Send your comments or questions to Puerto Rican 101 at email us    and include   "Puerto Rican 101" in the subject line. We receive hundreds of questions weekly and answer most of those directly, but select just a few for this site. This page is edited by Ivonne Figueroa

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Seis

What is a seis music or dance? My grandparents talked about that all the time. Is it Christmas music? Is it a dance or a style of music? Judy Rivera Rivera; Barcelona, Spain

'The 'seis', which literally means 'six' is, in fact, a great number of different melodic motifs each of which can then be used as the basis for sung poetic improvisation. The melodies and harmonies are simple and accompanied by a cuatro, guitar, and güiro, as can be heard in this example of a seis mapeye. The bordonúa, tiple and requinto were also used sometimes to accompany the singer. In fact the number of singers could be one or two. The güiro and the guitar kept the 2/4 rhythm together although the güiro player occasionally improvised. The seis was supposed to be danced by six couples although many more were commonplace. Men and women would form separate lines, facing each other. The lines would cross each other several times during the course of the dance. The dancers would tap their feet at certain points and the dance would end with a vals.' musicofpuertorico.com

El Morro - three flags. . .

I noticed that there are three flags flown at El Morro, the Puerto Rican flag, the U.S. Flag and one with an X on it. Which flag is that? Estevan Patterson Gandia; Dallas, TX

Three flags fly over El Morro: the U.S. flag, the Puerto Rican flag and the old Spanish military flag (the cross of saint andres). Why, because the Castle or fortress has been ruled by Spain, the United States and Puerto Rico.

Are there any hotels that accept pets on the island? Karen Gomez; Tampa, FL

Apparently there are several hotels in San Juan that accept pets. Some are the Hotel Miramar, the Sheraton Old San Juan Resort, as well as Hotel Normandie. Speak to your travel agent about this or search the internet and call ahead.

Many Puerto Ricans think Luis Muñoz Marin was the island's first governor, but that's not so. Julio Judd Marques; San Antonio, TX

You are correct. In 1946, President Harry Truman appointed Jesus T. Piñero, picture to the right, to the governor's seat. This marked the first time in history that the government of the United States appointed a native Puerto Rican to hold the highest office on the island. Piñero remained in office until 1948, when Puerto Ricans were allowed to choose their governor for the first time. In 1948, Luis Muñoz Marín became the first Puerto Rican elected to the governorship of Puerto Rico.

Gofio

What is gofio? My mother always talks about that. She used to eat it when growing up in Puerto Rico. The few times I have visited the island with her, we never found any. Sharon Sullivan Ramirez; Dublin, Ireland

In Puerto Rico gofio is sold in small containers, most often in snack like packaging. Sometimes the packaging looks like a thicker straw or paper cones, for example. It looks like sand . . . almost the same color and texture, but has a good flavor, and Puerto Rican children used to eat that ages ago.

Gofio is the Canary Islands name for flour made from roasted grains (typically wheat or certain varieties of maize) or other starchy plants (e.g. beans and, historically, fern root), some varieties containing a little added salt and or sugar. Gofio has been an important ingredient in Canary Islander cooking for some time, and Canary Islander emigrants have spread its use to the Caribbean (notably in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela) but generally in all of Latin America.

Cabo Rojo

I am always interested in how places ended up with their names. What about Cabo Rojo, do you know why it is called that? Tony Sebastian Santiago; Helena, MO

It is said that Cabo Rojo obtained its name from the considerable amount of minerals found in its coasts that made the waters look reddish. Cabo is the Spanish word for tip and analogous to the English word Cape in this context. The word rojo, translates to red. According to legend, the name was given by Christopher Columbus himself, although this is highly unlikely. (Wikipedia)

Earthquakes

I've heard my abuelos talk about earthquakes in Puerto Rico a lot. They say it is not rare or uncommon to feel the tremors. What is the size of the largest earthquake there? Carlos Basurto Campeon; Barcelona, Spain

The largest earthquake recorded happened in 1918 and was estimated to measure 7.5 on the Richter Scale and yes, earthquakes are common in Puerto Rico. They happen all over the island including Vieques and Culebra.

Surnames

I read somewhere that most Hispanic names are common all over Latino America. Are there any Spanish last names that tend to be more common in certain areas, say Puerto Rico? Solomon Brandon Gomez; Reno, NV

There is only one Puerto Rican surname and that is Cofresí and all with this last name are related and descendants of the Cofresi family (El Pirata Cofresí). It is a shortened version of a long European name. The surnames Colón and Rivera tend to be more common in Puerto Rico than elsewhere and that's about it.

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