article

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

New York folklore20 (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.
Subjects
Dwellings
Housing
Music
Community structure
culture
Puerto Ricans (Mainland)
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