respected priest or pastor may offer a few words. As

the night progresses and the number of those present

dwindles, people may engage in rounds of joke telling, the

drinking of alcoholic beverages, and card playing. Wakes

among the Garífuna tend to be especially joyful, filled with

dancing and celebration because of the belief that people are

born into the world to suffer and death offers release to a

better place.

The funeral itself includes several speeches, prayers, and

songs. Afterward, the deceased is typically buried. More

songs and prayers may take place at the gravesite, where the

family gathers to observe the lowering of the casket.

Cremation was made legal more recently and is not yet a

culturally accepted practice.

In Catholic families, remembrances are held during the

nine days after a person's passing. These remembrances

consist of a mass featuring a ritual designed to aid the

deceased’s soul to heaven. Some families shorten this period

from nine to three days due to time constraints. Similar

remembrances are also held forty days and six months after

the death. Yearly anniversaries of the death are also

commemorated.

Diet

Red beans, corn, tortillas, and rice are the staple foods.

Guineos (bananas), pineapples, tamarind, mangoes, papaya,

guavas, soursop, plums, citrus fruits, coconuts, melons,

tomatoes, avocados, potatoes, and yams are the most common

fruits and vegetables. Pupusas (thick corn tortillas stuffed

with meat, beans, or cheese) are a common dish, especially in

the west. Baleadas (flour tortillas with refried red beans;

scrambled eggs; hard cheese; and crema, a savory, thick

cream) are popular in the north. Grilled corn is another

favorite throughout the country.

Perhaps the most common meal, referred to as plato

típical (typical dish), includes eggs, beans, avocado, meat or

chicken, corn tortillas, cheese, and crema. Special dishes

include tapado (a stew of beef, vegetables, and coconut milk),

mondongo (tripe and beef knuckles), nacatamales (pork

tamales), and torrejas (similar to french toast and served at

Christmas).

Topogigios, or charamuscas, frozen fruit juice in plastic

bags, are popular during the summer months. People also

enjoy soft drinks. Coffee, with or without milk, is traditional

and usually is served with the main meal of the day. It is also

drunk by some families in the morning and in the afternoon,

when it is accompanied by sweet bread. Other popular drinks

include horchata (a grain-based, cinnamon-seasoned drink),

chilate (made from corn and cocoa and served with a dash of

chili), and pinol (made from maize and various spices). U.S.

American fast-food restaurants are prevalent in major cities

and serve pizza, hamburgers, and other dishes.

Recreation

Sports

Fútbol (soccer) defines national recreation. Many boys and

men play regularly in leagues, and professional competition

is available as well. Though not all children can afford

regulation soccer balls, most at least have access to

lower-quality plastic balls. Although in recent years more

girls have become involved in fútbol, especially in rural

areas, in cities they are still more likely to play basketball or

volleyball, if they participate in a sport at all. Many girls

prefer dancing. Sports like baseball, basketball, and

volleyball are played almost exclusively in urban areas.

Wealthy Hondurans enjoy cycle races, baseball, golf, tennis,

and swimming.

Leisure

Boys and men in rural areas often enjoy playing card and

dice games. Swimming in rivers, attending church events, and

simply sitting around and chatting are also popular ways to

pass the time. In villages on the north coast, men typically

like to play dominoes after they return home from a day's

work of fishing. In both rural and urban areas, gathering in

pool halls is a popular male activity. Movies are popular in

urban areas, where people go to movie theaters and rent films

to watch at home. People may also enjoy going to the mall,

playing pool, and visiting with friends and family in their

leisure time.

Vacation

People vacation primarily during the Easter and Christmas

holidays. Most Hondurans get a week off of school and work

during Easter, and many use this time to travel to one of the

country’s beaches for a summer vacation. During the week

between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, urban

Hondurans often travel to their towns of origin to visit

relatives.

The Arts

Honduras is known for brightly painted ceramics, carved

wooden trunks, handmade musical instruments, and other

woodwork. Metalwork, embroidery, and weaving are also

common arts. Honduras is home to many Maya ruins,

including Copán, which is located near the Guatemalan

border. Pottery and stone carvings have been discovered

there.

Many Hondurans enjoy music and dance. A popular kind

of music is known as la punta, which originated with

traditional Garífuna music and is now broadly listened to,

especially in urban areas. It is often played with drums, a

conch shell, and maracas and has a complex syncopated

rhythm. Bachata (from the Dominican Republic) and

ranchera (from Mexico) are popular musical styles in rural

areas. Youth listen to reggaeton, among other genres. The

marimba (similar to a xylophone) is a common instrument;

other traditional instruments include flutes and trumpets.

Holidays

Public holidays include New Year's Day (1 January); Day of

the Americas (14 April); Labor Day (1 May); Independence

Day (15 September); Birth of Morazán, a national hero (3

October); Columbus Day (12 October); Armed Forces Day

(21 October); and Christmas (25 December).

