THE 31 MOST POPULAR CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS OF COSTA RICA - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The customs and traditions of Costa Rica show a happy country that, not in vain, is among the first places in the Happy Planet Index. Costa Rica is a Central American country that is located between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It is famous for its fresh seafood and coffee.

Its inhabitants, descendants of whites and mestizos, are football fans. The natives of Costa Rica are popularly known as Ticos, although their official name is "Costa Rican."

Among its cultural manifestations are dance, legends, strings, colonial instruments, pumps and traditional songs.

The culture of this country owes its richness to indigenous, European, Afro-Caribbean and Asian influences. This reality makes it a multi-ethnic and multilingual country. This has allowed it to boost its tourism to the point that in 2016, Costa Rica received a total of 2,925,128 tourists. This figure represents 10% more than in 2015.

Traditions and main customs of Costa Rica

1- The pilgrimage

It is a walk that begins before August 2, from anywhere in the country to the Basilica of the Angels, a Catholic church located in downtown Cartago. However, most people leave from the city of San José, the capital of Costa Rica.

The goal is to travel the almost 22 kilometers before August 2, to reach the Mass celebrated that day by the Archbishop of the Diocese in the Basilica, in honor of the Virgin of the Angels, patron saint of Costa Rica since 1824.

It is a massive march that brings together thousands of devotees who come to give thanks for the favors received. The most common penance is to go on your knees from the entrance of the temple to the altar.

The name of this religious festival is due to the fact that the date of the discovery of the image coincides with the Franciscan celebration of Santa María de los Ángeles.

Origin of the pilgrimage

This celebration originates from the legend of the appearance of the sculpture of a woman with a child in her arms in a stone of about 20 centimeters of black color because it is composed of an alloy of jade, graphite and andesite.

According to the story, in 1635 an indigenous woman named Juana Pereira was walking in a forest near the source of a spring in Puebla de los Pardos, she found the stone and took it home.

However, the stone reappeared in the same place in the forest.

This was confirmed by Father Alonso de Sandoval, who interpreted the event as something supernatural and "understood" that the image of the Virgin Mary wanted to be there and they built a hermitage that over the years became a Basilica.

That stone of legend is found today in the Basilica, crowned with stars on a pedestal with the figure of a half world and a lily with a small angel on each of its six petals and a crescent on top.

At the foot of the pedestal rests the shields of Costa Rica and Carthage.

For some, it is an event that contains a religious syncretism elaborated to satisfy the spiritual needs of the "Ticos" of the time and that later would serve to develop a Costa Rican idiosyncrasy.

But it has become one of the most significant and massive religious celebrations in Costa Rica.

2- La Lagarteada

La Lagarteada is another of the Costa Rican cultural expressions. It consists of the capture of crocodiles on Good Friday and has a history that already exceeds 150 years.

It occurs in Ortega de Bolsón Guanacaste and began due to the need that farmers had to protect their cattle from crocodiles, but later another reason was added: the belief that the fat of this reptile has healing properties in cases of asthma and rheumatism.

The path followed by hunters or lizards usually goes to the river Tempisque. They are armed with sticks and nets.

When they find the lairs of crocodiles or lizards they begin to throw shovels into the water to corner them or to force them to leave. This job can take up to 6 hours.

When the animal is finally caught, they tie it up and take it to the center of town. To announce it to all, the sirens of the cars begin to sound.

Already in the center, the crocodile is exhibited for one or three days, after which it is released near its burrow.

Although it used to be done, currently the crocodile is not killed because it is an endangered animal. The Costa Rican Ministry of the Environment requires that she be returned to her cave three days after capture.

Originally, only the experienced "lizardmen" participated in the hunt, but now many residents from different parts of Costa Rica are involved in the activity.

Symbology of the lagarteada

For some it is a way to commemorate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, because the crocodile was a sacred animal for the indigenous Chorotega people, a native inhabitant of that area.

In fact, at the beginning of this tradition, crocodiles were exhibited until Easter Sunday, the day they were sacrificed and butchered for consumption or medicinal use.

3- Lantern Parade

It is a celebration in which primary and secondary school children make lanterns to take them in a parade with their parents through the streets of San José on September 14.

This date is the eve of the celebration of independence from Spain.

Another part of the tradition is the national channel that the President of the Republic performs together with his government team at six in the afternoon of that day to sing the national anthem.

4- The Festival of light

Since 1996, it is customary before Christmas that there is a colorful parade with floats and the best bands in the country, along Paseo Colón and Avenida Segunda.

