U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Friendship Day

As many of the Puerto Ricans and Puerto-Crucians in this video illustrate, a large part of the Puerto Rican diaspora in St. Croix comes from Vieques. Due to several waves of migration catalyzed by the sugar cane and oil industries, the expropriation and displacement of Viequenses by the U.S. Navy, and other socio-economic factors, Viequenses migrated in large numbers to St. Croix throughout the 20th century.

Pitorro is a popular Puerto Rican moonshine rum often infused with fruits like coconut. In Vieques, pitorro is called bilí and it is typically infused with quenepas, also called mamoncillo or guinep. These small, lime-like fruits are common throughout the Caribbean. As shown in the video, the rum is infused with quenepas and consumed in small shots. The availability of this drink in St. Croix demonstrates the influence of Viequense migration to the island, as well as the embodied traditions that shape cultural connections between the USVI and PR.

The different foods shown in this segment (pork, rice and beans, and "guineo escabeche" which are pickled or marinated bananas) are commonly consumed in Puerto Rico. Their presence in St. Croix shows the presence of the Puerto Rican diaspora in the USVI. Moreover, the surprise expressed by the narrators of the video at seeing such foods in St. Croix points to the lack of awareness of diasporic Caribbean connections within the U.S. empire. The Puerto Rican diaspora is typically studied in the context of the continental U.S. But, as evident in this video, diasporas and intra-colonial connections exist beyond the imperial metropole.

As the speaker, Senator Bolques, explains, USVI - P.R. Friendship Day is a local holiday that celebrates the cultural and historical connections between P.R. and the USVI. Through parades, dance, music, food, and other cultural events, Virgin Islanders celebrate Puerto Rican heritage in the USVI and the broader connections to P.R. in October. This holiday has been celebrated for over 60 years. In the section below this video, examples of celebrations throughout the years are shown.

In this 2018 parade celebrating USVI - P.R. Friendship Day, we can hear calypso music throughout the video.

During this segment, the USVI - P.R. Friendship Day Queen is seen waving the flags of the USVI, P.R., and the USA. In what ways does this performance embody coloniality? How can solidarity help us look beyond the mediating force of the imperial center (continental U.S.)?

In this segment, people are dressed in traditional quadrille attire. Quadrille is a dance originating from France that is usually accompanied by quelbe music, a Caribbean genre that originated from enslaved African people. Quadrille and quelbe are commonly danced and performed in St. Croix. In this part of the parade's procession, we see an example of local Virgin Islands cultural practices through quadrille. Friendship Day celebrations often included quadrille dancing and bomba, a traditional Puerto Rican dance. For more information, refer to the second video (2013 celebration) and the annotation at 1:12.

The speaker in this segment states the USVI - P.R. Friendship Day celebration is called "Fiesta en el Batey." A "Batey" refers to a sacred space or plaza where the indigenous Taínos of the Caribbean would meet or play ball games. The Taínos inhabited present-day Puerto Rico, the USVI, and several other Caribbean islands. "Fiesta en el Batey" thus translates to Party in the Batey. This detail articulates a past, pre-colonial connection between P.R. and the USVI.

In this segment, quadrille and bomba dances are shown. Quadrille, typically danced in the USVI, and bomba, typically danced in P.R., are considered traditional dances in each territory. Both dances have African roots and, for many, are representative of struggle and resistance.