What are the folklore of cosata rica?

Question

im doing a project on costa rica...what are the folklores there

Answer 1

There are a few historical/legendary tales in costa rica.  One would be remiss to mention the country hero of Juan Santamaria.  Juan was a brave soldier in the fight against William walker and the filibusters.  As legend has he he bravely left the security of the stronghold twice, risking his life, to set fire to the enemy stronghold.  He was made into a hero as he was mostly indigenous and gave the lower class peoples a hero and someone to look up to.  There is  statue of him in the central park in San Jose and the airport is named after him.

You would also want to mention the story of Juanita.  Juanita was an indigenous little girl out gathering sticks for firewood and in the middle of the woods found a doll sitting on a rock.  She took the doll home and was pleased with her find.  She woke up the next morning and the doll was gone.  She was very angry at her brother whom she suspected took it, but he didn't.  Her mother sent her back out to collect wood and she found the doll once again on the rock.  So she took it home again.  This happened two more times, the disappearance and reappearnace on the rock before they took the doll to the local priest becuase surely it was a miracle.  So the proest locked the doll in a box and kept the key to himself.  The next day he checked the box and it was gone.  He went to the spot in the woods with Juanita and there it was again.  After the priest left with the doll to proclaim it holy, Juanita stayed by the rock where the Virgin de Los Angeles (the virgin Mary) appeared to her not in the anglicized form of the spaniards, but an indigenous form.  She proclaimed the place holy and water sprung from the rock.  Years later the Catedral was built over the holy rock with holy water and still exists today in Cartago. People make piligrimages to ask La virgen de los Angeles for miracles, to offer gifts, and to bring home holy water to cure and bless members of their family.

You will want to check the accuracy of my memory but that should guide you in the right direction.  More recent history would include the banana blight and the United Fruit Company.  (now known as Chiquita Banana and Dole).