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Africa runs deep in PR and is one of the reasons my family connected on such a deep level before finding out we, at one point, had roots on the island. I love how PR has been able to stay connected to and celebrate its African roots which were stripped from those of us on the mainland and are still treated as a negative when we all know it's the opposite. Thank you Rey!

Descendants of the people that lived in PR or were slaves at the time, and probably for the first 50 years or so before the Taino Indians end up decimated, have the original mix of Taino, Spaniard and African. Since then, we have continued to mix the blood and we have a little bit of a lot of European countries.

Based on my research I am mostly from the original line with several instances of Spaniard ancestors, that is why I am fairly light, but my hair is curly. My grafather on my father side is a black Puerto Rican. There are several in my family with blue eyes, some green eyes and some carrot tops also. But we are one culture and one language with a few Taino Indian and African words thrown in.

My mother used to practice Santeria for at least 50 years that I know about, but she passed a while ago so she had to give it up, no Santeria statues and candles allowed in heaven.   A fire hazard.

The best frituras, like empanadas and bacalaitos, are from Loiza, where the Bomba is kept and old tradition are passed to the new generations.

Good read about Loiza and the festivals and coconut masks used during some of the celebrations not just in Loiza but also San Juan and many other towns.


See sample picture of some of the costumes here

Work off a few pounds dancing to La Bomba and show how well you can shake it.

Great videos, Rey, thanks!

I have a music teacher friend that plays bomba. He says salsa is cultural colonialism.

I spoke with your mother last night at the inter-galactic Santeria festival.  She was with my mother.  They were drinking pitorro and munching chicharrones.  Both miss Puerto Rico.

They were probably checking some of the  guys passing by then