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Persian and Latin American Culture

Franceli Perez

0159980

College of New Caledonia

English 103

Melanie Law

June 8, 2022
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Persian and Latin American Culture

It is important for readers to understand that different countries can share similar values.

The Persian and Latino culture might seem like totally opposites, however, there are multiple

common points between them that could embrace an individual’s interest to understand more

about their beliefs and traditions. Assuring that these cultures don’t have mutual values or

principles should not be assumed based on prejudices or misconceptions.

Both Latin Americans and Persians are proud of their heritage and the diversity of their

cultures. Nina Evanson discusses the core concepts of Iran in The Cultural Atlas and claims that

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a Middle Eastern nation located at the crossroads between Arab

Asia and Central Asia… Iranian people do not seem to affiliate themselves with the Arab world.

Rather, the distinctive Persian identity engenders a strong sense of pride and belonging among its

people. Indeed, one commonly hears Iranians calling themselves “Persians”, as they often prefer

to be associated with the prestige of the historical empire” (2016).

Similar to Iran, each one of the Latin American countries are known for the fulfillment of

their traditions and the warmness of their people. There is a variety of countries in Latin

America; so, it is important to know that they are integrated by Spanish speaking, descendants of

Africans, Native Americans and Europeans. Among those, we can mention, Colombia, Peru, the

Dominican Republic, Argentina, Chile, etc. Regardless of their location, all of them are

characterized by their hospitality and the joy for life.

Religion is really important for both cultures. Most of Latin Americans identify as

Catholics and the majority of Persians practice Islam. José D. Rodríguez’ article titled The

religious shift in Latin America (2018) states:

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“For five centuries, the Catholic Church has enjoyed a religious monopoly in Latin

America, but now, the accelerated rate at which its numbers are falling and the loss of

influence that it is experiencing are both plain to see. In the early 1970s, 90% of Latin

Americans considered themselves Catholic, today the number is at best 65%... despite the

fall in numbers over the past forty years, Catholicism has remained the majority religion

across Latin America, with 64.9% of people still declaring themselves Catholic in 2017”

(para. 1-5).

Persians are really passionate towards their religion beliefs; sharing that common point

with Latinos, and as July of 2016 it was estimated that at least 99.4% of Iranian residents are

Muslims, and most Persians believe in their only God, which is called “Allah” and the tenets of

Islam; yet, it should not be assumed that all Persians identify as Muslims because of their

ethnicity, some of them don’t practice Islam. In fact, new generations in Iran are being

influenced by the Western philosophy or have left the religion and become atheist. (Evanson,

2016).

Within all the important values these cultures embody, the family is the most essential

and crucial one. “The family unit is the single most important unit in the Latino culture, it

influences the perception and behavior of its members as to how they see the outside world

and… the family reinforces its importance by providing emotional, physical and material

security to its immediate and extended members”. (Nicoletti, 2010, p. 3). Also, for Persians, the

family is the most significant thing an individual can have and the main focus of their life .

In my personal experience, Latinos tend to grow in open-minded environments, and in

Latino’s households, the woman can influence in decisions as much as the man, but, for Persians
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there are controlling restrictions with respect to the women position within the family, and many

still follow these social practices.

Persian culture is well-known for their patriarchal manifestations. Traditionally, the

oldest male figure is the head of the family and household. As the head of the family, he is

expected to provide financially and protect the rest of the members, which is really similar to

Latino culture where the man is mostly the provider and protector. “Cultural practices associated

with patriarchy have changed immensely during the last century and with the modern classes,

there is a balance of power that is observed by both males and females. However, such

observances are voluntary and are not backed by legal codes that guarantee the balance of power

between the two and their children”. (Price, 2006, para. 1-2)

In conclusion, learning about Iran and Latin American culture can bring down the

barriers between misconceptions and ignorance and put together more important values like the

ability to understand the uniqueness of each. Despite some beliefs, the Iranian social

achievements have increased over the last decades. “Most Iranians today enjoy access to basic

services and infrastructure, while the population has almost doubled in the last years and… most

of the country is urbanized, other measures of social development have similarly improved.

Literacy has more than doubled, especially among women, and now encompasses almost all the

population.” (Fathollah-Nejad , 2019, para. 6).

Latin America has achieved significant progress over the years, as well, including

poverty reduction, growth of job opportunities, religion diversity and advances in environmental

and technology trends which are the future of the world. Therefore, getting to know the

similarities and distinctions of both cultures can open the mind of the unknowledgeable and

provide an opportunity for change of perception.

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References:

Evanson, N. (2016). Iranian Culture: Core Concepts. The Cultural Atlas.

https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/iranian-culture/iranian-culture-core-concepts

Evanson, N. (2016). Iranian Culture: Islam in Iran. The Cultural Atlas.

https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/iranian-culture/iranian-culture-core-concepts

Fathollah-Nejad, A (2019). Four decades later, did the Iranian revolution fulfill its promises?.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2019/07/11/four-decades-later-did-

the-iranian-revolution-fulfill-its-promises/

Nicoletti, K (2010). Habla espanol?: working with Spanish-speaking victims/survivors in a rural

setting. Conference. https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_Habla-

Espanol-Working-with-Spanish-speaking-Victims.pdf

Rodríguez Cuadros, J. (2018). The religious shift in Latin America. Hérodote, 171, 119-134.

https://www.cairn-int.info/article-E_HER_171_0119--the-religious-shift-in-latin-

america.htm