Online users :

Monday holidays : Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January, Washington's Birthday (third Monday in February), Luis Munoz Martin's Birthday (third Monday in February), Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Labor Day (first Monday in September), and Columbus Day (second Monday in October).

 

 

NOTE:

Young women in Puerto would sing this song about St. Anthony of Padua, they would place him upside down when seeking a suitor, much like others did when seeking a lost article:
"Tengo a San Antonio
Puesto de cabeza
Si no me encuentra novio
Nada me interesa."

Apodos

A

Alberta - Berta, Belta
Alberto - Beto, Belto
Alejandro - Alex, Alexi
Altagracia - Altita
Ana - Anita, Anica
Angelica - Gelin
Antonio - Toño, Tony, Toñito
Antonia - Toña, Toñita
Asuncion - Suncha, Sunta

Aurea - Yeya
Aurelio - Yeyo

B

Barbara - Barbarita
Bartolome - Bartolo
Benjamin - Benji, Bengie

C
Candida - Candita, Canda 
Carlos - Carlitos 
Carmen - Cambucha, Cambu 
Castula - Tula 
Concepcion - Conchita 
Confesor - Confe 
Cruz - Crucita

D

Daniel - Danny
Diego - Dieguito
Dolores - Lola, Lolin
Domingo - Mingo

E

Eduardo - Eddie
Encarnacion - Suncha
Enrique - Quique or Kike
Enriqueta - Queta, Ketty
Eulalio - Lalo, Lalito
Eugenia - Geñita, Genia, Genita

 

F

Federico, Freddy
Felicita - Fela
Fernando - Nando or Nandón
Florencio - Flor
Francisco - Paco, Paquito, Panchito
       Currito, Farruco, Frasquito
Francisca - Frasquita, Paquita,
       Panchita, Paca

G

Gabriel - Gaby
Genoveva - Beba
Gregoria - Goyita
Gregorio - Goyo
Guadalupe - Lupe, Lupita
Guillermo - Guillo
Gumercinda - Cinda

H

Heriberta - Berta
Hipasia - Pacha
Hipolita - Pola
Hipolito - Polito

I

Inocencia - Chencha
Isabel - Isa, Belica

J

Jacinto - Chinto, Chin
Javier - Javy
Jesus - Chu, Chucho, Chuito
Jose - Joseito; Pepe, Pepito, Pepillo, Chepe,
Chepito, Cheo
Josefa - Joselita, Pepa, Pepita, Pepilla, Chepa, Chepita
Josefina - Fina, Finita
Juan - Juanito, Juancho
Juana - Juanita
Julio - Julito
Justiniano - Justo

L

Leocadio - Cayo
Leonardo - Leo, Leoni
Leticia - Letty
Lorenzo - Larry

M
Magdalena - Malen 
Manuel - Manolo 
Margarita - Margot 
Maria - Mari, Mariquilla, Marica,
Maruca 
Maria de la Concepcion - Concha, Conchita, 
Maria de Jesus - Jesusa, Jesusita, 
Chucha, Chuchita 
Maria de los Dolores - Lola, Lolita 
Maria de la Luz - Lucecita, Lucita 
Mercedes - Merce, Mercedita 
Miguel - Mike
Monserrate - Monsita

N

Nicolas - Nico
Norberta - Berta

Norbeto - Beto

P

Pedro - Pedrin
Porfirio - Porfi
Primitiva - Prima
Providencia - Provi

R

Rafael - Rafi, Rafa, Rafo, Felo
Rafaela - Fela, Felita
Ramon - Moncho, Mon, Monin
Ricardo - Ricky
Rodolfo - Rudy

T

Teofilo - Teo
Trinidad - Trina, Trini

V

Vicenta - Vicen
Victor - Vitin
Virginia - Gina

W

Wilfredo - Fredo
William - Willie, Willy, Guillo

 

 

 

Observed Holidays in Puerto Rico

 

This beautiful giclee is hanging in my home courtesy of Baez Fine Art

Jibaro, the name synonymous with Puerto Rico…he worked the field, reaped what he sowed. He milked cows, raised pigs and chickens…had a garden where he grew his root vegetables and herbs. Living in extreme modesty, he often was poor. A trait that stands out is his ability to think on his feet, invent when he had no resources a way to overcome his needs...true street smarts. Often pictured wearing a loose fitting shirt, loose pants, a pava, and more often than not, he stood barefoot or in work boots. Tanned by the sun, sinewy framed from the arduous labor he performed, his faithful horse alongside him.

