The birth of a baby is a joyous occasion in Argentine culture. About 98 percent of all births in Argentina take place in the presence of a skilled medical practitioner, the population clearly preferring doctors to non-professional midwives.
In keeping with the traditions of Roman Catholicism, baptism is the most widely celebrated ceremony for babies. This ceremony takes place in the presence of nominated "godparents," usually close friends or relatives of the parents, who are expected to care for the child and provide advice and spiritual guidance in the event of the parents’ demise. Birthday celebrations are important events, with tradition dictating the child’s earlobes be pulled once for each year of life since birth. Another highly important ceremony is that of First Communion. The child partakes of this sacrament for the very first time, signaling his fellowship with the Catholic Church.
- World Trade Press. (2022, August). Argentina: Birth. Global Road Warrior. Retrieved August 09, 2022, from https://www-globalroadwarrior-com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/argentina/birth.html
Children are considered highly important in Argentine culture and treated as such. While male children traditionally have been valued over girls, this trend is showing a sharp decline, and the current generation generally values girls as much as boys.
A typical Argentine child usually attends school from an early age, since education is valued in the culture. Many parents will often make personal sacrifices to ensure their children get a good education. While children normally start school at the age of six, many attend kindergarten at the ages of four and five. With the exception of very poor households where children are expected to work and supplement the family income, children continue their education for as long as possible and are not generally required to get a job during this period.
Child labor is discouraged in society and children under the age of 14 are only allowed to work in non-hazardous jobs that do not interfere with their schooling. Children between the ages of 14 to 18 can take on jobs only if they have completed their compulsory schooling. Argentina’s laws also provide working children with a variety of safeguards to ensure their safety and health. A business that employs underage workers can be fined.
- World Trade Press. (2022, August). Argentina: Childhood. Global Road Warrior. Retrieved August 09, 2022, from https://www-globalroadwarrior-com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/argentina/childhood.html
One of the most popular, traditional, coming-of-age ceremonies in Argentine culture is that of Los Quince, which takes place when a girl turns 15. It consists of a lavish party that includes many guests, a feast, and live music. The girl wears a light colored dress, usually white, but sometimes pink, light blue, or lavender. This celebration involves the girl receiving a church blessing in the company of 14 attendants to symbolize the previous 14 years of her life. She also presents a porcelain doll to her younger sister as a symbol of leaving her childhood behind, and changes from flats to high-heeled shoes as a mark of her becoming a woman. Traditionally her first dance is a waltz with her father, followed by dances with other boys and relatives.
As much as possible, Argentine youth are expected to continue their schooling and complete their higher education. Only after they have completed their entire education are youth expected to work. By this time they have reached their early twenties. The increasing independence of the younger generation from traditional controls and restrictions has led them to be viewed with suspicion while, at the same time, they are seen as symbols of creativity, ingenuity, and intelligence. Their exposure to increasing globalization and technology has resulted in greater interaction among youth groups.
- World Trade Press. (2022, August). Argentina: Coming of Age. Global Road Warrior. Retrieved August 09, 2022, from https://www-globalroadwarrior-com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/argentina/coming-of-age.html
Dating is widely practiced in Argentina and is culturally accepted and expected. Family approval is not necessary for couples to begin dating, and there are no restrictions on the practice. The couples themselves freely make decisions.
Dating usually begins at the age of 15, when girls are deemed to have crossed over from childhood to womanhood. Men and women usually meet each other at parties, social functions, educational institutions, and the work place.
When out on a date, Argentine culture typically expects the man to pay for the dating expenses. A typical date generally consists of dinner and dancing, which are the most popular Argentine dating activities. Couples who are serious about each other usually date for several years before deciding to get married. According to various surveys, the average period of engagement before marriage is a little less than three years.
Most Argentines are nominally Catholic, but religion does not play an important role in dating practices. The increasingly cosmopolitan lifestyle and "open" culture have led to the rapid growth of premarital sexual encounters among teenagers. Upper-class youth generally take birth control measures. Their lower-income counterparts, however, generally cannot afford them, despite their knowledge of contraceptives and birth control techniques.
- World Trade Press. (2022, August). Argentina: Dating and Courtship. Global Road Warrior. Retrieved August 09, 2022, from https://www-globalroadwarrior-com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/argentina/dating-courtship.html
Marriages in Argentina are generally considered a sacred act, with more than 71 percent of all couples participating in religious marriage ceremonies. .
