African-Americans in Puerto Rico (wealthy, office, island)

[unPescador]

Isn't north african heritage considered "African" by the companies that are doing dna testing. Some but not all being...
Algeria
Egypt
Libya
Morocco
Sudan
Tunisia
Western Sahara

Not altogether correct, many people of the north african get generalized as "Arab"... but it was the people from these north african countries that immigrated and settled in Spain on and off for centuries beginning sometime early in the 8th century. So like many of us I would think that your african heritage may be from those darn wandering moors of north africa.

[clip314]

For Americans Africa means Black. The countries depicted above are basically multiracial societies with Blacks and whites at the extremes. They don't consider themselves African in the Gringo sense, although they are on the African continent.

Many of these countries, in which Arabic is the language and Muslim the religion, form part of the Arabic cultural world group, much like Latin Americans including Puerto Rico is part of Hispanic America. Although all consider themselves Latin Americans, there is a world of difference between a Cuban and a Peruvian, but the language unites them.

[boricuarosa]

Let us not forget Santería and the African influences here in the Spanish speaking countries of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. My family has several that affirm to this, and I have met friends of all shades whose family is the same way. It's a beautiful thing and one of the many influences not necessarily recalled when dealing with race in Puerto Rico. This may not be "African Amiercans in Puerto Rico" but it does showcase African heritage living well today and being practiced.

[unPescador]

En Santería, I see nothing beautiful. 400 years of tradition combining the worship of saints and blood sacrifice has done nothing for the individual. It's always been popular practice with the poor, the indentured, the desperate and uneducated. Quaint on the surface, darkness beneath. El Jibaro es no más.

[WIHS2006]

Originally Posted by unPescador

En Santería, I see nothing beautiful. 400 years of tradition combining the worship of saints and blood sacrifice has done nothing for the individual. It's always been popular practice with the poor, the indentured, the desperate and uneducated. Quaint on the surface, darkness beneath. El Jibaro es no más.

We have had some trouble with these Santeria types here on Long Island - some of them get involved with crime. In fact, not too long ago the Feds busted a Santeria priest for smuggling illegal firearms in Puerto Rico.

There was also this incident:

There have been a few highly publicized cases where injuries allegedly occurred during Lukumi rituals. One such case reported by The New York Times took place on January 18, 1998, in Sayville, New York, in which 17-year-old Charity Miranda was suffocated with a plastic bag at her home by her mother Vivian, 39, and sister Serena, 20, after attempting an exorcism to free her of demons. Police found the women chanting and praying over the prostrate body. Not long before, the women had embraced Lukumi. However, Lukumi doctrine does not postulate the existence of demons, nor does its liturgy contain exorcism rituals. The mother, Vivian Miranda, was found not guilty due to insanity and is currently confined in a New York State psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane.[25]

[Sunscape]

A good article from ENDI, recently published:

Con más boricuas afuera que adentro - El Nuevo Día

[boricuarosa]

Originally Posted by unPescador

En Santería, I see nothing beautiful. 400 years of tradition combining the worship of saints and blood sacrifice has done nothing for the individual. It's always been popular practice with the poor, the indentured, the desperate and uneducated. Quaint on the surface, darkness beneath. El Jibaro es no más.

I am not referring to extremists...any practice or faith can have that. These examples were not part of my experience as my friends, family and I is educated...no, just playing, are educated :-) And, there are practices from Santería still observed, but nothing as extreme as what has been quoted here. No exorcisms, just homemade cures using herbs, statues, superstitions, etc.

[caribny]

Originally Posted by chacho_keva

It would be fair to say that most Puerto Rican's feel a particular appreciation towards Black people no matter where they're from. There's a certain kindredness felt in our veins towards most anyone who shares a connection with Africa.

I'd love to read the opinion of other poster's.

I see that you have had several black governors and many of your Miss Universe contestants have been dark skinned Puerto Ricans.

Celebrating bomba while keeping those responsible for it hidden doesn't mean appreciating black people. Even the DR (with its reputation) has had a dark skinned president within the last few years.

Statements like this have a way of back firing.

[caribny]

Originally Posted by traveler00

I think that's where I disagree: I don't believe there is a significant enough "culture of black Puerto Ricans" in Puerto Rico, but, as you yourself add, more of [a culture] of "Puerto Ricans in general." So, to be better accepted, you have to be a "boricua" first; blackness being a flavor of it. In the U.S. the black people coined the term "African-American" and gives them a whole framework to deal with issues that affect them as a group, like racism. In Puerto Rico, when it gets down to it, very few will want to be part of a "negros" group (and the ones that would are a very small minority), while still embracing many of the African cultural and folkloric elements that black ancestry have contributed. Comprende?

The difference is that you are using a "political" identity of blackness that has been used to assist a group to attain some level of social and economic upward mobility, at least those who have entered the middle class, even if a large group hasn't benefitted.

They are using it to describe cultural activities tied mainly to music, dancing and food. Clearly a core part of PRican culture and much loved. They do not understand what you are talking about.

[caribny]

Originally Posted by traveler00

The "race" question should be dropped from the U.S. census, for starters. It is racist in its nature.

France doesn't ask those questions. It is illegal. But yet the plight of their non whites is worse than that of the USA, or the UK.

Maybe we need to collect data so we can measure which populations are doing well, and which aren't, and what remedies can be devised to solve the problem.