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<h2>Basque Country Travel Itinerary: Holy Week 2022</h2>Genealogy Towns/CitiesPart 1: Provincia Vizcaya: municipalities Artzentales, Sopuerta, and Galdames and Provincia Cantabria: Laiseca and Valle de VilllaverdeChurchesTraslaviña: Parroquia Nuestra SeñoraSan Miguel Linares: Parroquia San Miguel ArcangelSopuerta: &nbsp; Parroquia Santa Cruz – Barrio Las Barrietas Baja&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Parroquia San Pedro Apóstol – Barrio La Baluga&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Parroquia Santa Maria – Barrio Mercadillo (Sokortua)Galdames: Parroquia San Pedro ApóstolPart 2: Provincia Vizcaya:munipalities Otxandio, Ubidea, ZeanuriChurchesUbidea (Ubide): Parroquia San Juan BautistaOchandiano (Otxandio): Parroquia Santa MarinaCeanuri (Zeanuri): Parroquia Santa Maria or Nuestra Senora de la AsuncionHoly Week celebrations have taken place in Bilbao since 1554, when it is said that a splinter from Jesus’ cross arrived in the city and the Santa Cruz brotherhood was formed. Innovation and excellence also apply to haute cuisine in the Basque Country, which has the highest per capita concentration of Michelin star restaurants in the world. To be specific, the Basque Country boasts a total of 32 stars from 23 restaurants spread across the territory of Euskadi. Seven of Top 100 Restaurants in the World are Basque (2021)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FLIGHTSThu April 7th &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;JFK-Madrid-BilbaoFri April 8th &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Bus/Train to San Sebastian 1.5 hours&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; San Sebastian – 3 days-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Day 1: Fri April 8th - San Sebastian3pm: Check in Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;4:30pm: walk around· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Paseo de la Concha· &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Monte Urgull, Monte Igueldo8:00pm: pinxto crawl and jazzDay 2: Sat April 9th&nbsp; - San Sebastian&nbsp; &nbsp;10am: Mercado Brexta11am – 3pm: Aquarium, shops, churches, Cider&nbsp;4pm: chill in room6pm: get ready&nbsp;8pm: Dinner: Mugaritz #7 MichelinMugaritz offers a unique menu which represents the essence of its cuisine and philosophy. Our menu which includes more than 20 proposals, often changes in order to mimic the change of stations and a glimpse of our surroundings. The construction of a menu like ours, requires enormous efforts in the pursue of perfection and singularity, however, the result is a personalized experience which we know, will be unique. In order to design your menu, we will consider all the information you give us (prior to your visit) regarding allergies, dislikes or any food related restriction. Even those ingredients you simply would rather avoid.&nbsp;Day 3: Sun April 10th - Getaria&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;https://www.euskoguide.com/places-basque-country/spain/getaria-tourism/10am: Walk through town &nbsp;(Gothic Church with Black Nazarene)11am: Balenciaga museum&nbsp;1pm Lunch: &nbsp;Elkano &nbsp;#30 MichelinThe experience: Let Aitor Arregui take you to the top of the neighbouring mountain, from where you can see the entire landscape surrounding Getaria, to discover the secrets of the Cantabrian fishermen and the culture that give meaning to Elkano. Then, enter the house and enjoy the kokotxas (cod throats) in three textures, red mullet and the best turbot you will ever taste, served with a simple dressing at the table, while Arregui explains to you how to savour each part to obtain the best flavours.