Boricua Soy! (I am Boriqua!)
Artist Statement
I am the child of Puerto Rican parents that came over to the United States when they were young. Puerto Rico is a colonized country given American Citizenship but without the right to vote. Puerto Rico, called Boricuen initially, first occupied the Taino Indians. They practiced Zeism, which worshiped spiritual deities that occupied nature in different forms. Atabey, the mother goddess, is considered the giver of life.
As the first generation born on American soil, I grew up with a duality of cultures. One of spiritual ancestry worship and the other is based on the Christian faith forced upon the Taino Indians by the Spaniards and currently practiced as part of the Puerto Rican – American identity. This body of work is my journey in discovering and accepting this amalgamation of spirituality that I have come to accept and practice in my life. I am comfortable worshiping in a sanctuary and nature; they are the same. My ancestors guide me, and so do the angels from heaven. Soy Boricua! is a statement of affirmation that keeps me rooted and connected to my Puerto Rican heritage.
