DDSJ Highlights 2008

Our irreverent passion urges the shining of Puerto Rican colors in America. This has transformed "El Dia de San Juan" Festival in a national phenomenon. The WRPRC is proud of being one of those institutions that has successfully carried out the cultural torch for all to see...

Thus, each summer becomes the sojourn through Puerto Rican Festivals throughout the whole United States of this here America. In 30 years as a Boricua resident in Southern California I have observed that the Puerto Rican community in California is scarce, scattered and virtually non-existent.

The Western Regional Puerto Rican Council (WRPRC) is a group of Boricuas in the Bay Area who, while belonging to other Puerto Rican Social Groups, come together to host one of the most wholesome Boricuafestivals I've had the chance to attend.

The music is loud and the food was hot... "bacalaitos" as big as Frisbees and "alcapurrias" big enough to serve as the main course were the treat of the day. The Boricua novelty and curio booths are always crowded and the local CD vendors have a sound system so powerful that it sounded like a live band. Of course, all the congueros, timbaleros, cencerreros and bailadores come also to "enhance" the sounds, be at one with the "ritmo" and "parteé" like it was the last day on Earth.

All in all, from my ever-present analytical jibaro point of view, I expound the social context of these festivals with regard to such matters as cultural and historical value in an effort to assess things fairly. Yes. the intrinsic purpose of these events is self validation and expression, but such is much needed, especially when you happen to be so far from "La Isla del Encanto" and you have images of the tales that your mother told you when you were growing up far from home in Montana or The Bronx.

Check out the DDSJ 2008 Photo Gallery