I Define Myself

Once a month I am part of a group of friends which meets at Mudville Grille, a sports bar with many franchises in the Jacksonville Florida area, to challenge other groups in supplying correct answers to Trivia questions.  It's an activity mostly enjoyed by nerds and intellectuals.  I fall in to only one of those categories.  This is just a backdrop to the theme I would like to discuss in this issue of my blog.

I was showing my dear friends, both African American women, a photo of a pair of blue flamingos with (faux) pearls around their necks, that I had placed in the front yard of my house.  They seemed unaware of their political meaning so I explained that the blue flamingos signified turning Florida blue (Democrat) and the pearls was in my support of the new Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.  I was surprised by their polite but unenthusiastic reaction.  I could see by their body language that they were uncomfortable.  I heard a muttered unflattering response to the effect of "I am not too keen on her".  I was confused.  Why would these two intelligent women not be ecstatic of the possibility of the first female president of the United States?  And a black woman at that?

The chief complain was that she was not black.  The logic behind this reasoning was that to be black you have to have two black parents.  Vice President Harris' mother is Indian and her father Jamaican.  I questioned them "who said that?"  I was ignored.  I then asserted that as a Puerto Rican I come from three races; Spaniard (European), African and Taino (Native American).  To that I received a dismissive "That's you."  And they continued discussing the subject among themselves.  The next assessment to Vice President Harris' ethnicity was that she was at best 1/4 black.  And besides, according to the other friend, Ms. Harris at some point, had stated, "She did not want to be associated with being black."  I started googling to find when and where Ms. Harris had made such a statement.  I then heard, "You are not going to find that anywhere now that she is running for President."  That sounded a little like a conspiracy theory.  Again, I was perplexed.  I had reached the end of my patience and blurred out, "I have heard of black racisms among the black community, but this is the first time that I have actually witnessed it."  For the rest of the night they mostly spoke amongst themselves.  Followed by long silent pauses.  I was so disappointed.

My disappointment does not come from someone else having a different opinion from my own.  Being raised in New York City taught me to deal with many viewpoints and respect each person's individualism.  My disappointment came from being excluded from my own sense of self.  I grew up learning about the people that made me who I am.  The flirty Flamenco dances of the Spanish Gypsies, the heart stopping beats of African drums and the spiritual Taino connection to our island; have contributed in equal parts and therefore, I proudly claim my heritage in all of them.  From a young age, I became curious of every aspect of these unique groups, both contributions and detriments to humanity.  And somehow managed to blend them all nicely and accept that a person can appreciate and be a part of more than just one community.

I pray that we can find common ground and see pass the exterior of our prejudices.  I pray that people truly want peace on earth.  I pray that people truly learn to love their neighbor.  I pray that people realize that we can not continue to live off hate and greed.  There is a better way.   Whether you believe in the teachings of Jesus, Gandi, Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou or any other pacifist that exists or none of the above; I pray that we accept one another and strive for a peaceful resolution to the troubles we are facing today because in doing so, we might just be saving ourselves.

State of Grace

It's not that I am not grateful;
For the graceful ways that we be today,
When you came our way we were of simpler minds
and even more simpler ways.
We dreamt of coffee fields on mountainous hills,
Of colorful mornings and wondrous sights.
We looked forward to the sounds of nature's abide
welcoming us into La Isla Del Encanto;
yes,  paradise.

It's not that I am not grateful;
For the learnt way we be today.
You brought with you fine institutions of wisdom
and established them in our small little island.
And our knowledge grew of the things you knew
For before you came
We knew only of our Mother Spain and of
our African and Taino ways.
Of 500 years, of the Old Lady's pain
and of becoming masters of healing
and music, and dance, while still appearing
humble and compliant.
Of dancing ballads from all three nations
and graceful names throughout creation.
A thousand years of Moor influence
propelled our task masters; and maritime
conquests abounded.
Of Don Quijote and fine composers,
of fine wines, architecture and fine perfumes.

Oh, what?  That is not what you heard?

You were told we were a population of illiterate peasants?
That poverty and disease ran rapid?
That we were unsophisticated and uncouth? 
Void of any true culture and therefore, in need of total
revamping and Americanization?
It is true what they say,
"Don't believe everything you read".

It's not that I am not grateful;
That our agricultural lands were paved over
and industrial buildings where erected
in place of our sugar cane, coffee and tobacco crops.
And over a century of one way trading
has left Puerto Rico totally dependent on
the United States' unilateral trading practices.
Cultivating trade with other countries is
forbidden.  Reminds me of that saying;
"First you make thieves and then you punish
them for stealing?"

It's not that I am not grateful;
For allowing us the opportunity to fight in all
your wars. 
Yet be seen as solely a mestizo race
and given our own little special place
called segregation and isolation.
That our beautiful, strong, lovely women
were chosen in medical experimentations
and thanks to them, we now have contraception.
Political prisoners where given radiation
and mental patients cancer cells.
If you believe we were the only ones;
And that that could not happen here?
You need to open your eyes and recognize.
The drug infestation in major cities
like New York, Chicago and California, of the
1930's, were orchestrated by vile men who wanted
to exterminate spics and niggers. 

Yes, you and me.

It's not that I am not grateful,
I still believe in our forefathers' vision and still believe in
their promise. 
That in this land, over here, things were
going to be different, better, and all inclusive.
That race, language, sexual preference, religious ideology
and theology, mental capacity and/or monetary deficiency
or abundance;
none of it,
none of it would matter. 
You could still have a chance at the pursuit of happiness,
only if you are brave enough to chase it.
I believe in this country enough to hand over my only two sons
and say, "Now go fight for our Nation".
I tell them, "No matter where you are; Remember who you are" and
sleep soundly knowing,
that they take those words to heart.


