article

'We're not here just to plant. We have culture.': an ethnography of the South Bronx Casita Rincón Criollo

New York folklore • 20 (3-4) • Published In 1996 • Pages: 19-41

By: Sciorra, Joseph.

Abstract

This is an account of an indigenous urban renewal project in New York City's South Bronx. In the late 1970s a group of neighborhood people came together to reclaim a garbage-filled crater in an abandoned city-owned lot. They removed all the refuse and built a two-room, single-story, wood building typical of the Caribbean, called a CASITA. The site became known as 'Rincón Criollo' (Creole Corner) and served as an informal social club and culture center, where people gathered to talk, play music, tend gardens, read poetry, cook, share meals, and dance. Rincón Criollo is a Caribbean oasis in a poor, neglected urban environment. It is a place where respect and reciprocity are honored, and the poor can find food, clothing, and shelter. Sciorra also discusses the status of women in Rincón Criollo.

HRAF PubDate

2002

Region

North America

Sub Region

Regional, Ethnic and Diaspora Cultures

Document Type

article

Evaluation

Creator Type

Sociologist

Document Rating

4: Excellent Secondary Data

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

Ian Skoggard;2000

Field Date

1988-1990

Coverage Date

1970-1990

Coverage Place

South Bronx, New York, N.Y., United States

Notes

Joseph Sciorra

Includes bibliographical references

LCCN

75649891

LCSH

Puerto Ricans--United States