Read March 2002 Our Nuyorican Thing
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More notes on what it means to be Nuyorican. We have many prototypes of Nuyoricans, including.
1. The Ethnic Nuyorican: The child of Puerto Ricans growing up American, still dreaming of belonging, still struggling with these schizophrenic pulls from two cultures, two languages, two islands. And the search for identity the more impaired because of the dynamics of opposing currents, without the backup of the ‘familia’ now nucleorized and dispersed away from our urban center to the outskirts, the suburbs, away from the mean streets of our barrio, that harsh reality from home to church to gang, always seeking that tie that validates identity: family. They are constantly being reborn, with each new Rican that arrives, with each Nuyorican that leaves. Talking, dreaming in two tongues. And the recent arrivals (actually going back 50 years and still arriving), trying to adapt and adopt these new ways, still in Spanish time. For the older (age wise) a struggle and for the younger ones, well, kids will be kids, and they blend easier.
2. The Bridge Nuyorican. The child of the urban centers, metropolitan, sociable, comfortable in either shore, or tongue, not seeking identity. I am who I am. Confident and curious about all the others around, with the gift of gab, ready to dance to a new beat, with their synthesized speech pattern that so readily lends itself to poetry and music. Inclusive in an ever widening link of friends. Adopting and discarding labels by the time of day, ready to be whatever you are. They bring everybody else through lifelong friendships, intermarriage and if nothing else being part of the urban mix.
3. The Latino/Hispanic Nuyorican. They have perhaps a longer history in this land than any other, and they bear other labels that trace their roots to the various countries of origin of their ancestors. They are spread from the West Coast & South West, with outreaches to the Plains and more recently the East Coast. Theirs is also a story spoken in tongues, bicultural, bilingual, and their daily struggles to keep identity and expand the meaning of their identity in a lingo that resonates in our shared heritage. And their Art whether spoken, written, sung, or graphical says that we belong to them as much as they to us. Its a fiesta of expression of the soul.
4. The Arts Nuyorican. Since the founding of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe by Miguel Algarin, first in his apartment, then on East 6th Street, finally on East 3 rd St. the Cafe has been a forum, floor, stage and a center for the free expression of art in all its forms. As such, the label of Nuyorican took on a creative, artistic and highly contagious meaning: Art!. Here was a place for the artistic side in us, and in such a small space all the art forms ran into each other, played with each other and formed new expressions. Not just mixing, or hyphenated art, but truly new without any other label but Nuyorican, and that energy and desire to show it all, attracted many from all backgrounds and labels. They adopted the Nuyoricans, the Nuyoricans adopted them into a family of poets, musicians, actors, writers & visual artists.
Over the years many have performed and shared their art and invariably become family. Without the ‘extended’ clarification. In Spanish there is no extended, it is just familia. For good and for bad. Here is the universal (planetary?) side of a label on the run, bringing in, reaching out. Inclusive, artistic and still in formation. This is the birth of a planetary tribe, without borders. Once a Nuyorican, you are home anywhere you are.
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To be continued
Coming up: Spanglish, the Embassy and Nuyorican Profiles.
In the Service of Poetry, Art and Community
Sam
4 The Nuyorican Poets Cafe