Today, after getting a bit of a later start to our day, we cooked breakfast before embarking on our first trip: a day in Loíza. After a scenic bus ride which passed by vast meadows with free roaming cows, verdant mountains, and small towns, we eventually arrived at the home and studio of Samuel Lind, a very well known and respected Puerto Rican visual artist; he was not home when we got there, so instead we switched up the itinerary and went across the street to a family owned and run vejigantes (traditional Puerto Rican masks made out of coconut husks) workshop, which had been in operation since 1958. While we were there, a Puerto Rican lady named Adelina, the daughter of the man who founded the business and created countless vejigantes, taught us about the culturally rich and fascinating history of the masks. In addition to the masks themselves, we learned about the history of a figurine of Santiago Apóstol (locally depicted as the persona Santiago Matamoros (slayer of Moors) ) since, according to legend, he appeared to King Ramiro I of Asturias before the Battle of Clavijo, fought by the Iberians) which became a lessons on local folklore and broader history of how Puerto Rican culture formed via an amalgamation of Spanish catholicism, Taíno traditions, and various African cultures.
Once Samuel Lind arrived home with his son, we were treated to a private tour of his home/studio. Mr Lind and his son took us through the many different mediums of work he had created, as well as the different periods and techniques he's used through his career. He explained the stories behind some of his works, and how shapes represent different things in Taino culture. Among the art he showed were posters he made when he visited Connecticut in the 1990's! After viewing the sculptures he is actively working on, as well as some finished ones, we went upstairs to his kitchen, which revealed an entire wall covered with a painting of mother earth. He dove deep about the cultural significance of this painting and what every little detail meant, which was extremely interesting to hear about. After using the electric fly swatter (given to him by Samuel Lind himself) on the hordes of bloodthirsty mosquitos flying around the space, Spencer was then christened Espenther Matamosquitos by Mr. Lind and his son. Mr Lind then signed many prints for us to take home.
Once our time with him was up, we got lunch from a local food spot and headed to our next activity: a group Bomba class.
The Bomba class was an immersive cultural experience that really pushed everybody out of their comfort zones, while we learned lots of different terms and dance moves. With flashy scarves and skirts, and a beautiful tropical ocean backdrop, it was quite the experience.
After we got back from our Bomba class, the rest of the day was pretty relaxed, with most people opting to take in the breathtaking scenery, go for walks on the beach, play volleyball, hang out in the water, or other casual activities, until we all made and ate dinner (taco night!) together.
- Espenther, Lévey, and Aviv
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