This document outlines various social norms and customs related to weddings, communication, funerals, rites of passage, and etiquette in several South American countries. In Brazil, weddings involve holding Brazilian flags and it is considered polite to maintain eye contact in public. Funerals in South America do not typically involve disguising the body. Birth ceremonies involve parents fasting and spreading ashes. Becoming an adult depends on skills like hunting or gathering. The document provides additional tips for several countries, such as hugging strangers in Argentina, avoiding public drunkenness in Brazil, and bringing gifts when visiting homes in Chile and Peru. Overall, the key message is that ignoring social norms in South America can be considered rude and potentially dangerous.

1. Social norms and values of south america
Binga National High School
August 12, 2016
Presented by:
Kurt Capsula
Haydee Balawas
Mary Grace Calderon

2. Weddings
In Brazil during the
ceremony the congregation
holds Brazilian Flags

3. Weddings
In Peru a ribbon with
charms on it is put in
between the layers of the
wedding cake and what
ever single gets the ribbon
is said to married within
the next year

4. Weddings
Also Colombian bribes put
coins in their shoes on their
wedding day to symbolize a wish
for a life without economic
struggles

5. Communications
• Social proximity
during conversation
• Demonstration of
Agression and Anger

6. Communications
In South America
the people like to be
close to a person when
holding a conversation.
Latinos find it very
disrespectful when
people back away oppose
to people in North
America, who like
"personal space."

7. Communications
The people of South
America also like to speak
effusive, flowery, and
formal where people in
other continents like to
speak more bluntly.

8. Communications
Latinos are also
very tactful and
diplomatic and will
show aggression as
fast as a person can
blink if they are
offended.

9. Funerals
Funerals in South America
are different from most
countries. Being that most of the
countries in South America are
predominately Protestant
dressing up the body is something
they don't practice.

10. Funerals
Dressing up the body
disguises the reality of death
and doesn't portray the
seriousness of death and the
morality of it.

11. Funerals
Not disguising the
body or cause of death
shows people how serious
death is lets them reflect
and prepare for it one day.

12. Funerals
Death Rites:
When a person dies,
mourners paint their faces
black and beat the hut of
the dead person and they
also fast.

13. Rites of Passage
Birth ceremonies is a
rite of passage in South
America. After the birth of a
child the family practice
Couvade. this is where the
father stays home and mimics
labor and relatives and friends
provide essential needs.

14. Rites of Passage
Also during birth
the parents fast after
the birth of a child and
observe food taboos.

15. Rites of Passage
Children are born in
a communal house and
after their births their
parents spread ashes
throughout the forest as
a purification rite and
then light a fire to
signify new life

16. Rites of Passage
Becoming of age:
As young children
both girls and boys are
taught to imitate their
elders before puberty.
They are taught to
hunt shellfish and sea
urchins as a symbol of
hunting and providing for
oneself

17. Rites of Passage
By the age of seven
boys and girls are
separated. Boys are
taught to use bows and
arrows and girls are
taught to swim and dive to
get ready for "women's
work".

18. Rites of Passage
The ceremony from
youth to adulthood is
dependent on the number
of animals hunted (boys)
and the number of
shellfish and sea urchins
collected (girls), enough
to make a feast.

19. If you get on public transit, do
not sit next to someone unless you
have to. People will think you're
creepy, especially if you're a man next
to a woman, if you don't leave a spare
seat between you and the other
person. Obviously it's okay once this
arrangement has reached capacity.

20. People are very contact
friendly. Shake hands and hug when
people offer. Yes, strangers will offer
to hug you so long as it's a "trusted"
situation, like church or whatnot. If
you don't do this, you will look cold
and bitchy. If it's family members,
it's downright rude and crass not to,
and people will wonder what's
wrong with you. "No touching"
people are rare and misunderstood
here.

