El Salvador:

A Diversity Study

By: Jacqueline GarayCruz

Jillian Kelly
Emily Miracolo.

Historical Context
dominated by the Pipils, descendants of
Nhuatl-speaking Toltecs and Aztecs - both
Mexican tribes.
They called the land Cuscatln, which
means Land of Jewels, and built their capital
Their culture was similar to that of the
Aztec, with heavy Maya influences
El Salvador achieved independence from
Spain in 1821
A 12-year civil war, which cost about
75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992

Origins of Salvadoran People

Mestizo 86.3%
White 12.7%

Amerindian 1% (2007
census)

Language
Spanish (official),
Nahua (among
some Amerindians)

Religion
Roman Catholic 57.1%,
Protestant 21.2%,
Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%,
Mormon 0.7%,
other religions 2.3%

Religion- Catholicism
El Salvador has a strong Roman Catholic
identity. The majority of Salvadorans in
the late 1980s were at least nominal
Roman Catholics, and church rituals
permeated the nation's culture and
society. Church attendance, especially
for women, remained important, church
sacraments and ceremonies such as
baptism and confirmation were
observed, and fiestas were held to
celebrate patron saints of villages,
towns, and cities.

Tradition and Culture

Celebrations
Salvadorians are very big into celebrations and getting together
with family and friends
Birthdays, religious holidays, religious events in a persons life,
weddings, and death

Quinceanera
Celebration of a girls 15th birthday
Elaborate party
The girl typically wears an elaborate
gown
The party is similar
to an American
wedding reception

Tradition and Culture

Holidays
Salvadorians are very religious, so religious holidays are
observed:
Easter/Holy Week
The Day of the Crosses
Day of the Dead
Christmas
Other Nationally celebrated holidays include:
Labor Day May 1st
Mothers Day
Fathers Day
Independence Day Sept 15th
New Years Day/ New Years Eve

Tradition and Culture

Sports
Soccer
ElSalvador has a national football team
The team plays at the Estadio Cuscatlan in
San Salvador, the largest stadium in Central
America

Tradition and Culture

Cuisine
Pupusas, which are handmade corn tortillas stuffed with cheese,
refried beans, or chicharron, are a very popular dish in El Salvador
Fried plantains, yuca frita, panes con pollo are also popular dishes
Maria Luisa is a popular dessert
which is a layered cake
Pastel de tres leches (Cake of three
milks) is a very popular dessert

Salvadoran
Immigration to America
A great number of immigrants left El Salvador in two big waves.
First wave of immigration: The first wave happened around the 1960s and 1970s. Many of
these immigrants were single women, in search of job opportunities (housekeeping,
childcare). What led many women to find work elsewhere was the economy and the
implantation of minimum wage that excluded them. The women were not pushed out,
rather they made the choice to leave for other opportunities elsewhere, a pull.
Second wave of immigration: The second wave of immigration occurred as a result of the
Salvadoran Civil War in the 1980s, in which 20%-30% of El Salvador's population
emigrated. About 50% percent, or up to 500,000 of those who escaped headed to the
U.S., which was already home to over 10,000 Salvadorans, making Salvadorans Americans
the third-largest Hispanic and Latino American group
Now: The number of Salvadoran immigrants in the United States continued to grow in the
1990s and 2000s as a result of family reunification and new arrivals fleeing a series of
natural disasters that hit El Salvador, including earthquakes and hurricanes. By 2008,
there were about 1.1 million Salvadoran immigrants in the United States. Salvadorans are
the country's sixth largest immigrant group

Demographics in the United States

POPULATION:
The states with the highest number of
Salvadorians in 2010 were as follows:
California 573,956 (1.5% of entire
population)
Texas 222,599 (0.9% of entire population)
New York 152,130 (0.8% of entire
population)
Virginia 123,800 (1.5% of entire population)
Maryland 123,789 (2.1% of entire
population)
New Jersey 56,532 (0.6% of entire
population)
Florida 55,144 (0.3% of entire population)
Massachusetts 43,400 (0.7% of entire
population)
North Carolina 37,778 (0.4% of entire
population)
Georgia 32,107 (0.3% of entire population)
Nevada 30,043 (1.1% of entire population)

*Recent census data shows that

for the first time and are now the
largest Latino group in Long
Island, there are more
Salvadorians living on Long
Island than Puerto Ricans, with
Salvadorans, now numbering
nearly 100,000, representing
nearly a quarter of all Hispanics in
the region.

Demographics in the
United States
Education
Salvadoran Americans, like many immigrants, place a
high value on education as a way to advance in the
world. Some Salvadorans cherish education in
particular because of their ongoing struggle to achieve
it at home
Salvadorians have lower levels of education than the
Hispanic population overall and the U.S. population
overall. Less than one-in-ten (7%) Salvadorians ages 25
and oldercompared with 13% of all U.S. Hispanics
and 29% among the U.S. populationhave obtained at
least a bachelors degree.

