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Hispanic culture: How has it impacted you?

Piñatas, the quinceañera and salsa are fun contributions Hispanic culture has made to life in the United States and the rest of the world.

National Hispanic Awareness Month is Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Each year, the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America are celebrated during this period. This year’s theme is “Many Backgrounds, Many Stories … One American Spirit.”

Piñatas are containers often made of paper-mache, pottery or cloth that are decorated, filled with toys and/or candy and then broken as part of a ceremony or celebration. Today, the people who make piñatas likely are Chinese, Korean or some other non-Mexican or non-Hispanic ethnicity.

The quinceañera is a celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday and marks one of several significant events that are observed as she grows up.

Salsa has become as much a mainstay in American households as ketchup during the past 20 years.

Are there ways Hispanic culture has found its way into your home? Maybe it’s food, décor or through television. Let us know. Please send your experiences to steve.grant@itd.idaho.gov by Sept. 7.

Published 8-31-2012