Puerto Rico. St James the Apostle

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Description

In My Americas, Mexican American hosts Roberto Alcaraz and Leticia Vásquez travel into the rich cultural and spiritual life of Latin America in search of their heritage. In this program, Leticia visits Loíza, a town in Puerto Rico founded by former slaves in the 17th century. During the feast of St. James the Apostle, residents dress in ceremonial costumes, parade saints, and dance to West African influenced rhythms. Leticia visits a local artist who carves "vigigante" masks from coconuts and meets famous jazz musician William Cepeda, who returns to his hometown for the feast. At the Caribbean National Forest, she learns about efforts to save the endangered Puerto Rican parrot. Finally, she joins dancers moving to the complex interplay of drummers known as the bomba, in a celebration of Afro-Puerto Rican heritage.