PART 2
(continued from Taina Still in Hiding - In the Bronx - English translation)
for bilingual version with no english translation click here.
Just my luck Tío Héctor comes over to Gramita’s a short time after. After the obligatory Bendición, (Blessings) I convinced him that todos estan bien. (everyone is fine.) Tío Héctor is relieved, “Bueno, Gracias a Dios todos estan bien.” (“Well, Thanks be to God that everyone is doing well.”) He goes on thanking God y todos los poderes (and all the spirits) that everyone is fine and that he is fine and that he is here another day and having this conversation with me. Meanwhile I haven’t said a word!
As soon as I can get a word in I say, “¿Sabe de la gente que vivian en Puerto Rico, los taínos?” (“Do you have any knowledge about the peoples that lived in Pueto Rico, los Tainos?” “¡Ajá! Ellos viven cerca de Luma (his sister) ¡Sí! Viven por ahí mismo.” (“Aha! They live near Luma (his sister). Yes! They live right around there.”)
Gramita was right about her brother! “¿Sabes la historia de ellos?” (“Do you know the history of the Tainos?”) He responds, “No mucho.” (“Not much.”)
I did not give up, “¿No sabe si en la familia habia alguien que era taíno?” (Do you know if there is Taino blood in the family?”) He immediately begins, “Sí. Mamá Juana. Yo me recuerdo. La mamá de mi papá que se llamaba Mamá Juana. Ella era taína. Era muy bajita, y tenia el pelo largo, largo así como los taínos, ¿sabe? Y muy, muy blanco. Tenia la piel el color bien trigueña y el pelo muy, muy blanco. Sí, yo me recuerdo. Yo tenia como cuatro años.” (Yes. Mama Juana. I remember. My father’s mother and her name was Mama Juana. She was Taina. She was very short and had long hair, long like the Tainos, you know? And very very white. Yes, I remember. I was about four years old.”)
I don’t know what else to say. I feel like I just uncovered a golden nugget of history. But he is not done with his story.
“Ella nos decia la historia de Lorenzo Rosario… ¡Ay! Virgin Santa! Lorenzo Rosario ¡que pelió con el mismo Diablo! ¡Ay Virgin! ¡Es verdad!” (She used to tell us the story of Lorenzo Rosario… Oh! Holy Mary! Lorenzo Rosario that fought the devil himself! Oh Mary! It’s true!” He was very animated and eyes full of childhood nightmares.
Here is his story about Lorenzo Rosario, el hijo de la mamá de Mamá Juana, la taína que era la abuela de Tío Héctor. (the son of the mother of Mama Juana, the Taina that was the grandmother of Tio Héctor.) The story of Lorenzo Rosario that fought with the devil himself...as told by Tío Héctor.
Lorenzo Rosario wanted to go to this party and his mother told him NO! And he insisted YES! Thats he's going. He started getting dressed to go to the grand party. He was a handsome young man. Fine as can be! He was tall, thin, looked like a model. He got dressed to go out although his mother said NO and NO!!! He told her, ‘I’m OUT!’
His mother warned him, “If you go you will cross the devil himself!” OH Lord! It’s true! She cursed him cuz you know in those days a mother had the power of the evil eye!
Well off he went. At the party this stranger came up to him and said, “ Tonight me and you must duel!” Lorenzo Rosario, well, didn’t know this stranger and told him so, “”I don’t even know who you are man!” The stranger replied, “NO matter” We will duel!” Lorenzo Rosario said well then Fine! If that’s how it must be!”
Then he told his sword to duel with the stranger. You know it was in the 1800’s, everybody dueled when they fought. And Lorenzo Rosario was challenged to a duel and couldnt back down. Well, every time his sword would strike the strangers sword, OH LORD! They say out flew sparks and flames! Yes! That’s what they say! Its true!!!
And as they were dueling, you see, on the handle of sword, there was an engraving of a cross, a crucifix. Well, that’s what they say, they say that the devil, cuz it surely was the devil himself, he saw the cross and got so scared that he ran off! He went running and was he’s running away you can see sparks and flames at his feet! Lorenzo Rosario… yes…. It’s true. I believe it.
