Wed 20 Jun 2007
Why Nuyorican? Why Nuyorican Obituary?
Posted by RNz under Nonsense
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“Nuyorican” is a portmanteau of “New York” and “Puerto Rican” — and it’s a term used to describe those of Puerto Rican descent born and raised in the Greatest City in the World. It was sometimes used pejoratively, I believe, by island-born Puerto Ricans as a snark on Nuyoricans’ embattled mastery of Spanish and cheesy Americanized ways. But it has become an empowering word for some, in terms of more accurate self-indentification — call it nichification.
When I say “Nuyorican,” some people think I actually made the word up. But no it’s been around a long time — according to Wikipedia, the first cited reference being poet Jaime Carrero using neorriqueño in 1964.
Many people ask me why I call this blog “Nuyorican Obituary.” All right no one has ever asked me. But let’s say you do. There was a great Ponce-born poet named Pedro Pietri who wrote a poem called “Puerto Rican Obituary.” This title is a nod to that. ‘Nuff said.