Easter

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During Easter's Semana Santa (Holy Week), businesses close

from Wednesday through the end of the week. Observant

Catholics abstain from meat during this week, eating a

special meal of fish and seafood on Good Friday. They also

attend Easter masses. Many people visit beaches—the most

popular being those located on the north coast—while others

may swim in the rivers.

Day of the Child

The Day of the Child (10 September) is not an official holiday

but is still popular. Children receive sweets and gifts at

school, and adults congratulate children when passing them

on the street. Private home celebrations may also take place

among the wealthy.

Christmas

The Christmas season is widely celebrated. In preparation,

people decorate their houses with trees (usually plastic),

lights, and other items. Constructing nativity scenes is a

popular Christmas tradition. Since money is scarce, the

scenes are made from scratch each year with clay figures and

other natural resources. Many organizations set up

cuchumbos, parties to which people bring gifts that are

exchanged according to names written on small pieces of

paper and selected at random. Employees typically receive a

year-end bonus that helps them pay for Christmas-related

expenses.

Large family parties are organized at which common

traditional foods such as nacatamales (corn dough stuffed

with pork and vegetables) and torrejas (a dessert similar to

french toast) are served. Traditionally, children played with

firecrackers during the Christmas season, though in recent

years laws regarding their use have grown stricter out of

concerns for safety. Among adults, heavy drinking typically

accompanies this holiday. On Christmas Eve, families gather

for dinner, which is served late. Gifts are exchanged during

or after dinner—usually around midnight.

Other Holidays

On the Day of the Americas and Columbus Day, indigenous

groups often march in protest and in memory of the Spanish

conquest of the area. Independence Day is the most popular

national holiday. Schoolchildren practice for months in

preparation for programs and parades that include marching

bands from different high schools.

In addition to national holidays, each community's most

important holiday honors its patron saint. There are also

regional fiestas (celebrations), such as Carnaval around La

Ceiba.

SOCIETY

Government

Structure

The Republic of Honduras is divided into 18 departamentos

(departments), each administered by a governor. The

Honduran president is head of state and head of government.

The president governs with a cabinet and serves a four-year

term. The judicial branch of government is independent. The

unicameral Congreso Nacional (National Congress) has 128

seats. Members of the Congreso Nacional are elected through

a proportional representation system, and 40 percent of the

candidates on a party’s list are required to be female.

Political Landscape

Though smaller parties have had representation, two parties

have traditionally dominated in Congress: the Liberal Party

(PL) and the National Party (PN). In recent years, however,

Liberty and Refoundation (LIBRE), a political party formed

to oppose the 2009 coup that removed President Manuel

Zelaya, has gained influence. Party affiliation is taken

seriously. Civilian rule in Honduras began in the 1980s, and

great steps are taken to keep the government and military

separate. However, the military continues to have

considerable influence and was instrumental in the 2009

coup.

Government and the People

All citizens are required to vote beginning at age 18, and

roughly 60 percent of registered voters have participated in

recent elections. Since the 2009 coup, the government has

curtailed several rights, including freedom of the press and

freedom of assembly, which are supposed to be

constitutionally protected. Freedom of religion is respected.

Some claim that efforts to combat the country's rampant

crime have contributed to increased restrictions on civil

liberties. Honduras is one of the most dangerous countries in

the world for political and rights activists, many of whom

have been killed in recent years.

Economy

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western

Hemisphere. With roughly 65 percent of the population living

in poverty, many people do not earn an income sufficient for

their needs. About a third of the population is underemployed.

Income distribution is extremely unequal. Combined with

pervasive violence, the lack of opportunity and dire poverty

drive many Hondurans to emigrate, primarily to the United

States.

The economy is based largely on agriculture, although

manufactured goods have become more important in recent

years. The most profitable exports are coffee, clothing,

seafood, automotive parts, cigars, bananas, and gold.

Adverse weather conditions and fluctuating global prices for

the raw materials that make up many of the country's exports

can cripple the economy from one year to the next.

Remittances from the United States make up a significant

portion of the gross domestic product (GDP).

Economic reforms implemented in the early 1990s were

beginning to improve some conditions prior to widespread

devastation from Hurricane Mitch in late 1998. Damage to

crops, farmland, and infrastructure from Mitch was

substantial. Today, obstacles to growth include a weak

infrastructure (services, roads, markets); large foreign debts;

high interest rates; a large, inefficient bureaucracy;

corruption; and high crime rates. In 2014, Honduras reached

agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a

package of government reforms to create better conditions for

economic growth. However, recent economic gains have been

insufficient to address the country's longstanding problems.

