New York Latin Culture Magazine®

World-class Indigenous, European & African Culture since 2012

Puerto Rico

Happy Mother’s Day NYC 2023!

Our world is changing, but everyone still has a mom. Mother's Day in New York City 2023 The Latin way would be that everyone goes to Mom's house or a kid's house and we cook, eat, drink, talk, maybe dance a little, and that's about it. We just have a house party. But there are some things that your Mom might enjoy this year in New York City. Spanish Harlem … [Read more...] about Happy Mother’s Day NYC 2023!

Remember Julia de Burgos, Puerto Rican Poet, ¡Río Grande de Loíza!

Julia De Burgos, (1914-1953), was a renowned Puerto Rican poet and human rights activist. Her writings show a strength and independence that preceded the women’s rights movement in the United States by twenty years. En todo me lo juego a ser lo que soy yo”(I gamble it all to be exactly as I am) “Songfest: A Cycle of American Poems for Six Singers and Orchestra” (1977) by … [Read more...] about Remember Julia de Burgos, Puerto Rican Poet, ¡Río Grande de Loíza!

Remember “Tite” Curet Alonso, The Salsa Poet Who Wrote Many Salsa Hits, But is Not Credited

Catalino "Tite" Curet Alonso (1926-2003) was a prolific Puerto Rican composer who wrote around 200 salsa hits including 50 salsa classics. So many salsas that you know from the bands and singers were actually written by Tite. The Soul of the Caribbean is the Soul of a Poet We tend to associate songs with a singer and a band, but Tite is the composer of an incredible … [Read more...] about Remember “Tite” Curet Alonso, The Salsa Poet Who Wrote Many Salsa Hits, But is Not Credited

Las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastían 2023 is Puerto Rico’s Biggest Festival

Las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián (San Sebastían Street Festival) is the street fair in beautiful Old San Juan that ends Puerto Rico's Christmas season, the world's longest. It's Puerto Rico's most popular festival. Locals call it the SanSe. [It's a little joke. Sanse is Puerto Rican slang for a West African faith based on forces of nature that is popular in the … [Read more...] about Las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastían 2023 is Puerto Rico’s Biggest Festival

Celebrate Las Octavitas, the Puerto Rican Christmas Tradition!

Las Octavitas (the octaves) is a vestige of the "Octavas," the medieval Catholic tradition of celebrating religious events for eight days, for example from one Sunday to the next Sunday. The octave of Three Kings Day January 6 extends Christmas in Puerto Rico from January 7 to 14. Las Octavitas Sometimes two different aspects of an event where celebrated. Christmas … [Read more...] about Celebrate Las Octavitas, the Puerto Rican Christmas Tradition!

Remember Francisco Oller, the Puerto Rican Impressionist!

Francisco Oller (1833-1917) was a Puerto Rican Impressionist painter. When you think of Impressionism, you probably don't think of Puerto Rico. Yet Oller was a Puerto Rican artist who was part of the Impressionist movement in Europe and brought Impressionist technique back to the island. He transformed painting in the Caribbean. If you know Puerto Rico, you know we have … [Read more...] about Remember Francisco Oller, the Puerto Rican Impressionist!

Celebrate La Parranda, the Puerto Rican Christmas Caroling Tradition

La Parranda is the Puerto Rican Christmas caroling tradition. It derives from reenactments of the biblical tradition of Mary and Joseph searching for shelter. We come sing a song at your house and you come with us. We all go sing a song at someone else's house and they come with us. This can go on all night. The main thing people do in Puerto Rico is eat and drink with … [Read more...] about Celebrate La Parranda, the Puerto Rican Christmas Caroling Tradition

Celebrate Our Lady of Providence, Patron Saint of Puerto Rico!

Our Lady of Providence is a Marion devotion that began at the church of San Carlo ai Catinari in Rome, Italy. The Virgin of Providence is the patron saint of Puerto Rico. Her feast marks the traditional start of Puerto Rico's Christmas Holiday Season - the world's longest. Feast of Our Lady of Providence The Feast of Our Lady of Providence is November 19. Devotion … [Read more...] about Celebrate Our Lady of Providence, Patron Saint of Puerto Rico!

