The Question of Puerto Rican Identity:
To Be or Not To Be...
Update Study by Don Jíbaro Blackbeard

Are we obligated to represent in order to identify?

When you examine the USA-rican culture and the ISLA-rican culture, both cultures are based on the same roots that grow different DUE to the environments in which they develop... both accrue on enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training that is given by BORICUA peers, hopefully before you leave the home ... parents being the MAIN influence.

IF YOUR parents don't teach you to be Puerto Rican (in cultural behavior, that is... not in ethnical identification) you'll grow to being or thinking that you are anything, whatever... EVEN an eskimo or a viking... WHILE deep IN REALITY you are a BORICUA, "mancha'o con plátano."

Moreover, because the racism and inequality that ethnic groups suffer in the USA, the BORICUAS there have suffered their part of the unfairness and turn apprehensive when revealing personal aspects of their culture. The crisis is there… the cultural gap is for real. That prompt us to seek out our "panas" and form communities in where everybody says: WEPA! …and QIUBO? Incidentally, that phenomenon has proven futile in cities like Los Angeles (where I live) where there's virtually no Puerto Rican community. Because of that, a Boricua here will stop any other car that has a PR flag hanging from the mirror just to ask: “Oyee!, ¿De qué pueblo tu erej?”

A Puerto Rican's acquaintance with taste in Boricua arts, humanities, and some aspects of Puerto Rican social arts and politics (as distinguished from vocational and other technical skills) IS a responsibility that is HIS OWN in order to nurture a healthy self esteem. Ignorance is never an excuse. Knowledge of ALL those things is culture. Subsequently, NOT knowing enough Spanish or Jibaro lingo to be a TRUE RICAN would not be acceptable. The same rule would apply to a “Borinqueño” from Utuado or Corozal going to New York without knowing some English to, at least, stay out of trouble.

How much do you need in order to represent?

Aaah, but that changes if you live in Puerto Rico. In the ISLAND the culture is around you and binds your existence daily. You can't miss it. The PR ISLANDERS don't have an identity crisis... The Jibaros of Comerio don't need to know that they are jibaros, they know that already. Nevertheless, you still see there Puerto Ricans wrapped up in flags and "pavas"... because our perspective is global... THE WHOLE WORLD is watching us!

So, we are also responsible, almost mandated, to spread, not impute, the patterns of Boricua culture, knowledge and customs to those who lack them. That rests upon our capacity for learning and teaching. We are the ones who transmit knowledge to succeeding generations. BOTTOM LINE: It's up to us. That's why I go to a great expense to have JIBAROS.COM and JIBAROS.NET online.

So, flashing tatoos on your chest or flags on our cars is just a way to say: "I talk the talk." But one also needs to "walk the walk." Our culture is very deep... with more than just customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of our social groups. We also have sets of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes what being Puerto Rican is all about. We share those through education and tolerance, knowing that there are Boricuas out there that are going though some kind of identity crisis because they were born in Alaska or New Zealand and have have no idea what a "PIONONO" or a "GUANIME" is.

Let me end by saying that... those who "talk the talk" should also "walk the walk" by the means of promoting culture rather than just showing culture. I hope that as co-patriots we can keep our culture thriving and our ethnicity untainted. Pa' encima, pues...!!

 What Makes YOU  a Boricua?
 

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