Artemisia
10-13-2008, 11:31 AM
I was born in the City of Utuado (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utuado) Puerto Rico. I carry my mother's maiden name of Colon. It's days like today I think about how Columbus "discovered" Borinquen (indian name for Puerto Rico) and am saddened about the historic and recent attempts to almost remove my culture from the face of the earth.
My mother was born, raised and worked in the fields. She briefly told me how as a teenager she hid in the mountains to escape the eugenics and sterilization movement (http://clem.mscd.edu/~princer/ant440b/paper_04.htm) the US government began against Puerto Rico. She married, had me and moved to mainland America three months after I was born.
My sister has researched and has told me of our possible Taino Indian heritage. My aunt, uncles and grandfather still live in Utuado. In these 41 years and nine months I have never returned nor have cared to return. Today of all days and upon bittersweet reflection, I have changed my mind.
Columbus's Arrival
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utuado
"At the time of the discovery of the island on November 19, 1493 by Christopher Columbus, Puerto Rico was inhabited by the Taíno Indians. The Taínos were a culturally developed society with a universal language, a developed agricultural system, and a social organization based on Caciques or Chieftains. The Utuado area was ruled over by Cacique Guarionex. In barrio Caguana the Taínos built an impressive series of courts or bateyes, The Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caguana_Ceremonial_Ball_Courts_Site) or Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana, that is considered the best example of Taino engineering in the West Indies."
Official Anthem of Utuado Puerto Rico
Valle bendito el de mi Otoao,
mundo de verde, de azul y sol,
tierra del pitirre y del guaraguao,
cáliz y altar de mi amor.
Es de mi patria su corazón.
Es fiel guardián de su tradición.
Es el perenne y firme bastión
del alma de mi país.
Utuado, amado Utuado,
¿Como no has de estar en mí
si creció mi alma en tus campos
y mis sueños acunó el Viví?
Si algún día de ti me alejo
o si calla al fin mi voz
dejo como eterna ofrenda a ti
hecho canción mi amor.
English Translation
Blessed valley in between these mountains,
world of green, of blue and sun,
land of hawks and kingbirds,
sacred vessels and altar of my love.
You are a fierce guardian of your tradition.
You are the perennial and firm bastion
of the soul of my land.
Utuado, my beloved Utuado,
Why have you not stopped living in me?
My soul has grown in your fields
and my dreams cradled in River Vivi
If one day I were to leave you
or my voice finally quiets
I leave as an eternal offering
a song of my love.
My mother was born, raised and worked in the fields. She briefly told me how as a teenager she hid in the mountains to escape the eugenics and sterilization movement (http://clem.mscd.edu/~princer/ant440b/paper_04.htm) the US government began against Puerto Rico. She married, had me and moved to mainland America three months after I was born.
My sister has researched and has told me of our possible Taino Indian heritage. My aunt, uncles and grandfather still live in Utuado. In these 41 years and nine months I have never returned nor have cared to return. Today of all days and upon bittersweet reflection, I have changed my mind.
Columbus's Arrival
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utuado
"At the time of the discovery of the island on November 19, 1493 by Christopher Columbus, Puerto Rico was inhabited by the Taíno Indians. The Taínos were a culturally developed society with a universal language, a developed agricultural system, and a social organization based on Caciques or Chieftains. The Utuado area was ruled over by Cacique Guarionex. In barrio Caguana the Taínos built an impressive series of courts or bateyes, The Caguana Indian Ceremonial Park (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caguana_Ceremonial_Ball_Courts_Site) or Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana, that is considered the best example of Taino engineering in the West Indies."
Official Anthem of Utuado Puerto Rico
Valle bendito el de mi Otoao,
mundo de verde, de azul y sol,
tierra del pitirre y del guaraguao,
cáliz y altar de mi amor.
Es de mi patria su corazón.
Es fiel guardián de su tradición.
Es el perenne y firme bastión
del alma de mi país.
Utuado, amado Utuado,
¿Como no has de estar en mí
si creció mi alma en tus campos
y mis sueños acunó el Viví?
Si algún día de ti me alejo
o si calla al fin mi voz
dejo como eterna ofrenda a ti
hecho canción mi amor.
English Translation
Blessed valley in between these mountains,
world of green, of blue and sun,
land of hawks and kingbirds,
sacred vessels and altar of my love.
You are a fierce guardian of your tradition.
You are the perennial and firm bastion
of the soul of my land.
Utuado, my beloved Utuado,
Why have you not stopped living in me?
My soul has grown in your fields
and my dreams cradled in River Vivi
If one day I were to leave you
or my voice finally quiets
I leave as an eternal offering
a song of my love.