5- Costa Rican coffee culture

Since 1830, the economic and social progress of Costa Rica has been related to the cultivation of coffee, since it was the profits from its export that caused the nation's prosperity.

In fact, the cultivation and commercialization of coffee gave rise to many features of today's Costa Rican identity, as well as the dominant social and political elite.

Coffee was the basis of Costa Rica's economy and an engine of its development, so it is normal to see it present in the symbols that express national identity, such as the painted wagon and the rural landscape of the Central Valley.

At present, this crop does not have a considerable weight in the economy and has become an element of the history of that country.

6- Banana culture

If coffee refers to the colonial era of Costa Rica and its more continental territory, the banana is linked to the coast of that country.

This coastal area, due to its history, has been related to the metaphor of the "American dream" of Costa Ricans.

It was also known as the “land of men”, because during the time of the banana boom, it was calculated that there were about 1,000 men for every 10 women there.

It has also appeared in Costa Rican literature as a place of struggles for the lower social classes.

7- The painted wagon

It is a tradition that consists of painting the popular carts with geometric shapes, flowers, faces and miniature landscapes, in addition to the characteristic star points on an orange, white or red background.

The aim is to show it off in a parade that takes place on the second Sunday in March to celebrate National Boyero Day, which is the name of the person who takes care of and guides the oxen that pull those carts.

This celebration is originally from the district of San Antonio de Escazú, but it is preserved almost intact in the district of Sarchí (Valverde Vega canton), and has been spreading to other districts and cantons.

The cart is one of the national symbols of Costa Rica. It symbolizes the culture of peace and the work of the "Ticos".

In fact, it is common to see small carts sold as souvenirs to tourists.

The tradition of the boyeo (the cowboy's work) and the typical Costa Rican cart were named by UNESCO, Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, on November 24, 2005.

8- The Costa Rican masquerade

The masquerade is a popular Costa Rican tradition of Amerindian origin and is related to the Spanish festival of Los Gigantes y Cabezudos.

The masks represent characters known as mantudos or clowns who "chase" the audience, while dancing maroon music and burning fireworks.

In 1997, October 31 was decreed as the National Day of the Traditional Costa Rican Masquerade.

9- The Prayer of the Child

Starting on January 6 of each year, Catholic families in Costa Rica gather with friends and neighbors to pray the joyous mysteries of the Holy Rosary as a token of appreciation for the blessings received during the previous year.

10- Guaro shower or basket tea

It is a meeting that is held when a baby is about to be born.

People close to the expectant mother play newborn-themed games, drink coffee, eat sandwiches, and deliver a “sweetie” or gift for the baby.

It is popularly called guaro shower, because in addition to coffee they also drink guaro, which is a typical alcoholic drink in Costa Rica.

Some gastronomic customs of Costa Rica

Food also expresses the culture of a country and usually accompanies the traditions of a territory.

Among the foods that make up the Costa Rican tradition can be mentioned:

• The gallopinto: which is rice with beans and potatoes, cassava, squash or ripe banana.
• Yellow corn tortillas with cheese
• Pozol
• Porridge
• Pork tamales or roast.
• Sweet water
• Cooked milk.
• Vigor.
• Meat with coconut oil and fish.

Other traditions of Costa Rica

• The carnival of Puntarenas.
• Bullfight «a la tica».
• The Dance of the Yegüita (Nicoya).
• The feast of the Black Christ of Esquipulas (Santa).
• The festivities of Palmares.
• The Tamale Festival (Aserrí).
• La Chicharronada (Puriscal).
• The race of the Mules (Parrita).
• Black Friday.
• Avenues.
• Horse parade.

References

1. Chacón, Mario (2013). Culture (customs). Recovered from: guiascostarica.info
2. EFE / Elpais.cr (2017). Costa Rica in campaign as a destination of culture, tradition and natural beauty. Recovered from: elpais.cr
3. Mora Chacón, Karen (s / f). Pilgrimage of the Virgin of the Angels. Cultural Information System of Costa Rica. Recovered from: si.cultura.cr
4. Otegui Palacios, Sergio (2017). The 13 ethical customs that most puzzle foreigners. Recovered from: matadornetwork.com
5. Sedó, Patricia (s / f). La Lagarteada. Costa Rica Festivities and Traditions Project. Social action. Costa Rica university. Cultural Information System of Costa Rica. Recovered from: si.cultura.cr
6. Universia (s / f). Costa Rica. Recovered from: universia.es
7. Van Velzer, Ryan (2015). Christmas traditions. Recovered from: costarica.com.