He gave me details on what city it happened and where to go into town to find out more information because it is all written somewhere in the city records.
I thank him for such a great memory. As he finished, my cousin Wil showed up to Gramita’s house. I wondered if Wil even knew about his great-great-grandfather. I was excited to tell Wil about his own history, but as Wil reached over to me to give me a hug, I realized he knows Lorenzo Rosario more than Tío himself.
Wil is very tall and slim – you know, he was a handsome young man. Fine as can be! He was tall, thin, looked like a model with dark eyes and dark hair. And there on Wil’s forearm as he reached over, I see la cruz- a large tattoo of a cross on his arm!
Before I said good bye I had a feeling that el indio would wink at me again. I turned around and winked first. I swear el indio smiled back at me!
Tío says his story is true. That it is written in the city records if I wanted to verify it. But I don’t have to. It is all written in the faces of our people – people like Tío Hector and Gramita and even Wil. If we just take the time to look at ourselves. We are all Tainos! Tainos still in hiding.
He gave me details on what city it happened and where to go into town to find out more information because it is all written somewhere in the city records.
I thank him for such a great memory. As he finished, my cousin Wil showed up to Gramita’s house. I wondered if Wil even knew about his great-great-grandfather. I was excited to tell Wil about his own history, but as Wil reached over to me to give me a hug, I realized he knows Lorenzo Rosario more than Tío himself.
Wil is very tall and slim – you know, muy alto, delgadito, y pues muy guapo. He is trigueño with dark eyes and dark hair. And there on Wil’s forearm as he reached over, I see la cruz- a large tattoo of a cross on his arm!
Before I said good bye I had a feeling that el indio would wink at me again. I turned around and winked first. I swear el indio smiled back at me!
Tío Héctor says his story is true. That it is written in the city records if I wanted to verify it. But I don’t have to. It is all written in the faces of our people – people like Tío Héctor and Gramita and even Wil. If we just take the time to look at ourselves. We are all Tainos! Tainos still in hiding.
for bilingual version with no english translation click here.
Just my luck Tío Héctor comes over to Gramita’s a short time after. After the obligatory Bendición, (Blessings) I convinced him that todos estan bien. (everyone is fine.) Tío Héctor is relieved, “Bueno, Gracias a Dios todos estan bien.” (“Well, Thanks be to God that everyone is doing well.”) He goes on thanking God y todos los poderes (and all the spirits) that everyone is fine and that he is fine and that he is here another day and having this conversation with me. Meanwhile I haven’t said a word!
As soon as I can get a word in I say, “¿Sabe de la gente que vivian en Puerto Rico, los taínos?” (“Do you have any knowledge about the peoples that lived in Pueto Rico, los Tainos?” “¡Ajá! Ellos viven cerca de Luma (his sister) ¡Sí! Viven por ahí mismo.” (“Aha! They live near Luma (his sister). Yes! They live right around there.”)
Gramita was right about her brother! “¿Sabes la historia de ellos?” (“Do you know the history of the Tainos?”) He responds, “No mucho.” (“Not much.”)
I did not give up, “¿No sabe si en la familia habia alguien que era taíno?” (Do you know if there is Taino blood in the family?”) He immediately begins, “Sí. Mamá Juana. Yo me recuerdo. La mamá de mi papá que se llamaba Mamá Juana. Ella era taína. Era muy bajita, y tenia el pelo largo, largo así como los taínos, ¿sabe? Y muy, muy blanco. Tenia la piel el color bien trigueña y el pelo muy, muy blanco. Sí, yo me recuerdo. Yo tenia como cuatro años.” (Yes. Mama Juana. I remember. My father’s mother and her name was Mama Juana. She was Taina. She was very short and had long hair, long like the Tainos, you know? And very very white. Yes, I remember. I was about four years old.”)
I don’t know what else to say. I feel like I just uncovered a golden nugget of history. But he is not done with his story.