Adál Maldonado Is a Great Puerto Rican Surrealist Photographer #AdalWasHere

Adál Maldonado is one of the great Puerto Rican photographers. He's a natural surrealist who was part of the Nuyorican movement of the 1960s and 70s (the Latin Harlem Renaissance). His body of work includes surrealist portraits and auto-portraits. Back in the day Latin New York City sat for him, from Celia Cruz to Rita Moreno. Adál's work has been exhibited and is in … [Read more...] about Adál Maldonado Is a Great Puerto Rican Surrealist Photographer #AdalWasHere

World Ballet Day 2022 Takes You Behind the Scenes at the World’s Leading Ballet Companies

World Ballet Day 2022 takes you behind the scenes to see a day in the life at many of the world's leading ballet companies on six continents. You can literally watch the day progress around the world in ballet. World Ballet Day 2022 World Ballet Day 2022 is a streaming behind-the scenes look at a day in the life of a ballet company including American Ballet Theater … [Read more...] about World Ballet Day 2022 Takes You Behind the Scenes at the World’s Leading Ballet Companies

Celebrate St John’s Eve, La Noche de San Juan or Festa Junina, the Latin Midsummer / Midwinter Festival

St John's Eve, on the night before St John the Baptist's traditional birthday, is a Midsummer festival in the north and a Midwinter festival in the south. The Spanish name for the festival is "La noche de San Juan." The Portuguese name for the festival is "Festa junina" (June Festival). Festa junina is popular in Brazil. St John's Eve 2022 The next St John's Eve is … [Read more...] about Celebrate St John’s Eve, La Noche de San Juan or Festa Junina, the Latin Midsummer / Midwinter Festival

The CCCADI Hurricane Fiona Puerto Rico Benefit Supports Caribbean Artists & Cultural Workers at City Winery

CCCADI's Hurricane Fiona Emergency Relief Fund The CCCADI Hurricane Fiona Puerto Rico Benefit for the Emergency Relief Fund for Caribbean Artists & Cultural Workers supports artists in need who may not be receiving government help. Artists and cultural workers deserve our support because they are the island's soul and the glue of our communities. Culture usually … [Read more...] about The CCCADI Hurricane Fiona Puerto Rico Benefit Supports Caribbean Artists & Cultural Workers at City Winery

Celebrate the Feast of St. James, Patron Saint of Loíza Aldea Puerto Rico, Spain, and Guatemala

Saint James the Greater was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is the patron saint of Spain and Guatemala. He is also the patron saint of Galicia, the nation-state in the northwest corner of Spain, and many small towns across the Latin world including Loíza, Puerto Rico. Saint James In this epoch when we are reexamining the meaning of icons of identity, Saint … [Read more...] about Celebrate the Feast of St. James, Patron Saint of Loíza Aldea Puerto Rico, Spain, and Guatemala

Puerto Rico Constitution Day is a Great Time to Visit Puerto Rico!

Puerto Rico Constitution Day commemorates the day when Governor Luis Muñoz Marín signed the first Puerto Rican Constitution into law on July 25, 1952. The Puerto Rican Constitution is especially important because the U.S. Constitution does not apply in Puerto Rico. Even though we are not independent, the day is sort of Puerto Rican Independence Day. It's as close to … [Read more...] about Puerto Rico Constitution Day is a Great Time to Visit Puerto Rico!

Kianí “Si tú supieras” (If You Only Knew) Single Release

Kianí Medina is a Puerto Rican singer known for her work on many of the wonderful fusions coming off the island now. The singer for Residente (Calle 13), El Laberinto del Coco and Lado Ve, is going solo as Kianí. She releases her first single and video, "Si tú supieras" (If You Only Knew) on all streaming platforms on Friday, July 1, 2022. YouTube Kianí #kianí … [Read more...] about Kianí “Si tú supieras” (If You Only Knew) Single Release

Atabal’s “Remenéate” Fills the Heart with Afro-Caribbean Soul

Atabal is a Puerto Rican Bomba Fusion band that was founded by Héctor Rodríguez "Atabal" in 1983. It was a different world then. The band is from Tras Talleres, Santurce (Behind the Workshops), a machine shop neighborhood that used to have workshops for the trains that once circled the island. Today Tras Talleres is known for Calle Cerra, Santurce's art mural district that … [Read more...] about Atabal’s “Remenéate” Fills the Heart with Afro-Caribbean Soul

La Casa de La Plena Tito Matos Trains the Next Generation of Pleneros at La Goyco

At a time when social media is replacing traditional cultures, La Casa de la Plena Tito Matos is keeping Puerto Rican traditions alive by training the next generation of Pleneros. La Plena La Plena is a Puerto Rican musical tradition with roots in the African Diaspora. It's a song, drum and dance tradition that is performed on the streets in Puerto Rican communities. … [Read more...] about La Casa de La Plena Tito Matos Trains the Next Generation of Pleneros at La Goyco

