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UN PUEBLO NO PUEDE SOBREVIVIR SIN SU LENGUA

By Eri Alvarado Estudios Taínos está en Cabarete, República Dominicana, a pocos minutos de donde solía vivir.Imparten una clase sobre el idioma arawak, y larecomiendo encarecidamente, ya que se ofrece enlínea, a través de zoom.Las palabras que se enseñan allí noson reliquias antiguas, son partedel lenguaje vivo que se usa todoslos días en Puerto Plata, Sosúa,Cabarete, Santiago, Río San Juan,En Abaado Nagua (que en arawak significa “falda”), Samaná y más allá.Estas palabras arawak no son solo “vestigios culturales”. Son testigos mudos de una historia viva.entretejida en nuestra lengua, nuestra tierra y nuestros cuerpos. Y, sin embargo, durante siglos, se nosenseñó a ignorarlos,a descartar su valor, a tratarloscomo folclore, mientras otros se apropiaban denuestra cultura y la vendian como propia.La República Dominicana es el corazón de lospueblos indigenas del Caribe. Era el centro espiritual, cultural y político de una red ancestral queconectaba islas ycostas a través delmar. No éramosislas aisladas; Éramos una civilización marítima.El término “taíno”es una invencióncolonial. Fue impuesto por los españoles para dividirnos, para separar al “indio bueno” del“indio malo”“Tamo” era el nom-*bre que se les daba a los que se sometían. “Caribe”era el término demonizado que se usaba para referirse a los que resistian.Pero no eran personas diferentes. Eramos iguales.Los mismos antepasados. Mismo idioma. Mismolinaje.Fueron los colonizadores los que necesitaron dividirnos para controlamos. Para justificar el exterminio, el robo y la esclavitud. Si había “indios buenos”también podía haber “malos”: guerreros, rebeldessalvajes. Pero la verdad es que todos eran el mismopueblo indigena, divididos solo por una estrategiacolonial de conquista.Nos contaron la mentira de que los pueblos caribeños eran pasivos y fáciles de derrotar. Todo mentiras. Los “caribes” eran los guerreros, los estrategas, los protectores del mar.Es hora de dejar de repetir narrativas coloniales. Eshora de reconectar la verdad y recordar que no sepuede entender el Caribe sin los Caribes. La palabra “Caribe” no viene de una tierra extranjera.somos nosotros.Como hijos de esta tierra, es nuestro deber volver acontar nuestra historia, no con nostalgia, sino converdad y poder. No permitiremos que nuestra historia se diluya. Porque los que controlan la historiacontrolan el alma de un pueblo.La historia del Caribe comienza aqui. Y esta vez, locontamos juntos. En nuestra lengua, con nuestrasvoces y desde nuestras raices. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Photography Politics Sports Technology FREEDOM OF SPEECH:BEDROСКТО OUR DEMOCRACY August 5, 2025/ By Angelica Aquino One of the greatest rights we have as citizens is our freedom of speech, a true bedrock… Read More Un Momento 7-25 I.C.E. vs. the Community August 5, 2025/ By Victoria Ross La injusticia en cualquier lugar es una amenaza para lajusticia en todas partes/Injustice anywhere is a threat… Read More EL BUEN AMIGO:A LIFE OF RESISTANCE, ART, ANDLOVE IN THE HEART OF BUFFALO August 5, 2025/ By Rocco Anastasio This past month, I had the honor of sitting down with Mr. Masferrer to film an episode… Read More Load More End of Content.

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Simple Language, Simple man: DONALD TRUMP AND THE COMING OF THE STORM – Part 1

 He wasted no time to act on his evil nature upon taking office on January 20th. He is a little man with no character, no integrity, no honor, has compassion, surrounded by a self-interest family and greed, the more they possess, the more they want. His policies are simple because he has none, only to act on his evil nature, release his January 6th patriots, have them ready when he’s prepared to move on to the next phase. He appointed a Cabinet that will shine his shoes and has a Republican Cabinet always available to get on their knees upon his calling, need, or desire. As for the fires in Los Angeles, California, he does not want to put out fires, he wants to start the fires. He has no idea what the “presidency” truly means. He was elected, but he treats America as his real estate property, he looks at himself as the CEO, ready to play with the big boys, to play with the capitalist empire, the sweat of greed, making deals with the technical industry, neglecting his promise to his MAGA followers, his cult empire, composed of Stupidity, Ignorance, and Racism (SIR). Don’t cry or complain when your friends or family members are discovered and receive letters of rejection to move out of the country, or to be taken out of the country by force, no negotiations. Their color, their language, and their place of origin are the only reason for deportation, nothing else! This evil man wants to bring chaos to the world, he wants Greenland, the Panama Canal, and renames the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, reviving manifest destiny, a racist weapon. And he does not stop there. He wants to cut social security, health care, and wants to fire government employees who are not loyal to him so he can work to put his flunkies in key positions, he wants complete control. This is the little man that so many Latinos voted for. He is just plain evil, always looking for things to spoil, to harm, to destroy. There is a storm coming, a human storm created by a little man who aims to remake an American we won’t recognize in four years. And he is not alone in planning the exodus of people that don’t look like him. We can’t believe that Latinos voted for this evil man, we can’t believe he was welcomed in the Bronx. This is just the beginning of things to come. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Photography Politics Sports Technology Simple Language, Simple man: DONALD TRUMP AND THE COMING OF THE STORM – Part 1 March 31, 2025/No Comments  He wasted no time to act on his evil nature upon taking office on January 20th. He is a little… Read More QUESTION ABOUT PUERTO RICANS IN BUFFALO, NY: DOES THE CITY OF BUFFALO HAVE A STRONG PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY? March 31, 2025/No Comments Buffalo does not have a strong Puerto Rican community. However, there is a concentrated pocket of Puerto Ricans living on… Read More QUESTION ABOUT PUERTO RICANS IN BUFFALO, NY: DOES THE CITY OF BUFFALO HAVE A STRONG PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY? March 29, 2025/No Comments Buffalo does not have a strong Puerto Rican community. However, there is a concentrated pocket of Puerto Ricans living on… Read More Load More End of Content.

