Religion

Puerto Ricans are primeraly Catholic, yet their beliefs, rituals, and practices aren't often in the orthodox boundaries of Catholicism. Puerto Ricans don't differentiate between official Catholicism and their own personal rituals and beliefs and  they very ltitle credit to African and Latin American influences that have an impact on their religion. In addition to the rich sacrafices paid to saints, as is common throughout Latin America, parts of the island still have beliefs in the evil eye, saints' miracles, faith healing, and witchcraft. Catholic icons are common in Puerto Rican households, often implemented through photographs of family members and clusters of ceramic figures.
This is a photo of a worship happening in Puerto Rico...

A little bit of history...

On November 19, 1493 Christopher Columbus discovered the island in his second voyage to the New World. He named the island San Juan Bautista. He found the island populated by Taíno or also named Arawak Indians. The Taínos were  kind and peaceful people and they welcomed the new people and shared their homes and food and gave the Spaniards many gifts. Columbus thought this island to be very pretty. He also though about how kind the Indians were to him.

 Later on, Juan Ponce de León  came and colonized Borinquen in 1508 and became its first governor. The Spaniards were looking for treasures like gold. They made slaves of the Indians gradually killing them from overwork. Even after all the indians did for them, they still killed them off. The atmosphere of the soon to be Puerto Rico changed from kind and peaceful to rutheless and murderous. Soon, African families were brought to the island as even more slaves. The island remained economically undeveloped until 1830, when sugarcane and other crops and growing areas were developed. Many families from Spain and European countries moved to the island, slowly coming together with the Taíno Indians, forming a new ethnic group called Criollos (this is where we get the name for Puerto Rican cuisine, comida Criolla).

When Puerto Ricans started to push for their very own independence, Spain gave the island powers of self-government in 1897. But during the Spanish-American War of 1898, American troops came and invaded the island and Spain  was forced to surrender to the U.S. Since then, Puerto Rico has remained a U.S. territory. Its people were granted American citizenship under the Jones Act in 1917.  They were also allowed to vote for their own governor, beginning in 1948.  Now they can fully manage their government under a constitution made by them and for them. In 1952, Puerto Rico’s Constitution established self government. In 1954, Puerto Ricans carried out an armed attack in the U.S Congress toi gain more rights, but over the years the people of Puerto Rico have voted to keep their decent Commonwealth status.

Holidays:)

Three Kings day is one of the most popular celebrations in Puerto Rico. The carouse take place on January 6. All of the children gather grass and place it in a box at the foot of their beds, so that the camels of the Three Kings will have something to eat when they come to visit. The old tale says the Three Kings are in reference to the kings that went to visit Jesus when he was born. The three majesties gave him gifts then so they give the gifts to the children now. This holdiay is the spanish soeaking world's version of Christmas.

 The Birthday of Eugenio Maria Hostos has been celebrated on the 2nd Monday of January. Eugenio María de Hostos (1839–1903) was a writer and statesman who struggled for Puerto Rican independence and the end to slavery in the late 19th century.




Emancipation Day
Slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873 while the Island was still a colony of Spain.



Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marin's Birthday

A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico holiday, celebrated in recent years on the 4th of July. Don Luis Muñoz Rivera (1859–1916) was a prominent journalist, poet, and politician who wanted and went for  independence from Spain and later, the United States. His son Luis Muñoz Marín was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico.


These are some of the MANY holidays celebrated in Puerto Rico.

Geography & Location

Geography & Location

Puerto Rico is located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea.  It is an archipelago is located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.  Puerto Rico is east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands. 



Puerto Rico is a United State's territory, and its land area is 3,435 miles.  Although Puerto Ricans do not pay federal income tax and may not vote for president, they have been considered citizens of the United States Of America since 1917.

National Anthem of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico's Anthem:

La Boriqueña Lyrics

La tierra de Borinquén donde he nacido yo, es un jardín florido de mágico fulgor.
Un cielo siempre nítido le sirve de dosel y dan arrullos plácidos las olas a sus pies.
Cuando a sus playas llegó

Exclamó lleno de admiración; "Oh!, oh!, oh!, esta es la linda tierra que busco yo".
Es Borinquén la hija, la hija del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol, del mar y el sol.

English translation:

 

The land of Borinquen
where I have been born
is a flowery garden
of magical beauty.
A constantly clear sky
serves as its canopy
and placid lullabies are sung
by the waves at its feet.
When at her beaches Columbus arrived
full of awe he exclaimed,
"Oh!, oh!, oh!, this is the lovely land
that I seek"
Borinquen is the daughter,
the daughter of the sea and the sun.
Of the sea and the sun,
of the sea and the sun,
of the sea and the sun,
of the sea and the sun.

 

 

 

These lyrics were approved by the governor Carlos Romero Barcelo after Puerto Rico became "The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico." Even before that...they were known as Taino, which also happens to be the Indians where many of their cultural aspects derived from.