“Ella nos decia la historia de Lorenzo Rosario… ¡Ay! Virgin Santa! Lorenzo Rosario ¡que pelió con el mismo Diablo! ¡Ay Virgin! ¡Es verdad!” (She used to tell us the story of Lorenzo Rosario… Oh! Holy Mary! Lorenzo Rosario that fought the devil himself! Oh Mary! It’s true!” He was very animated and eyes full of childhood nightmares.
Here is his story about Lorenzo Rosario, el hijo de la mamá de Mamá Juana, la taína que era la abuela de Tío Héctor. (the son of the mother of Mama Juana, the Taina that was the grandmother of Tio Héctor.) The story of Lorenzo Rosario that fought with the devil himself...as told by Tío Héctor.
Lorenzo Rosario wanted to go to this party and his mother told him NO! And he insisted YES! Thats he's going. He started getting dressed to go to the grand party. He was a handsome young man. Fine as can be! He was tall, thin, looked like a model. He got dressed to go out although his mother said NO and NO!!! He told her, ‘I’m OUT!’
His mother warned him, “If you go you will cross the devil himself!” OH Lord! It’s true! She cursed him cuz you know in those days a mother had the power of the evil eye!
Well off he went. At the party this stranger came up to him and said, “ Tonight me and you must duel!” Lorenzo Rosario, well, didn’t know this stranger and told him so, “”I don’t even know who you are man!” The stranger replied, “NO matter” We will duel!” Lorenzo Rosario said well then Fine! If that’s how it must be!”
Then he told his sword to duel with the stranger. You know it was in the 1800’s, everybody dueled when they fought. And Lorenzo Rosario was challenged to a duel and couldnt back down. Well, every time his sword would strike the strangers sword, OH LORD! They say out flew sparks and flames! Yes! That’s what they say! Its true!!!
And as they were dueling, you see, on the handle of sword, there was an engraving of a cross, a crucifix. Well, that’s what they say, they say that the devil, cuz it surely was the devil himself, he saw the cross and got so scared that he ran off! He went running and was he’s running away you can see sparks and flames at his feet! Lorenzo Rosario… yes…. It’s true. I believe it.
He gave me details on what city it happened and where to go into town to find out more information because it is all written somewhere in the city records.
I thank him for such a great memory. As he finished, my cousin Wil showed up to Gramita’s house. I wondered if Wil even knew about his great-great-grandfather. I was excited to tell Wil about his own history, but as Wil reached over to me to give me a hug, I realized he knows Lorenzo Rosario more than Tío himself.
Wil is very tall and slim – you know, he was a handsome young man. Fine as can be! He was tall, thin, looked like a model with dark eyes and dark hair. And there on Wil’s forearm as he reached over, I see la cruz- a large tattoo of a cross on his arm!
Before I said good bye I had a feeling that el indio would wink at me again. I turned around and winked first. I swear el indio smiled back at me!
Tío says his story is true. That it is written in the city records if I wanted to verify it. But I don’t have to. It is all written in the faces of our people – people like Tío Hector and Gramita and even Wil. If we just take the time to look at ourselves. We are all Tainos! Tainos still in hiding.
He gave me details on what city it happened and where to go into town to find out more information because it is all written somewhere in the city records.
I thank him for such a great memory. As he finished, my cousin Wil showed up to Gramita’s house. I wondered if Wil even knew about his great-great-grandfather. I was excited to tell Wil about his own history, but as Wil reached over to me to give me a hug, I realized he knows Lorenzo Rosario more than Tío himself.
Wil is very tall and slim – you know, muy alto, delgadito, y pues muy guapo. He is trigueño with dark eyes and dark hair. And there on Wil’s forearm as he reached over, I see la cruz- a large tattoo of a cross on his arm!
Before I said good bye I had a feeling that el indio would wink at me again. I turned around and winked first. I swear el indio smiled back at me!
Tío Héctor says his story is true. That it is written in the city records if I wanted to verify it. But I don’t have to. It is all written in the faces of our people – people like Tío Héctor and Gramita and even Wil. If we just take the time to look at ourselves. We are all Tainos! Tainos still in hiding.
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