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QUESTION ABOUT PUERTO RICANS IN BUFFALO, NY: DOES THE CITY OF BUFFALO HAVE A STRONG PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY?

Buffalo does not have a strong Puerto Rican community. However, there is a concentrated pocket of Puerto Ricans living on the west side of the city, known as the “Lower West Side.” This area is home to two elected officials of Puerto Rican heritage: Councilman David Rivera and Assemblyman Jonathan Rivera—a father-and-son duo. Their presence reflects an element of “political gatekeeping” that often emerges within communities of color. The Puerto Rican population predominantly identifies as Puerto Rican or Boricua. However, their leaders and organizations commonly use the term “Hispanic,” which can create a sense of disconnection. Many community leaders live outside the city, claiming to be “committed to improving the community,” yet they remain unwilling to reside within and directly contribute to its development.  The Lower West Side is a hub of Latino businesses, particularly Boricua-owned restaurants. Niagara Street, often seen as the cultural artery of this neighborhood, energizes the local Puerto Rican community. This street hosts an array of artistic and cultural institutions, including Los Artistas del Barrio, El Batey Puerto Rican Center, and El Buen Amigo. Additionally, the annual Puerto Rican & “Hispanic” Parade fosters cultural celebration and engagement. Three Puerto Rican publications amplify the voices of the community. Two of them—La Ultima Hora and the Buffalo Latino Village—are monthly newspapers based in the Lower West Side. The largest publication, Panorama Hispano, serves as a “Hispanic” newspaper for the broader Western New York region. Looking ahead, a cultural institute spearheaded by the Hispanic Heritage Council is set to open on Niagara Street later this year, further enriching the area’s cultural landscape. However, this development unfolds amid the challenges of gentrification, which continues to displace Puerto Ricans to make way for middle and upper-middle-class professionals returning to the city after decades of suburban migration.  In summary, while Buffalo’s Puerto Rican community is not strong overall, the Lower West Side holds great potential for business and economic growth—provided it has leaders with genuine dedication and vision. Unfortunately, many of its current leaders live outside Buffalo, some even splitting time between Buffalo and Florida, effectively disconnecting themselves from the community’s day-to-day realities. As for me, I am the publisher of the Buffalo Latino Village, a vibrant publication rooted in the heart of the Lower West Side. We produce both print and digital editions (buffalolatinovillage.com), along with an online Latino Art Gallery (buffalolatinovillageartgallery.com). Our platform showcases a diverse array of voices, with over eight Latino and non-Latino columnists sharing opinions, features, and stories that reflect the richness of our community and the city.   Want more? Write to us at latinovillage1@gmail.com. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Column Community Community News Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Media Military & Veterans Music Peace People Photography Politics Sports Technology QUESTION ABOUT PUERTO RICANS IN BUFFALO, NY: DOES THE CITY OF BUFFALO HAVE A STRONG PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY? March 31, 2025/No Comments Buffalo does not have a strong Puerto Rican community. However, there is a concentrated pocket of Puerto Ricans living on… Read More QUESTION ABOUT PUERTO RICANS IN BUFFALO, NY: DOES THE CITY OF BUFFALO HAVE A STRONG PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY? March 29, 2025/No Comments Buffalo does not have a strong Puerto Rican community. However, there is a concentrated pocket of Puerto Ricans living on… Read More Gatekeeping March 12, 2025/No Comments Published by LATINO NEWSLETTER, a national publication to push the Latino perspective to the forefront: It’s time to break down… Read More Load More End of Content.

QUESTION ABOUT PUERTO RICANS IN BUFFALO, NY: DOES THE CITY OF BUFFALO HAVE A STRONG PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY? Read More »

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