Argentine culture considers marriages highly important. The average marrying age for an Argentine man is 26, and for a woman, about 24. Tradition requires a grand celebration. Of the three main events that mark a marriage, the first consists of separate surprise "shower" parties for the bride and groom. The second is a civil wedding ceremony held before a judge, for which the couple wears formal clothes. Two witnesses are required to sign the book of civil matrimony, and at the end of the ceremony, the departing couple is showered with rice as a symbol of prosperity and fertility. The third ceremony is a church wedding, prior to which the groom is not supposed to see his bride. A party where a cake is cut and the couple dance usually follows.
Argentine weddings have a few unique customs. One of them is the absence of a best man, maid of honor, and bridesmaids. The groom is escorted by his mother and the bride by her father, both of whom stand beside the couple for the entire duration of the ceremony. Wedding rings are exchanged during the engagement and not when exchanging marriage vows.
Another unique practice is that of placing gifts tied with ribbons inside the wedding cake at the post-wedding party. The unmarried women at the party pull these ribbons, and the object attached to the other end of a ribbon symbolizes their marital fate. The one who gets a ring will be the next to marry while the one pulling a thimble will never marry. The parents of the girl pulling out a small padlock will prevent her from marrying in the near future.
Argentine culture generally expects marriages to be for life, although this view is higher among those who have religious convictions. Parents have very little say in their children’s marriages. The newlyweds usually live alone, apart from their parents.
These days, changing cultural traditions and equality laws have led to women playing an equal role in a marriage. After marriage, the husband is expected to earn and provide for the household while the wife continues to work until childbirth.
Divorce is legal and culturally acceptable. The acceptable circumstances for initiating a divorce include adultery, voluntary abandonment, physical abuse, grave slander, or being encouraged/forced to commit a crime. People wishing to divorce must apply to the appropriate court either singly or by mutual agreement. All assets belonging to the couple are equally divided between the spouses. Any property or asset owned by the wife prior to the marriage is hers to keep after the divorce.
In the case of contested divorces, courts decide on the custody of children over the age of five years. Mothers automatically receive custody of children below five years of age. The non-custodial parent retains certain rights over the child, including that of maintaining regular contact and the ability to supervise education. Remarriage is culturally accepted and increasingly popular.
- World Trade Press. (2022, August). Argentina: Marriage. Global Road Warrior. Retrieved August 09, 2022, from https://www-globalroadwarrior-com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/argentina/marriage.html
A typical family unit in Argentina usually consists of the parents and two or three children.
The responsibility for childcare and managing the household falls completely on the mother who, as a result, possesses a high degree of influence in important family decisions. The father is expected to continue supporting the family through his income, besides performing his share of the childcare duties. While tradition considers fathers to be the heads of the household, the trend is rapidly changing, particularly among the younger generation as women get increasingly assertive.
A typical day in the life of an Argentine family consists of the father, and in some cases, the mother as well, going to work while the children go to school. All of them are usually out of the house by eight in the morning. They reunite at about 1p.m. for lunch, which is the main meal of the day, followed by a small siesta or watching TV. Tea is at 5p.m. and the parents leave for work again at 5:30 while the kids are usually off to a sports club to play. The second family "reunion" takes place at 9 or 9:30p.m., when the parents return home from work. This is followed by dinner. Bedtime normally comes around midnight.
One of the favorite activities of an Argentine family is that of the asado (similar to the American barbeque) on Sundays. Meal sharing with the family is a typical practice, with lunches being traditionally heavier than dinners.
Divorces are becoming increasingly common since the legalization of the procedure in 1987. Mothers obtain automatic custody of children below five years of age. In the absence of a mutual agreement between the spouses, the court makes the decision on the custody of children above five years.
Grandparents are considered important in the Argentine culture although children are not expected to "owe" their parents anything. Grandparents who are unable to care for themselves are usually taken care of by one of the children. Due to the cultural trend shifting towards nuclear families, an increasing number of grandparents now live alone.
- World Trade Press. (2022, August). Argentina: Family and Parenting. Global Road Warrior. Retrieved August 09, 2022, from https://www-globalroadwarrior-com.allstate.libproxy.ivytech.edu/argentina/family-parenting.html
