Date of Award
5-11-2025
Date Published
June 2025
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Illustration
Advisor(s)
Frank Cammuso
Second Advisor
Myrna Garcia
Keywords
Art History;Heritage;Puerto Rican Culture;Puerto Rico;Taino;West African
Abstract
The Caribbean is made up of many different cultures and peoples, and Puerto Rico is specifically influenced by history, culture, and legacy from the Taínos, West Africans, and Spanish. Throughout history, Spanish heritage was more highly valued, while the Taíno and African heritage, integral to the culture of Puerto Rico, were undervalued. The focus of this research is an examination of the cultural landscape of Puerto Rico and its origins, extending back to the indigenous Taínos who first lived on the island, to the enslaved West Africans who were forcibly brought across the Atlantic Ocean to replace the dwindling Taíno population, which was decimated by the Europeans. Analysis of the combination of both peoples and how their cultures and artistry evolved together through generations will be a central point of my research. What were instances of Taíno and African cultural amalgamation as a direct result of the years of colonization from the 16th to 20th centuries? How did this combination of cultures present itself in the art and artifacts produced? After centuries of colonization and slavery, the Taíno and African populations were greatly reduced, the Tainos were labeled as extinct, and the remaining peoples assimilated into Spanish civilization on the island. The amalgamation of indigenous and West African cultures had a profound impact on modern-day Puerto Rican culture through art, language, mythology, symbols, and music. And their legacies, no matter how much was attempted to be devalued, suppressed, or erased by history, will be honored and recognized in the scope of this project. This multicultural examination will be conducted through various modern-day Puerto Rican art, religious artifacts, and music, such as Vejigante masks, santos tallados, and bomba music, among others.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Cruz-Urbanc, Marguerita Malina, "In Remembrance of Culture and Heritage: An Examination of Taino and West African Cultures As It Pertains to Puerto Rico" (2025). Theses - ALL. 945.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/945
This file is a digital copy of the book La Pulsera de Abuela created for this thesis, written and illustrated by the author. This is a text based document, 40 pages.
