Local traditions and culture in Nicaragua

While researching my trip to Nicaragua I came across an interview of a young Nicaraguan immigrant in Toronto, Canada who expressed some of his own views on the civil war from 1979-1989 that displaced him & his family. Below are the excerpts from 'The Fate of a Nicaraguan' by Jaime Glazov of Frontpagemag.com
This may give you a little insight into Nicaragua & the Sandanista/Contra war that helped make Nicaragua the poorest Central American nation & the 2nd poorest country, behind Haiti, in the Western Hemisphere.

Why did the Sandinistas do what they did to Nicaragua?

"If their revolution was for the sake of social justice and equality, as they, and their Western admirers said it was, then why did that tragedy befall Nicaragua under their leadership? "

"I would leave it to the people who study books to answer that question," Pracxedes says,

but from my experience of running into people with books, I have gathered that I must answer the question from my own life experience. As I think of it now, it was hatred. The Sandinistas represented the socialist idea of equality. But that idea is hatred. It is about stealing from people who create wealth and keeping it for oneself. It is about envy and jealousy. It is about coveting one’s neighbor’s goods. In fact, it is about violating almost every commandment in the Ten Commandments. The answer is hatred, hatred of the human being, and the desire to destroy who he is.
Pracxedes finishes. His is the story of one Nicaraguan. "I am a Nicaraguan," he says,

and I will always be a Nicaraguan. But the Nicaragua I dream of must now be in my mind, because communism destroyed the one that exists. And I think the same goes for what kind of person I wish to be. I have to dream of him too, because a large part of him died somewhere in the Southwest part of Managua many years ago.

*You can read the entire article at the link provided below.*

Blue and white are common colours in Central American flags. The colours come from the Central American Union flag from the beginning of the 19th century.
In the middle, in a circle, it says Republica De Nicaragua, America Central. Inside the circle is a triangle with vulcanos and a lake.

In the Central-American countries it's common to bargain on almost everything. Your accomodation is well worth a try especially when you're there in low season or with a bigger group. On markets it's common as well. Only restaurants and shops have fixed prices. All the other things... go ahead and have fun!

A piñata is made of chicken-wire and paper and hanged up in a rope. It is stuffed with sweets. It is used at partys where children with covered eyes are going to hit the piñata to break it and make the sweets fall out. Someone is pulling the rope and the children take turn to hit the piñata. When the piñata breaks and the sweets fall out all the children try to grab as much sweets as possible.

Seems odd but many people (especially in the country) point to things with their lips and not their fingers. I didn't notice this so much in the city or the coast. Another is shaking of the finger back and forth signifing a very stong "NO!" or "Don't go there!". This is also very prevelant on the coast/islands.

Apparently there are a few other common gestures but I didn't take notice of them or didn't understand meanings. Interesting.

Nicaraguans don't just walk in someone's house or office even if they know the person well. They first say hello and then the other person might, for example, say "adelante" and you say " gracias" or "con permiso" and walk in.

During the Holy Week everybody seams to go to the the beach to spend time with their family and friends, to eat, drink and party. This is the only time of the year beaches in Nicaragua are crowded.
As a lot of people comes to the beaches the prices often rise during this week.

There are a lot of poor people in Nicaragua. It's nice to give a tip, for anything someone does for you (at the Hotel, the Restaurant). There are also a lot of street children who are drug addicts. You can't help them, by giving them money. What I used to do was, buying bread or some other stuff for those kids. Cause if you give them money, they'll never use it to buy something to eat. Some of them already know that it's easy to get some money from tourists.

On the market it's a must to deal.