Que Chevere, 2nd Ed (Student Editions) Que chevere Level 1B | Page 26

Cultura
Pre-
Pregunta clave
AP
What does a house
and its contents tell
us about the people
who live there?
Los venezolanos y sus casas
Do you know where the name Venezuela
originated?  The Spanish explorers saw houses built on stilts
in the waters of Lake Maracaibo and decided to call the area
“Little Venice.” Venezuelans trace their origins to those early
Europeans, but also to various indigenous tribes, and to
the tribesman brought from Africa to work on the sugar and
cotton plantations.
Venezuelan homes are as diverse as the people themselves.
The varied living spaces and lifestyles are evidence of
Venezuela’s rapid social and economic change since the oil boom of
the 1970s. In large cosmopolitan cities like Caracas and Maracaibo,
you find high-rise apartment buildings with all the modern
conveniences. The owners usually work in the city to take advantage
of job opportunities and the proximity to museums, shopping, and
restaurants. The housing shortage in Caracas has caused many rural
newcomers seeking employment to build small homes and shacks
(ranchos) crowded together in slums on the hillsides surrounding the
city. Wealthier families prefer houses with more living space in quiet
Los apartamentos cerca de Caracas
residential districts.
Casas indígenas en el agua
Indigenous groups have their own styles of housing. The Yanomami, a tribe that lives in the Amazon
rainforest, choose communal living. Entire villages live under a common roof called the shabono. And
on the shores of Lake Maracaibo, you can still find settlements built on stilts over the water, similar to
the housing units viewed by the Spanish back in the 16 th century.
Búsqueda:  venezuela housing, 1970s venezuelan oil boom
Productos  
  Conéctate: el arte y el diseño
Los indígenas del Estado Amazonas en Venezuela producen fantásticos
productos artesanales (handicrafts). Un producto que está presente en todos
los hogares (homes) indígenas de Venezuela es el chinchorro. Esta hamaca
de muchos colores se usa para dormir o descansar (rest) y también como
decoración. Hoy, las comunidades indígenas producen chinchorros artesanales
para todo el país. Son tan populares que en muchos hogares de las grandes
ciudades venezolanas hay un chinchorro en el patio o en el balcón.
Un chinchorro
14 Comprensión
1. What is the origin of the name Venezuela?
2. Name three types of housing in Venezuela and a positive aspect of each.
3. Why are the chinchorros so popular in Venezuelan homes?
15 Analiza
What effects, positive and negative, do you think the Venezuelan oil boom
of the 1970s had on people’s living situation?
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doscientos setenta y ocho  |  Unidad 6  Mi casa es su casa
Comparaciones
What types of homes
exist where you live? How
are they similar to, and
different from, the types
of homes in Venezuela?