The Puerto Ricans have remained, to a large extent, greatly influenced by the old Spanish culture which first was introduced during the period of Spanish settlement. Their language, religion, literature, folklore and style of living came to them from Spain when she was at the height of her power. The culture, however, was modified after the first group of settlers came from Spain and other countries. Indian culture was based primarily on customs left to them by their ancestors. Their religion played a major factor in the life and the role of their government.
Indians in Puerto Rico believed in one god called “Yocahy”, who was the protector of evil spirits. Their government was divided into different classes. Each class had a leader and a subleader. The principal chief, or Cacique had the power to govern the island. The sub-chiefs were called Nitaynos, and also operated as administrators of justice. The Bohique was the high priest of the Indians. He had the power to predict future events, and carried out many such predictions by acting as advisor to the chief. The remainder of the Yucayeque was composed of Naborias (working class). The chief’s position was hereditary. The oldest son was given the right to rule after the death of the chief. The economy was limited to trade in personal items.
The population of Puerto Rico is made up of people who have ancestry composed of the world’s three major races (white, black and yellow). The culture has remained much the same, but it has become more nationalistic. During colonial rule, the Puerto Ricans were in no way full-fledged Spaniards. They slowly began to alter their early heritage into something truly “Puertorrique–o.” They developed their own folklore, music, arts and their own ways of living together, which in many ways set them apart from the Spanish officials. What is typically called Puerto Rican culture was developed in large measure as a social mechanism for defense against alien overlords and against poverty. The foundation of the island’s social structure came to be the family, each one closely related and large, including relatives of all ages a vast and smoothly functioning mutual aid society, held together by the fact that there was no other social resource and no political power for attaining it.
During the 1940’s, however, Puerto Ricans approached a turning point in the cultural sense, as well as in the economic. The Spanish oriented Puertorrique–os had never before been able to achieve great and constructive accomplishments for themselves, except for the miracle of their survival as a people. They began to encounter a number of cultural traits from Anglo-America for the first time. For instance, after 1940, the Anglo-American culture of the United States effectively joined forces with Puerto Rico’s Latin American culture in the effort to reach a common goal. The passing of Public Law 600 by the Congress of the United States in 1950 made an agreement with the people of Puerto Rico. They became United States citizens. Compulsory English was introduced into the public schools of Puerto Rico at that time. As one of several conscious efforts to preserve and respect old cultural values, the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture was founded because the island’s culture was changing at a fantastic speed. Old social orientations were disappearing, to be replaced by new relationships and new values. The movement accelerated today because of Puerto Rico’s vast industrialization, and the present government has taken some steps to curtail the desertation of rural Puerto Rico.
If we compare the cultural aspects of the island and the mainland we can see many changes. Even though they have the same background, the same Latin American structure of life, Puerto Ricans become influenced by new cultural experiences. In a sense, they become “Americanized.” Life begins to change in the American manner. The family begins to lose its closeness. The children are influenced by their friends in school. The children learn the English language in order to communicate with their friends, but at home the Spanish tongue takes over.
The younger generation of Puerto Ricans have a better understanding of the American culture. These people are exposed to the history, language, and the politics of America at an early age. Even though, they still maintain their Puerto Rican nationalistic attitudes toward their own society, they become “Americanized” and they behave differently than their elders.