Puerto Rican Dada Poetry -- Local Naming Practices

My obsession with naming practices in spanish-speaking countries, particularly the caribbean ones, continues. A friend sent me the following article that features two salient features. One, the nickname that has nothing to do with your given name, in this case, it goes so far as to be slightly pejorative - Tripillo (one who has a bit of a paunch). Two, the anglicized invented name, as we see in the name of the presiding prosecutor, judge Lady bono. (which in english translation is even funnier, lady bonus)

http://www.elnuevodia.com/velezarocho:lapanteravaaaparecer-610776.html

EL NUEVO DIA (San JUAN, PR)

04:02 P.M.

Vélez Arocho: La pantera “va a aparecer”

Ex secretario del DRNA dice sentirse reivindicado tras arresto de presunto dueño del felino que atemorizó a vecinos de Caimito

Por Frances Rosario / frosario1@elnuevodia.com

Aún no se tienen rastros de la famosa pantera que merodeó el área de Caimito, pero ya el Negociado de Investigaciones Especiales (NIE) logró esta madrugada el arresto de su supuesto dueño por estar ligado a la venta de sustancias controladas en esta área.

Según informó el director de la agencia, Víctor Carbonell Ramírez, el dueño de la pantera es Ángel G. Falero Vázquez.

Éste fue arrestado junto a otras siete personas en un operativo especial para desarticular dos gangas dedicadas al narcotráfico y trasiego ilegal de armas en San Juan, Trujillo Alto y Canóvanas.

Agentes del NIE que se encontraban en la conferencia de prensa en la que se informó de los arrestos especificaron que -mientras estuvieron infiltrados en la ganga- Falero Vázquez, quien es conocido como “Goyo” y “Tripillo”, pudieron ver la exótica mascota.

No obstante, durante el operativo no se encontraron animales exóticos en la casa del individuo. Sí hallaron ocho perros que se creen son raza Pitbull.

Tras el arresto de Falero Velásquez, el ex secretario del Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales y quien siguió por varias semanas el rastro de la pantera, Javier Vélez Arocho, dijo sentirse reinvindicado. Afirmó que se confirma que la busqueda que emprendió no fue para capturar a un mito.

"En muchas ocasiones vimos como el problema de animales exóticos estaba relacionado a este tipo de tráfico de sustancias controladas y los mencionábamos en los medios de comunicación, y ha sido así. Esto nos prueba a nostoros como ciudadanos que el problema persiste y estoy seguro que las agencias federales y estatales están siguiendo el caso y en su momento este animal va a aparecer".

De otra parte, los otros arrestados en el operativo fueron identificados como José Rivera Torres, Christopher Falero González, Luis Cortés Cabán, Omar Vázquez Rivera, José Rosario Figueroa, José Astacio Burns y Yamil Díaz Colón. A éstos se le radicaron de entre dos y 11 cargos por posesión de drogas y armas y por realizar actividades vinculadas a crímenes organizados.

José Laureano Quiñones, otro de los individuos buscados por el NIE, fue ubicado en Texas, aunque no ha sido arrestado.

La jueza Lady Bono, del Tribunal de San Juan, fijó una fianza global de $7,600,000.

Durante el operativo se ocuparon cinco armas de fuego, municiones, marihuana y heroína.

CHUPACABRA found?

this portrait is my personal favorite

As someone of Puerto Rican heritage, I have longed to see that elusive and multifaceted creature, the Chupacabras. Arguably worthy of joining the ubiquitous Coqui tree frog and our vicious fighting cocks as part of a national animal trifecta, this menacing creature has mostly been heard from, but not seen. This does not however mean that inventive islanders have not created a rich iconographic tradition for its depiction, and that marketers have not created a lovely array of products.

Among the (many) things that I love about this creature is that it originated in Puerto Rico, my native island, and then achieved world-wide renown, much like another global item for export, Ricky Martin. What is little-known perhaps is that this mysterious creature is part of a repertoire of alienoid creatures, ET sightings, mysterious flying saucers, legends linking the Island to Atlantis, and the natives to the Ancient Egyptians, regarded as extra-terrestrial beings.

a book I'd love to read about the Garadiavolo

I grew up terrorized by the amphibian hybrid known as the Garadiavolo, sucking innocent beachgoers away from their fritanga and Medalla sixpacks to a sinister underwater grave, and kept awake at night hearing about children wandering off at the tropical rain forest El Yunque, where flying saucers swept down and absconded with the hapless infants.

Newstands at old school pharmacies like Moscoso, and at the ever-present PUEBLO supermarkets featured a wide selection of UFO and paranormal related publications. On my recent visit to the Island I was delighted to find one such magazine at an old school farmacia in Isabela. It was filled with detailed and lavishly illustrated articles demonstrating our apparently constant contacts with Extra-Terrestrials.

Here is a video featuring experts on these paranormal phenomena. Notice the gentleman at the beginning of the tape, clad in camo jacket and a patriotic baseball hat that includes an American Eagle and US Flag. Could he be sending a message warning us: Coño, despierta Boricua! The Chupacabra is Colonialism, gente! Pa'l carajo con los Yankis! The second gentleman is speaking about prior unsolved killings linked to extra-terrestials dating back to the mid-1970s (when I was a kid) and distinguishing these to the chupacabra.

For more see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra

http://www.anomalia.org/perspectivas/fotosets/garadiabolos.htm

Lady Bullfighters

Last night I saw a great documentary on PBS P.O.V. about women who pursue a career in bullfighting in Spain. Setting aside individuals' opinions about this controversial sport, it was fascinating to learn about this history and the struggles they faced to enter the profession. I was mesmerized by one historical figure in particular, a woman called Juanita Cruz (see glamorous photos, above) who worked in the 1920s and 1930s, until forced to leave Spain during the Civil War. She never returned.

For more about the film, see:

http://www.pbs.org/pov/matador/