Honduras is a member of the Dominican Republic-Central

America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), which came

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Honduras

into effect in 2006. The Honduran currency is the lempira

(HNL).

Transportation and Communications

Tegucigalpa is connected by highways to some other

principal cities, but roads generally are in poor condition,

particularly in more remote areas. Periodic floods also take

their toll on roads. People rely on buses and taxis for public

transport because few own cars. Rural areas are isolated

from cities because of poor transportation and

communications. In areas without buses, truck owners may

provide travel on specific routes. Several cities are accessible

by airplane. The principal airports are located in

Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, and the Bay Islands, a popular

tourist destination.

Landlines have been overtaken by cellular phones, which

are owned by the majority of households in both urban and

rural areas. Mail service is slow but fairly reliable where

there is service. Some smaller towns are not connected to the

postal system. Honduras is home to several television

stations, private newspapers, and private radio stations.

However, ownership of these media outlets is concentrated in

the hands of a few, and restrictive laws and violence against

journalists limit freedom of the press. A minority of

Hondurans use the internet, and access is becoming

increasingly common at home and on smartphones.

Education

Structure

The Honduran educational system is divided into three levels:

preschool, elementary school, and high school. Schooling is

required for six years, beginning at age seven, or the first

grade. However, while nearly all children begin their

schooling, some drop out before the end—especially among

the rural poor—and there is no penalty for doing so. Those

who do continue their educations tend to be privileged, urban

students.

Most schools in Honduras are public. However, middle-

and upper-class urban parents who can afford to do so often

send their children to private schools, which offer a more

secure path to higher education and confer a sense of status.

Secular private schools may receive state support, while

religious ones do not.

Access

Due to insufficient funds, many schools require students to

provide their own books, supplies, and uniforms. These can

be prohibitive expenses for poor families. Children often are

needed at home to help with farming or household chores,

and having them gone all day at school can be too great a

sacrifice for many families. Shortages of schools, educational

texts, supplies, and teachers are also a problem. Few teachers

are willing to move to remote rural locations. Literacy rates

are especially low in such areas. Throughout the country,

teachers frequently strike in protest over low pay.

School Life

Elementary schools emphasize the subjects of Spanish, math,

science, and social studies. In secondary school, students take

general classes for the first three years, then choose a track

that specializes in a certain area, such as finance, teaching,

medicine, and others. Lecture-based teaching styles

accompanied by an emphasis on memorization and tests are

most common. Generally speaking, school curriculum is not

very demanding, though the amount of homework assigned

varies with school and teacher. Parents are rarely involved in

their children’s studies. Teachers are treated with respect and

always addressed with formal pronouns. While academic

dishonesty is frowned upon, cheating is not considered a

violation worthy of serious punishment. Important school

activities include the celebration of Independence Day and

elementary and high school graduations.

Higher Education

The National Autonomous University of Honduras and the

Francisco Morazán National Pedagogical University, which

trains secondary- and university-level teachers, provide

public higher education. Of the several private universities,

the Central American Technological University is the largest.

The Catholic University of Honduras has campuses in major

Honduran cities. However, only a small fraction of the

population advances to those levels of study. Of those that do,

trade schools are a common alternative to university. People

also learn trades through the National Institute of

Professional Formation. Both publicly and privately funded,

it targets the training needs of specific areas, based on

available jobs. The Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural

School has long been a center of excellence for Latin

America.

Health

Hondurans face various health challenges. Malaria is

prevalent in areas below about 3,000 feet (900 meters), and

rabies, typhoid, hepatitis, parasites, dengue fever, dysentery,

and intestinal disease present problems for the population.

Vaccinations are provided free of charge, and nearly all

people have access to them. But while most Honduran

children are immunized, many suffer from malnutrition.

Rural areas have health centers, but many villagers must

walk hours to reach one. Facilities often are not equipped

with medicine. Urban medical care is more adequate but still

lacking by modern standards. Basic health care is subsidized

throughout the country, but patients must pay small fees for

each visit. Poorer citizens often cannot afford prescription

medicine.

AT A GLANCE

Contact Information

Embassy of the Republic of Honduras, 3007 Tilden Street

NW, Suite 4M, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202)

966-7702; web site www.hondurasemb.org. Honduras

Institute of Tourism, web site www.honduras.travel/en.

http://www.hondurasemb.org

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Honduras

Country and Development Data

Capital Tegucigalpa

Population 9,182,766 (rank=94)

Area (sq. mi.) 43,278 (rank=101)

Area (sq. km.) 112,090

Human Development Index 132 of 189 countries

Gender Inequality Index 116 of 162 countries

GDP (PPP) per capita $5,600

Adult Literacy 87% (male); 87% (female)

Infant Mortality 17 per 1,000 births

Life Expectancy 73 (male); 77 (female)

Currency Lempira

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