Elements of Culture

This is where I went to school before I moved to the U.S. 

In El Salvador, it is required that every school assigns a uniform for students. The norms of proper school attire must always be followed by students and if they were broken, there were consequences. The school norms were strictly enforced by the school staff and basically every student followed the rules. Uniforms had to be clean and well pressed, polished shoes and everyone had to look presentable. This is how students from different schools can be identified around the city that they live in. 

Ladies in traditional garments

These ladies are wearing traditional dresses from El Salvador. They usually wear this for El Salvador's Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 15 or for El Día de la Raza (Day of Race, which in the U.S. would be like Columbus Day) on October 12. This is an example of symbolic culture, because the traditional vestments are worn to celebrate the independence from the Spaniards. It represents freedom for the people in El Salvador as well as other Spanish-speaking nations in Latin America.