 

 

Jibara, ay Visnen, nena! She worked the gardens and helped with the farm stock…washed clothes by hand and pinned them to a line to dry. Cooking was an art, on a fogón, a wood-burning stove. Taking care of home and children was a fulltime job, as any modern day woman can attest. And yet imagine this without any modern day conveniences? I recall growing up in the heart of the island, in a place called Orocovis. I came from barrio Parcelas de Sana Muertos, sector: La Familia. We had no indoor plumbing; our roof was tin…a ‘letrina’, or wooden outhouse, stood above the hole dug in the ground. I had to sleep with mosquito netting tucked around my bed, to keep at bay all the insects that flew around, no enclosed windows you see. The flying roaches sent me screeching, as I fought to get them out of my long hair. I flew down the hillside sitting on a piece of cardboard, laughing and holding on for dear life. Climbing trees was a natural thing as I struggled to reach the fruit on its limbs. And I hardly ever wore shoes, as I scaled the hillside by hand using my toes to grab whatever niche I could find to hold me. When I was ill, my grandmother would oblige me to take of the remedies she cooked, homeopathic medicine at its best. Come Christmas time and New Years Eve, my mouth watered awaiting the “lechon”, a Jibaro invention. An entire pig cooked over fire, a metal rod pierced through it. A Jibaro would sit at one end, patiently turning it until cooked, hours on end, moistening it often with the marinade prepared. And oh! How I miss the parandas....

 

Musical gengres interpreted

by Jíbaros

Aguinaldo

Bomba Belén

Bomba Calinda

Bomba Cuembe

Bomba Cunya

Bomba Gracima

Bomba Guembé

Bomba Holande

Bomba Lero

Bomba Marianda

Bomba Paule

Bomba Sica

Bomba Yuba

Comparsa

Danza

Décimas

Plena

Rumba

Seis Amarrao

Seis Andino

Seis Bayamones

Seis Bombeao

Seis Chorreao

Seis de Controversia

Seis de la Culebra

Seis de la Enramada

Seis de Oriente

Seis del Juey

Seis del Machete

Amarrao

Seis del Pañuelo

Seis del Sombrero

Seis Dorado

Seis Enojao


Seis de Pepe Orne

Seis Fajardeno

Seis Mapeye

Seis Marianda

Seis Matamoros

Seis Milonga

Seis Sanduro

Seis Tumbao

Seis Una Y Una

Seis Valseao

Seis Vegabajeno

Seis Villaran

Seis Zapateao

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As stylized by both uses in composition and by actual invention of said style.

Other holidays : Sundays, New Year's Day (January 1), Three Kings Day (January 6), Eugenio Maria de Hostos' Birthday (second Monday of January), February 28, March 22, Antonio Barcelo Day (second Sunday of April), Jose de Diego Day (third Monday in April), Good Friday, Independence Day (July 4), Luis Munoz-Rivera Day (third Monday in July), Constitution Day (July 25), Jose Celoso Barbosa Day (fourth Monday in July), Santiago Iglesias Pantin Day (first Monday in September), Armistice Day (November 11), Discover of Puerto Rico Day (November 19), Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November), Christmas Day (December 25) and general election days.

February 2nd: Día de la Candelaria :

A large bonfire, or hoguera, is lit and local folk sing and dance until the fire dies.

 

June 23rd: Noche de San Juan :

 

Tradition states that walking backwards towards the beach and jumping into the ocean backwards at the strike of midnight will bring good luck, keeping evil away throughout the year.


December 28th: El Día de los Inocentes : Puerto Rican equivalent of an April Fool's Day. A huge parade with masked figures, local folklore, and dancing, is celebrated that day.

 

The Tiples of Puerto Rico


The Tiple is the smallest of the musical string instruments of Puerto Rico. According to investigations made by the Jose "Pepito" Reyes Zamora, Esq., the tiple in Puerto Rico dates back to the 18th century. It is believed to have evolved from the Spanish guitarrillo. Most Tiples have 4 or 5 strings and most tiple requintos have 3 strings. Some tiples however were found with as many as 6 strings and even as few as a single string. But these are very rare and not the norm.

Main types of Tiples in Puerto Rico are:

Tiple Doliente - This Tiple has 5 single strings and is the most common used today. It is considered the most important Tiple in Puerto Rico.

Tiple Requinto de la montaña - This is a tiny version of the Tiple doliente with only three strings.

Tiplón or Tiple con macho - This is the biggest tiple and has a 5th peg like an American Banjo located on its neck.

Tiple Requinto costanero - This is a smaller version of the Tiplón with only three strings.

Tiple Grande de Ponce - This is a larger tiple with a figure eight with a very narrow waist. It has five strings.

There were many other types of Tiples in Puerto Rico besides these, but these are considered the most common ones. Other types of Puerto Rican Tiples were: Tiple de tres cuerdas, Tiple Quinto, Mandurria, Tiple Mayor, Tiple de Don Marciano Diaz, Tiple Vihuela, and many more.
 

 
1 Users Online [ Stats ]