Dedicated to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, "Good looking out Girl!"

Rafael Hernandez: El Corazón De Boriké

Remembering the iconic songs written by Puerto Rican Maestro Rafael Hernandez Marín (October 24, 1892 - December 11, 1965) is comparable to getting a blood transfusion from one of your relatives.  It has all the ingredients you need to built you from within.  It makes you proud.  It makes you strong. It takes you back.  To the beginning.  To your childhood.  To where you first felt a part of a much bigger family.  Boriké.  The Land of the Valiant Lord.

And no, Boriké, is not misspelled.  It is the Taino name and spelling of Puerto Rico.  Borinquen is the Spanish version. The translation and transformation of what the spaniards thought they heard and how the rest of the world endearingly calls the island.

Rafael was a mulatto, a descendant of African and Spaniard ancestry, who had a unique way of poetically bringing to light the plight and economic condition of the jibaro; the peasant farmer, on the island nation of Puerto Rico, during his lifetime.  There are no words that I can come up with to describe the genius behind this man's essence and vision. The best I can do is translate one of his works for you and let his magic infiltrate your soul.

Deciding which of his many works to translate was not an easy task.  Rafael wrote and composed so many beautiful Ballads, Danzas, Alguinardos,Zarzuelas, Guarachas, Lullabies, Boleros, Waltzes, more than 3,000 in all, that are still very resonate and viable to modern music aficionados.   His masterpieces "Preciosa" (Precious),  and "Lamento Borincano" (The Lament of the Puerto Rican) are as much part of Puerto Rican culture as are its flag and national anthem.  I decided to translate his song "Lamento Borincano" because it captures the sentiment and struggles of his people at a time when Puerto Rico was in a major transition economically and socially.

This particular blog is meant to introduce you to Rafael Hernandez, an exceptional musician, a great patriot and a divinely gifted artist.  It is by no means an autobiography of the man.   It is my greatest hope that you look up his music, listen to it and in doing so "resurrect" a great legend for future generations.

"LAMENTO BORINCANO"

Sale, loco de contento, con su calgamento para la ciudad, hay!  Para la ciudad.

(He goes, ecstatically happy, with his (vegetable) load towards the city, ah!  Towards the city.)

Lleva, en su pensamiento, todo un mundo lleno de felicidad, hay!  De felicidad.

(Has, in his thoughts (mind), a world filled with happiness, ah!  With happiness.)

Piensa remediar la situación, del hogar que es toda su ilusión, si!

(Wants to remedy the situation, of the home that is all his hope, yes!)

Y alegré (And happily)

El jibarito va, candando así, deciendo así, cantando así, por el camino.

(The peasant goes, singing so, saying so, singing so, on the road.)

Si yo vendo la carga, mi Dios querido, un traje a mi viejita voy a comprar.

(If I sale my (vegetable) load, my dear God, a dress for my (wife or elderly mother) I will buy.)

Y alegré (And happily)

Tambien su yegua va, al presentir aquel cantar, es todo un himno de alegría.

(Also the mare goes, feeling that the singing heard is a happy hymn for sure.)

Y en eso le sorprende la luz del día, y llegan al mercado de la ciudad.

(And in that atmosphere the light of day surprises them and they arrive at the market in the city.)

Pasa, la mañana entera, sin que nadie quiera, su carga comprar, hay!  Su carga comprar.

(Passes, the whole morning, without anyone wishing to buy his (vegetable) load, ah!  His load unsold.)

Todo, todo esta desierto, y el pueblo esta lleno de necesidad, hay!  De necesidad.

(Everything, everything is deserted and the town is in great need, ah!  In great need.)

Se oye este lamento por doquier (donde quiera), de mi desdichada Borinquen, sí!

(This lament is heard throughout, of my calamitous Borinquen (Puerto Rico), yes!)

Y triste (And unhappily)

El jibarito va, llorando así, pensando así, diciendo así, llorando así, por el camino.

(The peasant goes, crying so, thinking so, saying so, crying so, on the road.)

"Que será de Borinquen, mi Dios querido, que será de mis hijos y de mi hogar?"

(What will become of Borinquen, my dear God, what will become of my children and my home?)

Oh Borinquen! La tierra del Edén, la que al cantar, el gran Gautier, llamo la perla de los mares.

(Oh Borinquen! The land of Eden, the one sang by, the great Gautier (famous Puerto Rican Poet), (who) proclaimed (it) the pearl of the seas.)

Ahora que tu te mueres con tus pesares dejame que te cante yo también.

(Now that you are dying with your sorrows, allow me also to sing to you.)

Borinquen de mi amor!

(Borinquen (of) my love!)

Yo soy hijo de Borinquen.  (I am a son of Borinquen.)

Y eso nadie lo va a cambiar.  (And that, no one will change.)

Y el dia que yo me muera, en ti quiero descansar.  (And the day that I die, in you I wish to rest.)

Yo te adoro Puerto Rico! (I adore you Puerto Rico!)

Y eso nadie me lo va a quitar.  (And that no one will take from me.)

*Researched Lyrics at MusicstarX.net
Lamento Borincano sang by: Marc Anthony.

Researched Bio at Wikipedia; Rafael Hernandez.

Translator: Yours Truly :)