“Rápido, más rápido!” our dance instructor Monica Chacon shouted energetically, as we practiced our merengue marches and turns.  I had never danced salsa, merengue or bachata before, but I have to admit I had a lot more fun that I was expecting.  In addition to our dance lesson, we also got to learn about the history and traditions of Costa Rica from Dr. Laura Ramirez.  This is the part I personally found most interesting had to do with the oxcarts, which are an integral part of Costa Rica’s culture

To give a little bit of background, starting in the 1840s, oxcarts were the main form of transportation for agricultural goods, such as coffee beans, corn and sugarcane.  The crops, which were harvested in the Central Valley, had to be taken over the mountains to a port on either the Pacific Ocean or Caribbean Sea. Originally, the oxcarts had a traditional spoke design.  However, after the wheels kept getting stuck in the mud and breaking, a new type of wheel modeled off the indigenous Aztec discs became common due to its indestructibility.

One might wonder why the oxcart in particular of all of Costa Rica’s history is so important.  And, I think that the answer is that it has evolved to have many different meanings. As its significance changed over time, the knowledge and traditions around it have not been lost but have been passed down through the generations.  At first, oxcarts were a symbol of survival, resilience and adaptation. After a man named Joaquin Chaverri painted his oxcart to bring his family on outings, they came to represent leisure and fun. Soon, others followed suit, and, the more colorful and elaborate your oxcart, it meant the richer and more well to do you were.  This is just a brief overview of one part of Costa Rica’s rich and diverse culture and history.