21. In Brazil…

22. People think that
"outsmarting" other people is
acceptable, where outsmarting
may mean cutting in line, driving
like an ass that doesn't recognize
the danger to other people's lives,
yelling at every establishment
known to man, etc. It is just the
clearest manifestation of a very
individualistic societal behavior.

23. Stare at everyone, everywhere, as everyone will
stare at everyone else in Brazil. It’s polite to do so and
you will always be aware of your surroundings.
This is very important.
If you keep looking down
and don’t acknowledge
with your eyes anyone
who is closer to you than
two meters away,
you may be a potential
victim
of pickpockets.

24. Don’t get drunk, you will hardly see a
Brazilian get drunk. Try to drink up to your limit
and stop before feeling tipsy or getting drunk; if
you do get drunk keep a low profile, otherwise
people may lose respect for you and you may be
mocked at.

25. Drug consumption
other then alcohol is a
criminal offense in Brazil,
so if you are into it, don’t do
it in public, otherwise you
run the risk of getting in
trouble with both the police
and the guys who are trying
to sell you the drugs.

26. In the unlikely event that
you are help up at gun point
or knife, don’t resist neither
fight; make sure that you see
(or feel) the gun or knife, but
don’t look at the thief’s face.
It’s rare but not impossible, it
happens daily to an average of
only 5 foreign tourists out of
thousands in the most
dangerous cities in Brazil.

27. Don’t
leave anything
unattended in
public places.
Sometimes
the rule in the
streets is: “if
you are not
holding it,
who grabs it
first owns it”

28. Do not make the
“ok” sign with your
hand which is
considered a very rude
gesture in Brazil.
So unless you
really want to make
someone angry,
avoid it!

29. In Argentina…
Iguazu Waterfalls

30. Do not talk about sensitive
topics unless you are well prepared.
Things like political relationship with
the USA, Brazil or
Great Britain,
which could
cause
strong reactions.

31. In Colombia…
Cartagena City

32. Do not stay out late at
night by yourself and do
not get drunk alone, you
may wake up without your
wallet.

33. Do not show the slightest
bit of interest in any of the
hawkers selling goods in the
streets because they’ll just follow
you.

34. Do not say a
bad word about
the Catholic
Religion or
Colombia. The
most Colombians
are mostly bound
up with their
identity. To criticize
any aspect of
Colombia is to
criticize them.

35. • Do not whistle to
get an attention
which is considered
rude.

36. Do avoid to talk homosexuality, as it
is not widely accepted or understood,
especially by older generations.

37. In Chile..

38. Do not go empty
handed to anyone’s home.
Gift-giving is a popular
custom in all of Latin
America. Do not give
scissors or knives as a gift
which indicates severing
the relationship.

39. Do not pour
wine with the left
hand while grasping
the neck of the
bottle which is a big
no-no in Chile.

40. Do not hold your fist and slapping it
against the other hand, or holding hands as if
holding a round object. Both would be
misinterpreted as “screw you”.

41. Do bring a
bouquet of flowers or
wine for the hostess
when invited to a
Chilean home, but do
not give yellow roses
which indicate
disrespect, purple and
black flowers which
used for mourning.

42. Do keep both hands
above the table throughout
the meal and finish everything
in your plate. It is considered
impolite to ask for or accept
second helpings of food.

43. In Peru..

44. Do not use the words “indio or indios”
to refer to natives. These words are
considered derogatory.

45. Do bring your own toilet
paper and expect to pay to use a
restroom. Toilet paper is often not
supplied in public restrooms in
Peru.

46. Do expect to
pay higher price
than locals . Your
lack of Spanish or
foreign accent will
eventually hike up
the price at least a
15%.

47. Mostly social norms
and values in SOUTH
AMERICA, if ignored are
considered as an act of being
impolite, rude, a mark of
infamy or disgrace. The
consequences will really put
you in danger, in jail or even
in the hospital because they
battered bash or whacked at
you. Well, better to be kind
and polite to keep away from
any harm.

48. Obrigado por Ouvir!