Demographics in the United States

Occupations:

Salvadorans have often been referred to as "the Germans of

Central America" because of their strong work ethic
Salvadorans in the United States are among the hardestworking immigrants, working enough hours at low-paying
jobs to send about $800 million home every year.
Many Salvadoran American men work in hotel and restaurant
kitchens
Others work as day laborers in the building trades.
Many Salvadoran American women work as nannies and
maids.
Both men and women perform cleaning and janitorial
services in hotels, commercial buildings, and homes.
Some Salvadorans also work as unlicensed street vendors of
food and goods.

Demographics in the United States

Income:

The median annual personal earnings for Salvadorans

ages 16 and older were $20,000 in 2011, the same as
the median earnings for all U.S. Hispanics; compared
to the median earnings for the U.S. population were
$29,000.

Salvadorian American Family Life

Family Composition

close-knit
the father exercises authority and,
together, both parents maintain
control over their children.
The immigration process and different
life conditions in the U.S. may have
affected Salvadoran family dynamics:
due to the nature of immigration into
the U.S., many refugees made the
journey alone and families were
separated.
The childrens ability to speak English
converted them into their parents
translator, defender or controller of
information. The rolereversal of
parent and child changed both
generations.

Marriage
Salvadorans ages 15 and older
are less likely to be married (42%)
than Hispanics overall (43%) and
the U.S. population overall (48%).

Salvadorian American Family Life

Gender Roles
Machismo: when traditional roles remain that
men are the financial support for the family and
a women looks after the house. As a child is
raised they are expected to follow these roles.
Women are still placed into "supportive roles
Even working women are exclusively
responsible for the housework and raising the
children

Etiquette
Greetings
A typical greeting involves a handshake. Women will often

pat each other on the arm

Men greeting women: informally the man will nod or give a

simple verbal greeting, formally the man will wait for the
woman to extend her hand for a handshake

Etiquette
Gift Giving
Birthdays, Christmas, New Years, Religious events in a

persons life
Spirits, pastries, sweets, or flowers are common gifts to give

a host
Gifts are opened upon being received

Etiquette
Dining
Salvadorians enjoy socializing and are very hospitable

Meals and social occasions can run rather lengthy

At meals they converse before and after the meal
Arriving on time is not normal

Bias / Stereotypes

El Salvadorans as a population believe those who are indigenous and/or have a dark
skin complexion are inferior and are often discriminated against and treated as
second-class citizens.
Many cultural observers contend that mainstream America has not yet formed a
distinct stereotype of Salvadoran Americans.
Salvadorans have settled in neighborhoods already populated by Mexican Americans,
and outsiders generally have only a vague sense of the various Latino nationalities in
those neighborhoods.
Salvadorans certainly share in the widespread discrimination leveled at Latinos.
In the Brooklyn, for example, a group of white teenagers who beat up a Salvadoran
man in a neighborhood park reportedly referred to him as "that Mexican."

Teaching Strategies / Pointers

Be aware of different cultures of the students and
embrace them. Make yourself knowledgeable of
their heritage and customs.
Do not allow students to be bullied by other
students, especially due to cultural differences. Do
not single them out.
Encourage the expression of diversity in the
classroom. Model respect and acceptance for
everyone in your classroom.

Famous Salvadorian Americans

Alvaro Torres
Jos Cortz - former NFL
placekicker
Linda Arsenio-actress
Marcos Villatoro - novelist
Francesca Miranda - fashion
designer
DJ Keoki - Techno DJ
Allison Iraheta - singer;
Telemundo's Quinceaera winner
and American Idol season 8 finalist
T-Bone - rapper
Sabi (singer)
Rosa Barandiaran - artist
Mario Bencastro - painter

Interview with Jenny J. Alvarado

Cultural background: Latina
with Salvadoran heritage
Languages: English /
Spanish
Degree in: Bachelors in
Spanish Education and
Masters in TESOL
Current Position: Full-time
Spanish Elementary Teacher

Interview with Jenny J. Alvarado

InterviewwithJennyAlvarado.d
ocx

References
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CIA Maps. (2013, May 31). Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/cia-maps-publications/index.html
Countries and Their Cultures. (n.d.). Culture of El Salvador. Retrieved April 23, 2014,
from http://www.everyculture.com/Cr-Ga/El-Salvador.html
El Salvador - Culture, Customs & Etiquette. (n.d.). El Salvador - Culture, Customs &
Etiquette. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from
http://www.culturecrossing.net/basics_business_student.php?id=62

References
Castellanos, T. (n.d.). . Knowledge of Immigrant Nationalities.
Retrieved April 19, 2014, from
http://www.immigrantinfo.org/kin/elsalvador.htm
Hispanics of Salvadoran Origin in the United States. (2013,
August 13). Latino Information Network at Rutgers. Retrieved
April 19, 2014, from
http://linar.rutgers.edu/demographics/item/679-hispanics-ofsalvadoran-origin-in-the-united-states#.U1lbxfldVJt
Mumford, J. (n.d.). Salvadoran Americans . Countries and
their Cultures. Retrieved April 19, 2014, from
http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/SalvadoranAmericans.html