Colibri | Historical Context
History of Puerto Rico
Espada’s poem attempts to capture the fear and oppression felt by the Borinquens since the unwelcome arrival of outsiders. About fifty thousand Indians inhabited the island of Boriquen (which means “the great land of the valiant and noble Lord”) when Christopher Columbus landed there in 1493. A peaceful people, the Taino were primarily farmers and fishermen living in a well-organized communal society. Columbus named the island “San Juan Bautista,” for St. John the Baptist, and the town in which they landed “Puerto Rico” (rich port) because of its...
[The entire page is 623 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Navigate
See Also:
- - Colibri summary and study guide in the eNotes.
Tell a friend about Colibri at eNotes.
- Add Colibri to your favorites