Browse Items (4209 total)

Local community member Hagit Mano presenting stories from the Jewish tradition.

Local community member Hagit Mano presenting stories from the Jewish tradition.

Performance by the Raíces Cultural Center Ensemble with Raícitas student performers. Sharing the tradition of Los Vejigantes de Puerto Rico with the students at the Greater Brunswick Charter School in New Brunswick. A vejigante is a clown-like…

The Raíces Cultural Center Ensemble shares the music, song, dance, history and cultural traditions of the Caribbean throughout our community and beyond. Raíces Ensemble members perform the traditions of plena and los vejigantes de puerto rico with…

Bomba, like many genres from the Caribbean traditions, is participatory. It is a community based tradition, with no defined roles of performer and audience. When the Raíces ensemble performs bomba, they always include members of the audience so…

Sharing knowledge throughout our community. Raíces directors and performers travel to schools throughout our region to spread knowledge about Caribbean cultures, cultural history, music, dance and art. Instruments shown here include a güiro, a cua…

Plena is played on hand-held drums called panderos or panderettas, which look similar to tambourines without the cymbals. They are usually played in a set of three-the bajo, the seguidora and the primo or requinto. There can be many multiple bajos…

Raícitas don’t just study the traditions of the Caribbean, they also share them with audiences in and around there community. These vejigantes are Raícitas student performers, sharing this cultural tradition from the Island of Puerto Rico with their…

Handmade and hand-painted paper-mache vejigante mask. There are two main types of vejigante masks found in Puerto Rico, those made from coconuts, more common to the Loíza area and those made of paper-mache, more common to Ponce and Mayaguez.

Citizens of Loíza Aldea, Puerto Rico dressed as vejigantes marching in a parade on the day of Santiago apostol.

Vejigante, Loíza Aldea, Puerto Rico on the day of Santiago apostol.

Citizens of Loíza Aldea, Puerto Rico in a parade on the day of Santiago apostol.

Vejigante, Loíza Aldea, Puerto Rico on the day of Santiago apostol.

Young boy dressed as a vejigante. Loíza Aldea, Puerto Rico on the day of Santiago apostol.

On the left side of the photo at the very top are four necklaces (elekes). From left to right are Elegua, Ochún, Changó and Yemayá. See below an explanation for each of these Orishas.

A. In the center of the necklaces is Osún. Osún is a warrior,…

Christian altar. In the center is a hand carved cross of Jesus’ crucifixion. To the left of the crucifix is a hand carved statue of virgin and child. To the right of the crucifix is a hand carved statue of an angel. In front of these are hand carved…

Yemayá’s turin and necklace (eleke). To the right of the turin is a rattle to call Yemayá down to earth. Other objects on the altar represent Yemayá.

Side view of Changó’s altar. Considered to be the most 'popular' of the orishas, Changó rules over lightning, thunder, fire, drums and dance. He is a warrior Orisha with quick wits, temper and is the epitomy of virility. He is an extremely hot…

Ceramic libation vessel. This vessel can be used in a number of ways when performing ceremonies for the Orishas.

Hand carved Christian statue of virgin and child.

Hand carved Christian statue of virgin and child.

Tamborine looking instruments on the wall are called “Panderos or Panderetas,” they are played in the Puerto Rican musical tradition of “Plena.” Directly below are the drums known as “barrilles” (barrels,) also called bomba drums. To the right is…

Three Vejigante masks. The vejigante is a devil like character who is very mischievous. He is found in the Afro-Puerto Rican folklore of the island.

Vejigante masks. The vejigante is a devil like character who is very mischievous, he is found in the Afro-Puerto Rican folklore of the island.

Piece of cement facing that fell off of a brick building in the Old Juan area of Puerto Rico, created the image of Africa.