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ROF= Ring of fire Odyssey MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus
StoneBearTracks journey to Costa Rica Summer 1977
Cultures/ subcultures in Costa Rica 1977 independent study observations
Traveling throughout Costa Rica in 1977 was an education into the culture and demographics of the regions. Ethnicity was very different than expected as most US/ North Americans... Alabama especially stereotyped Hispanics as "Mexicans"; very simple minded... I grew up in the last of the Jim Crow south in Birmingham in the 1950s to '60s and saw the bigots prejudice and hatred toward anything other than Caucasian white. I was curious as to origins of people and their cultures/ subcultures.
Enrique and wife ?Lily? at their Mercado store in Cartago.
Other hispanic stereotypes included "Cubans" as everyone had watched Desi Arnez in "I Love Lucy" and my Marine Corps buddies had served with "Puerto Ricans". I studied archaeology for several courses and really appreciated cultural origins and demographics and migration patterns and how they changed cultures, countries, and history.
These kids were working for their parents in the Mercado in Cartago.
The ethnicity held the saga of the rich history of Costa Rica. The country is north of Panama and was a transit connection connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Modern times it was considered as possible for the canal connecting Atlantic and Pacific oceans as it's only 80 miles wide at it's narrowest point. Of the observations made of the Costa Rican peoples I learned of the interesting history that made this such a unique place.
Kids are the eyes to the culture.
During the colonial era Latin America was exploited for plunder of gold/ silver wealth and anything of value and taken back to Europe.
Alphonso in his saloon in Cartago. A very proud man of his Cartago small business; a good friend!
This couple had a store inside/ under roof at the Cartago mercado .
Talking with many people in the capitol of San Jose was the majority of "Ticos and Ticas" Costa Rican Hispanic; a mix of Latin America native peoples colonial era European immigrants... most with dark hair/ brown eyes.
At home with Enrique and ?Lily? they invited me to their home and fixed dinner. Very nice people!
A Tico working in the Guanacaste wood working factory.
The Native American Indians were of the Pre-Columbian era/ the indigenous mesoamerica peoples Latin and South American tribes ie.. The Maya, Aztec, Olmecs, Tenochtitlan, Zapotec, Inca ect.... so many subcultures I need another decade to study all the demographic history.
?Octavio? or Antonio at Cahuita on the Carribean.
A Cahuita kid swimming in the surf.
In Cahuita on the Caribbean/ Gulf of Mexico coast I observed Ticos of African darker skin from the migration of escaped / freed African slaves, or some Black people migrated around 1870 to build the railroad for the development of the banana and coffee trade from the port city of Limon to San Jose.
On the Pacific coast side of Costa Rica I observed an Asian mix of peoples. ... about a 10 to 20% Asian mix in people. The Costa Rican women that had the majority Hispanic/ 20% Asian... guessing from their cheekbones and eyes were exceptionally beautiful ladies; very distinct.
Martha in her kitchen.
Costa Rican lady Martha and Coraz'on Loco.
On a independent study/ research trip I went as a photographer to an indigenous tribe settlement of The Boruca Indians. The Boruca spoke one of the last remaining Indian dialects in Latin America. It wasn't a lost tribe but it was primitive. there were stick huts with grass/ palm roofs, cooking fires on dirt floors, cooking rice in a modern metal pot over a small wood fire with smoke drifting up and out. Chickens walked out and inside the hut at will. Several huts had hammocks as sleeping slings. I could see a distinct Indian/ native American tribe in their facial bone structure. I took pictures and gave the film/ negatives to Susan and am sure they are lost forever.
You never drink twice from the same stream.
StoneBearTracks Copyright Uncle Hargus MCMLXIII ALL blog posts/photographs/video ALL Rights reserved
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