3 Things I Learned on My Trip to Puerto Rico

Jul 09, 2024

In June, I went on my first girl’s trip! My friends and I went to the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Both of the friends I went with are Puerto Rican; one was born and raised there, and the other visited when she was younger, so I was the only one who was experiencing the island for the first time.

At first, this trip was completely for leisure - I was definitely looking forward to eating delicious food, which I did, but I also learned a few things about Puerto Rico!

1. The Origin of “Boricua”

In Spanish, Puerto Ricans are called Boricua - which I never questioned why; it’s just something I always knew. On our way to the waterfall Salto Collores in Juana Diaz, we stopped at The Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Site in Utuado. There was a small museum of historical pieces found in the park, and even on that day that we were there, archaeologists were looking for more physical remains. While reading about the park and the historical facts, I learned that Puerto Rico was previously called Borinquen by the Taínos. Which translates to “land of the brave lords.”

2. How the Island Got the Name, Puerto Rico

After leaving the site, I got curious about how the name was then changed to Puerto Rico because it literally translates to “Rich Port,” and I learned that Christopher Columbus had renamed it San Juan Bautista after John The Baptist, but the Spaniards changed it, Puerto Rico, after realizing all the gold in the rivers. So, when the capital city was established, it took the name San Juan.

3. What was a “Bateys”

The park has ten batey or ceremonial plazas where storytelling, ceremonial dances, and sports took place for the Taínos. Each village had a cacique or leader who guided them. It was interesting to see the stones, and I wondered how many more bateys there must have been, but only these ten were conserved.

In that quick walk through the park, I learned a lot and became more curious about the history of Puerto Rico. I also looked up when the United States took control of the island away from the Spaniards. And it got me thinking about how we would live in a whole different world of colonization had not happened or the slave trade.

These were things I had not learned in school, actually, I don’t think we ever talked about the history of Puerto Rico or any of the other US territories. So it goes to show that we must be intentional about learning the history and culture of different countries. I believe the best way to do that is by visiting the country or talking to people from those countries.

Thank you for being here. I’d love to know which country you visited that had the chance to learn about its history and culture.

With Love, Heidy

Into My Thoughts

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