Music and Culture
Origins
The Puerto Rican people came to Taunton, specifically, around the early 1900's. the people moved here for work, as Taunton was starting out as a booming city with a plethora of silver mills and factories, providing almost everyone with enough work. When they came from the island, they brought their ways of life and music with them.In Puerto Rico, they have a very low economy so a lot of the food they eat are chickens, rice and beans. This also came here to the states, even though the cities and towns they live in are not always low income areas. They stay very true to their backgrounds when it comes to food, music or even the dancing. According to caribya.com “Dance and music have always been traditional cultural expressions of Puerto Rico's ethnic heritage. There are many different styles of dance that are performed on the island, including salsa, merengue, danza, plena, bomba, and cha-cha, to name a few.” All the way here in America the same dances are used, taught by most grandmothers and grandfathers on my generation and the parents are out on the streets dancing with their children, showing them the steps that they were raised with. The whole community is very cultured when it comes to these things.
Culture
The Puerto Ricans music culture have mostly African and Spanish roots. Those are the main influences but they also have other traditions that have contributed to it. A lot of their instruments are homemade from hollowed out gourds, guitars, maracas, bongos and much more! Within Taunton, everyone knows everyone, the families are all mostly related and they also all live very close together. There is a portion of Taunton that they all live in, in little complexes, and it is basically a tiny community. Once summertime hits no one is ever inside. There is Spanish food such as empanadas and a lot of rice all over the place on tables lined up outside for everyone to eat. The sidewalks and streets are covered with people mingling and dancing to the music blaring from the houses.
Dance
There are a lot of dances that come originally from Spain and are preformed a lot on the islands, including salsa, merengue, danza, plena, bomba, and cha-cha. The majority of Puerto Rico's dance steps are choreographed to accompany specific music, and the dance and the music usually share a name.
Music
The Puerto Rican music is the most prominent music style in the Caribbean. A lot of their music came about when the slaves were brought over for colonization. Their music would tell stories, narratives of all the things they went through.
Immigration
When the Puerto Ricans came to Taunton, they came for all the job opportunities. The town had a booming silver business along with many clothing factories. When they came, they didn't just come with their hard work ethic, but to spread their culture. They brought their music, dances and food! They brought their festivals and ways of life, impacting so many different areas of the United States.
The Puerto Rican people came to Taunton, specifically, around the early 1900's. the people moved here for work, as Taunton was starting out as a booming city with a plethora of silver mills and factories, providing almost everyone with enough work. When they came from the island, they brought their ways of life and music with them.In Puerto Rico, they have a very low economy so a lot of the food they eat are chickens, rice and beans. This also came here to the states, even though the cities and towns they live in are not always low income areas. They stay very true to their backgrounds when it comes to food, music or even the dancing. According to caribya.com “Dance and music have always been traditional cultural expressions of Puerto Rico's ethnic heritage. There are many different styles of dance that are performed on the island, including salsa, merengue, danza, plena, bomba, and cha-cha, to name a few.” All the way here in America the same dances are used, taught by most grandmothers and grandfathers on my generation and the parents are out on the streets dancing with their children, showing them the steps that they were raised with. The whole community is very cultured when it comes to these things.
Culture
The Puerto Ricans music culture have mostly African and Spanish roots. Those are the main influences but they also have other traditions that have contributed to it. A lot of their instruments are homemade from hollowed out gourds, guitars, maracas, bongos and much more! Within Taunton, everyone knows everyone, the families are all mostly related and they also all live very close together. There is a portion of Taunton that they all live in, in little complexes, and it is basically a tiny community. Once summertime hits no one is ever inside. There is Spanish food such as empanadas and a lot of rice all over the place on tables lined up outside for everyone to eat. The sidewalks and streets are covered with people mingling and dancing to the music blaring from the houses.
Dance
There are a lot of dances that come originally from Spain and are preformed a lot on the islands, including salsa, merengue, danza, plena, bomba, and cha-cha. The majority of Puerto Rico's dance steps are choreographed to accompany specific music, and the dance and the music usually share a name.
Music
The Puerto Rican music is the most prominent music style in the Caribbean. A lot of their music came about when the slaves were brought over for colonization. Their music would tell stories, narratives of all the things they went through.
Immigration
When the Puerto Ricans came to Taunton, they came for all the job opportunities. The town had a booming silver business along with many clothing factories. When they came, they didn't just come with their hard work ethic, but to spread their culture. They brought their music, dances and food! They brought their festivals and ways of life, impacting so many different areas of the United States.