El Laberinto del Coco featuring El Hijo de Borikén Plays Hip-Hop Bomba Fusion at La Respuesta, Santurce, San Juan

El Laberinto del Coco featuring Hijo de Borikén is Hip-Hop Bomba Fusion at La Respuesta, in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico on Thu, Mar 17 at 9pm (8pm doors). This is a sponsored show, so entry is free. El Laberinto del Coco is the next project of Puerto Rican percussionist Héctor "Coco" Barez after his decade of work with Hip-Hop legends Calle 13. A Great Show The … [Read more...] about El Laberinto del Coco featuring El Hijo de Borikén Plays Hip-Hop Bomba Fusion at La Respuesta, Santurce, San Juan

El Laberinto del Coco Plays Bomba Fusion at Lote 23 in Santurce, Puerto Rico

El Laberinto del Coco by Héctor "Coco" Barez, plays Lote 23 in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sat, Jan 8. No cover. 🇵🇷 @ellaberintodelcoco Héctor "Coco" Barez Héctor "Coco" Barez was Calle 13's original percussionist. He is sponsored by the ICP ~ Puerto Rican Cultural Institute and the NEA ~ National Endowment for the Arts. El Laberinto was a SXSW ~ South By … [Read more...] about El Laberinto del Coco Plays Bomba Fusion at Lote 23 in Santurce, Puerto Rico

TRAVEL: Las Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol en Loíza, PR is a Festival of Bomba Puertorriqueña

Las fiestas de Santiago Apóstol (Feast of St James) is in Loíza Aldea, Puerto Rico Friday-Sunday, July 23-25, 2021 with various festivities through Sunday, August 1, 2021. It's a beautiful Puerto Rican patron saint festival derived from our Indigenous, Spanish and African heritage. Las fiestas de Santiago Apóstol 2021 Friday, July 23 ~ At 12:01am, the … [Read more...] about TRAVEL: Las Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol en Loíza, PR is a Festival of Bomba Puertorriqueña

El Laberinto del Coco Héctor Barez Streams Bomba Jazz Live From Old San Juan

"Coco" Héctor Barez, brings his El Laberinto del Coco bomba jazz project live to El Bastión in Old San Juan, and streaming to the world from elbastion.org, on Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 7pm. $20 🇵🇷 Bombazo Bomba is a Puerto Rican drum, song and dance tradition that is a living folk art. It is unique in the way the dancer plays a follow me game with the lead drummer. … [Read more...] about El Laberinto del Coco Héctor Barez Streams Bomba Jazz Live From Old San Juan

Héctor “Coco” Barez & El Laberinto del Coco Take Bomba to the World

Héctor Barez is a Puerto Rican percussionist who is best known as Calle 13's original percussionist during the first decade of their rise. Everyone calls him "Coco." Coco is taking Puerto Rican bomba to the world with his project El Laberinto del Coco and the support of some of the most important cultural organizations in Puerto Rico and the United States including the NEA … [Read more...] about Héctor “Coco” Barez & El Laberinto del Coco Take Bomba to the World

Ama Ríos Flows From Bomba to Reggaeton to Latin Alternative

Ama Ríos is a Puerto Rican percussionist, music director and bandleader who flows like a river from the bomba folk tradition into reggaeton and Latin alternative with a lot of girl power. Ama Ríos One of the first female bomba lead drummers in Puerto RicoReggaeton star Tego Calderon's touring music directorLeader of Émina, an all-female Afro-Caribbean Latin alternative … [Read more...] about Ama Ríos Flows From Bomba to Reggaeton to Latin Alternative

La Fiesta de Santiago Apóstol in Loíza is one of Puerto Rico’s most Beautiful Patron Saint Festivals

St. James (Santiago Apostol) is the patron saint of Loíza, Puerto Rico. Loíza is one of Puerto Rico's most African towns. It's just east of the capital San Juan and the next county Carolina. After you drive through the popular beach area of Piñones, you cross Puerto Rico's legendary Loíza River and then you are in Loíza. There's a bridge now, but the crossing used to be by … [Read more...] about La Fiesta de Santiago Apóstol in Loíza is one of Puerto Rico’s most Beautiful Patron Saint Festivals

Aibonito Flower Festival

The Aibonito Flower Festival is in Aibonito, Puerto Rico, daily from June 28 to July 27, 2019. $7 Aibonito Flower Festival In a way, it's the Aibonito country fair. The main attraction is booths that sell beautiful flowers, orchids and plants. Lot's of people take plants home. In the floral display competition, you'll see some real unusual plants and flowers. There are … [Read more...] about Aibonito Flower Festival