Introduction to the Cultural Aspect of Puerto Rico

Brought to you by these fine folks:Patti Rodriguez

Joe TenorioMike Camacho

Carissa Pangelinan

Ethnic Makeup of

Puerto Rico

80.5%

8%

0.2%

0.4%

11%

Hispanics who may be of any race, were 98.9% of Puerto Rico’s

population

Language

Spanish English

• a central issue in Puerto Rican education and culture since 1898.

• 1930, US authorities insisted upon making English the language of instruction in the schools.

Religion

75%

After US acquired Puerto Rico in 1898, Protestantism grew in influence and popularity, with all major sect represented

Some islanders ascribe to spiritualism

Others practice Santeria

Music and Dance

long tradition of folk songs and romantic ballads based on African & Spanish rhythms such as decimas

Rafael Hernandez

Puerto Rican musicians have contributed greatly to the creation of Latin jazz & more recently to innovations in salsa, a genre of Latin music

Opera, ballet and popular concerts also take place throughout the year.

seis

bomba

Art and Literature

Jose Campeche

A persistent theme in much of the island’s literature is the quest for individual and national identityPuerto Rican writers often focus on political and social topics.

Poetry has played an important role in Puerto Rico’s cultural and social

history- Manuel A. Alfonso

Puerto Rican Foods

Although Puerto Rican cooking is somewhat similar to both Spanish and Mexican cuisine

It is a unique tasty blend of Spanish, African, Taíno, and American influences

D. Locals call their cuisine "cocina criolla"(Créole cooking)1) can be traced back to the Arawaks and Tainos, the original inhabitants of

the island2)who thrived on a diet of corn, tropical fruit, and seafood. 3)When Ponce de León arrived in 1493 the Spanish added - beef, pork, rice, wheat, and olive oil to the island's foodstuffs4) Soon after, the Spanish began planting sugarcane and importing slaves

from Africa,- who brought with them okra and taro (known in Puerto Rico as yautia). E. The mingling of flavors and ingredients passed from generation to

generation among the different ethnic groups that settled on the island, resulting in the exotic blend of

today's Puerto Rican cuisine.

Adobo

Sofrito

Coffee

Rum