Lolita Lebrón at Bombazo

& Artisans Display
Creativity at Fiesta Boricua 2004
lacasita@prcc-chgo.org

View the Artisans Crafts and Bombazo at La Casita with Lolita here.

Saturday, September 4th, the day before la gran Fiesta Boricua, La Casita de Don Pedro was preparing for a Bombazo that would be dedicated to Lolita Lebron, our Puerto Rican National Heroine. The Bombazo was part of the monthly series at the Batey Urbano and we had decided to do it in the Casita. I was excited because it had been a while since we had a Bombazo at the Casita and this would begin to give it more life. The Casita was not hosting Bombazos because the Batey has one every month, you don’t want Bombayplena people out!
 
I got to the Casita a little early and shortly after Tito, Director of AfriCaribe, arrives into the Casita carrying big black bags that would provide us with a sound system and barriles de Bomba for the evening. Meanwhile people start walking through the Casita gates, sitting down by Casita’s Batey waiting for the first callused hand to strike the Bomba drum. More people have arrived, it’s about 8:30pm, and we decide to begin the Bombazo. At this point, the Casita is adorned with the abundance of people who have arrived to witness and some who our eagerly awaiting pa’ tirarse un piquete de Bomba!
 
The Bombazo esta en candela but we’re still waiting for Lolita’s arrival. Finally, she arrives with a platoon of people. As she makes her way into the Casita, she stops to look at Don Pedro‚s statue, it was as if he was welcoming her and expressing his joy because she had came to visit him in his Casita. Los cantos, bailes y tambores paran! Lolita then showers us with words about how great it is to see the work that the Puerto Ricans in Chicago are doing and praising the many accomplishments of the PRCC. After all was said and done, members of El Grupo Yuba and the other bomberos began chanting, Bomba! mi tierra, Boriquen a ti, mi vida te voy a entregar, Bomba! Mi pueblo levantate y ven, busquemos la libertad in honor of Lolita’s visit. The night ended and the Bombas were put to rest, but everyone felt that Don Pedro and the Casita were really content.
 
The next day early in the morning, early at least for me! The Casita began a transformation adorning itself with artesanos and artists for the 11th Fiesta Boricua. This was the last month of our Third Annual Artesanos Market. There were many local artists like Leo, Edgar, Moncho and artists like Obed Gomez who had traveled all the way from Florida to be part of our market and the Fiesta Boricua. Some of the work that was displayed at the Casita was handmade coconut art, ceramics and paintings all done by Puerto Rican artists. The Artesanos Market and Fiesta Boricua were a success considering the fact that we had limited resources, proof again of the hard work that the PRCC and the Puerto Ricans in Chicago have done and next year will not be any different.  

Every year during the summer the Casita opens its doors for people who would like to learn a little bit of Puerto Rican culture. So be PENDIENTE because next year will have more free Bomba y Plena workshops, our 4th Annual Artesanos‚ Market and much more!
 
Angel M. Fuentes