About Me
Sangre, origen, herencia, mi alma,
"Los Hermanos Ayala ...Click on this 2 hear authentic
Bomba music samples from Loiza, Puerto Rico
Papa Castor Ayala
Artesano de Loiza Puerto Rico
Raul, mi primo David, mi hermano Marcos
Nuestro primo Raymond Ayala
La moyoria de ustedes
lo conocen por Daddy Yankee.
Loiza founded in 1660, Puerto Rico
July 4, 1950 President Harry S. Truman signed what is
known as Public Act 600, which allowed Puertoricans
to draft thier own constitution establishing the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico.
March 3, 1952 the flag of the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico is officially adopted. Based on a flag designed by
a group of patriots in the year 1895.
P.R. HISTORY
The devotion to Santiago came to Puerto Rico with the
Spanish conquistadors. In 1514, Diego Colon founded one of
the first towns, on the east coast of the island,
and called it Santiago del Daguao. The next year,
the Saint was called upon to help the Spaniards fight
the Carib Indians on neighboring Vieques island, in revenge for
an attack the indians had made on the farms in Loiza.
On many occassions thereafter, Santiago was depended upon to help
the Spaniards in their fights against the Caribe indians, and
later the Europeans, like the English and Dutch, who tried
to take the island. By the early 1600s, the Island annually
celebrated the feast day of Santiago, every July 25th, with
great enthusiasm.
Although the origin of the Festival de Santiago in Loiza
is unclear, one could imagine the slaves becoming devoted to
the Saint as they picked up arms and fought along
side the Spaniards to defend their families, towns and homes.
Their help must have been most welcomed considering in Loiza
in those days there were many more slaves compared to
the handful of Spaniards.
The image of Santiago the Spaniards
depended on for help was not so unlike some of
the slaves own gods: Ogun, the god of War, and
Shango, the god of lighting, thunder and storms. Santiago himself
was not only considered the saint of war, but also
the "son of thunder," capable of sending fire down from
the sky to destroy the enemy.
West African culture and traditions brought to Puerto Rico by
the slaves were preserved in Loiza due to the poor
means of communication and roads the people had with towns
outside of Loiza in its early days. For this reason,
although the devotion to Santiago died down in other parts
of Puerto Rico through the centuries, it was preserved in
Loiza and is still celebrated today, every year in a week
(or so) long festival beginning July 25.
The cultural influence
of the slaves can be seen in the annual celebration
of this festival. The traditional carnival includes three typical characters,
the Caballeros (Spanish knights), the Vejigante (Evil or the Moors)
and Las Locas (men dressed as crazy ladies who sweep
streets and balconies asking for money).
Mi cultura, Mi historia, Mi sangre...
Every 3rd week in June
National Puerto rican day parade...
Never forget where U come from
"TAINO"....
roots, blood, heart, &
soul, heritage Loiza Aldea the
Afrocentric side of Puerto Rico
