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Dia De San Juan Festival '2004
 Why
are Puerto Rican Festivals in California So
Important ?
by Don Jibaro Barbanegra
The basic purpose of these festivals in California is self validation
and expression, although there's the evident opportunity to have a
WEPA good time, like the ones that only come once a year.
The Fiestalegre Group has been around for almost ten years and has
established a reputation as one of the Premier Puerto Rican Festival
promoters of Southern California. What makes them so?
As you probably may or may not know, EL DIA de SAN JUAN commemorates
the birth of the patron saint of Puerto Rico, St. John the Baptist,
whom had also more than one festival in early times.
St. John was beheaded by Herod as a request of his fickle wife Herodias,
whose daughter Salomé danced so sensually that it made Herod all fuzzy
and tingly... (Herod had stolen Herodias from his brother Phillip,
John knew it... Herod didn't like John and... well, you get the
story, don't you? In any event, that's not
why we celebrate the festival, though!
As PUERTO RICANS in USA celebrated St. John's Birthday on June 24,
it became a time to come together and exchange more than just
business cards. This celebration, started in Puerto Rican beaches as
participants made a bon-fire at the beach and a party to go with it.
Somewhere along the celebration, but before midnight, believers were
to dip themselves in the water seven (7) times... the last time
walking backwards into the waters. This was supposed to ward off
evil spirits, cleanse one from past iniquities and fix you up good
for a year to come.
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. This is the closest thing to belonging
into the essential nature of all things Puerto Rican. There were no
reports of aberrant activity or behavior and for that we were
grateful
The performers got the audience excited, which was a good thing!
How'd you like a dance floor in the middle of the park... Huh?
Contact Information:
Benny Garcia
Tel: (714) 522-5890
ContactUs@fiestalegre.net
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