&nbsp;3pm – 6pm: Vineyards7pm: chill8:30pm: get ready9:30pm: Dinner – local, San SebastianDay 4: Mon April 11th&nbsp; - Bilbao&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;12pm: check out1pm: to Bilbao – bus or train2:30pm: Check in Basque Boutique Guesthouse&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;http://www.basqueboutique.es/en/home/6:00pm: Casco Viejo (Old Town)6:00pm Bilbao Fine Arts Museum8pm: Indautxu district9pm Cocktails and PinxtosDay 5: Tue April 12th&nbsp; - Bilbao &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;9am: Mercado de la Ribera10am: Seven Streets1:30pm Lunch: Guggenheim Nerua #32 Michelin3pm – 7pm: Guggenheim Museum8:30pm: Holy Tuesday procession: de la Piedad9pm: Jardines de Albia, tapasDay 6: Wed Apr 13th - Day trip to Rioja&nbsp;&nbsp;https://fascinatingspain.com/gastronomy/gastronomic-routes/wine-route-through-rioja-alavesa/9am: departo &nbsp; Elciego: Bodega Marques de Riscalo &nbsp; LaGuardia: Bodega Ysios: https://www.bodegasysios.com/eno &nbsp; LaGuardia: Bodega La FabulistaDay 7: Thu April 14th - Day trip rural country - genealogy &nbsp;pt 1Este tramo de 7 kilómetros, entre Traslaviña (Artzentales) y Sopuerta, forma parte de la que constituirá la gran ruta verde de las Encartaciones o Vía Verde Burdinmendi 10am: rent car to Mimetiz, 16 min.10:30am: Zalla, 5 min.&nbsp;o &nbsp; Bodegas Virgen De Loreahttps://www.bodegasvirgendelorea.com/historia11:30am: Traslaviña, 10 min.o &nbsp; Iglesia Nuestra Señora (genealogy)12:30pm: Valle de Villaverde, Cantabria (genealogy), 10 min.o &nbsp; Iglesia Santa Mariao &nbsp; Casona Micaela winery &nbsp;http://www.casonamicaela.com/1:30pm: Laiseca, Cantabria (genealogy), 1 mino &nbsp; Lunch: Restaurante Calera&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; http://www.posadacalera.es/el_restaurante.html2:45pm: San Miguel Linares&nbsp;o &nbsp; San Miguel Squareo &nbsp; San Miguel Arcangel church (genealogy)o &nbsp; Conjunto de san Antolíno &nbsp; Casa de Cultura de San Miguel de Artzentales &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;3:30pm: Mercadilloo &nbsp; Parroquia Santa Maria (genealogy)5:00pm: Sopuerta&nbsp;o &nbsp; Parroquia Santa Cruz – Barrio Las Barrietas Baja (genealogy)o &nbsp; Parroquia San Pedro Apóstol – Barrio La Baluga (genealogy)6:00pm: Galdameso &nbsp; Bodegas de Galdameshttps://bizkaikotxakolina.eus/en/wineries/galdames-winery/7:30pm Portulagete&nbsp;9:00pm: Getxo - Dinner11pm: Bilbao (12 midnight: The Procession of Health)Day 8: Fri Apr 15th - Good Friday - Bilbaodaytime: Catedral de Santiago (gateway of the Angel), Museum of Passages for Holy Week, Basilica Begoña8:30pm: The Procession of the Virgin of Sorrows – Bilbao centerDay 9: Sat Apr 16th&nbsp;&nbsp; - Day trip - genealogy part 2&nbsp; &nbsp;(Larrabetzu, Olaeta, Otxandio, Álava)&nbsp; &nbsp; 12pm: Check out1pm lunch: Azurmendi, Larrabetzu #14 &nbsp;3:00pm: Olaeta, 45 min driveo &nbsp; Queseria Atxeta Gazta (Famous Cheese: Denominación de Origen Idiazabal) https://www.atxetagazta.com/4:00 pm: to Otxandio, 5 min drive(genealogy – 1200 population founded 13th century – Medieval town)&nbsp;o &nbsp; Plaza Nagusia&nbsp;o &nbsp; Iglesia de Santa Marinao &nbsp; Fuente de Vulcano5pm: Provincia Álava, Municipio Arrazua-Ubarrundiato Luco, 24 min drive (64 population)Check-in Palacio de Luko&nbsp; &nbsp;https://www.palaciodeluko.com/o &nbsp; Puente Romano de cinco arcos (1514)o &nbsp; Iglesia San Martin de ToursDay 10: Sun Apr 17th: &nbsp; Easter - day trip Vitoria-Gasteiz, Ubide, Otzarreta Forest, Zeanuri8am: Easter Mass Vitoria-Gasteizo &nbsp; Catedral Santa María (UNESCO World Heritage Site)o &nbsp; Catedral María Sagradao &nbsp; Old Town/Plaza de la Virgen Blanca1pm: Ubide (genealogy – population 167)o &nbsp; Chalet Arechagao &nbsp; Queseria Pagobietao &nbsp; Cazalda Real2pm: Otzarreta Forest4pm: Zeanuri (genealogy-1300 population)o &nbsp; Iglesia Santiago Apostol&nbsp;o &nbsp; Torre Akaurio &nbsp; Palacio AxpeDay 11: Mon Apr 18th: Flight back------------------------------------------------------------------Genealogy Tracker1. Great Grandparents1. &nbsp; &nbsp; Great Grandparent: Renovales y Llaguno (Traslaviña)2. &nbsp; &nbsp; 2nd Great Grandparents: Renovales y Via (Sopuerta) Llaguno y Renovales (San Miguel Linares)3. &nbsp; &nbsp; 3rd GG: Renobales y del Cerro, Via y Martin de la Yseca (Traslaviña)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Llaguno y Llano (San Miguel Linares) Renobales y Goicolea (Traslaviña)4. &nbsp; &nbsp; 4th GG: Renobales y Goicolea (Traslaviña), Del Cerro Castaños (Mercadillo)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Via y Ynigo de Santivanes, Martin de la Yseca y Cubillo (Traslaviña)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Llaguno y Castillo (San Miguel Linares), Llano y Umáran (Sopuerta)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Renobales y Rebollar (San Miguel Linares), Goicolea y Ayuso (Ubide)5. &nbsp; &nbsp; 5th GG: Renobales y Rebollar (Traslaviña), Goicolea y Ajuria (Ubide)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Del Cerro y Palacio (Mercadillo), Castaños y Urrutia (Galdames)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Viya y Viya, Ynigo de Santivanes y Cubillo (Traslaviña)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Martin de la Yseca, Cubillo (Traslaviña)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Llaguno y Lopez, Castillo y Canilla&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Llano y Castaño, Umáran Bueno de las Herrarias (Sopuerta)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Renovales y Santelice, Rebollar y Mollinedo (Traslaviña)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Goicolea y Elguea, Ajuria y Langara (Ubide)6. &nbsp; &nbsp; 6th GG: Cantabria – Yñigo de Santibanez y Arco, Cuvillo y Zornosa7. &nbsp; &nbsp; 7th GG: Basque. Otxandio: Goicolea y Urrexola&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Basque: Zeanuri: Elguea y BarguchiaTowns/Cities and Surnames&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Traslaviña, San Miguel Linares, Sopuerta, Mercadillo, Galdames, UbideTraslaviña: Renovales, Llaguno, Goicolea, Rebollar, Santelices, Viya, Mollinedo, Gomez, Martin de la Yseca, Ynigo de Santivanes, Villanueba, AlisedoSan Miguel Linares: Renobales, de la Garma, Santa Cruz y Toba, Santelices, Ruiz del Arco, Viya, &nbsp;Sel, Quintana, San Juan, Calera, Rebollar, Horcasitas, Mollinedo, LaRauri, Allende, Castillo, Collado, Sota, Quintana, Sanz, Gordon, Talledo, Maruri, Garay, SobradoSantelices: Renobales, ArcoSopuerta: Renovales, Via, Llano, Umáran, Zerro, Palazio, Toba, Ochoa, Viya,&nbsp;Mercadillo: Del Cerro, Castaños, PalazioGaldames: Castaños, Urrutia, Torre, Campo, Soverron, Santibanes, Villa, Cortes, San Gines, Llano, Ugalde, Montellano, Cassas, Llave, San Juan de Santa Cruz, Capetillo, Loizaga,&nbsp;Ubidea: Goicolea, Ajuria, Ayuso, Elguea, Langara, Barguchia, Gordobil, Aguirre, Zubiaur, Ytorrondo, Yurrebasso, Vengourria, Barrenchea, Mendivil, Bengoria, Ellauri, Ruiz de Astobieta, Zubiaury, Aldayeran, ElorragiaOchandiano (Otxandio) 7thGG+: Goicolea, Urrexola, Cortadar, Gordobil, Yndusi, Apoyta, Lacha, Bengoa, Arraga, Zumarraga, Ozerin, Betolaza, Gastelu, Antepara, Gorostiza,&nbsp;Ceanuri (Zeanuri) 7thGG+: Elguea, Barguchia, Martinez de Zarra, Gordobil<h2>LINKS</h2>https://euskalkazeta.com/seven-of-2018-top-100-restaurants-in-the-world-are-basque/https://inbetweenpictures.com/blog/2-day-itinerary-in-san-sebastian-foodies-guide-includedhttps://wearetravelgirls.com/san-sebastian/https://the-luxury-collection.marriott.com/stories/articles/1-city-3-ways-san-sebastian-spain/https://www.savoredjourneys.com/best-pintxos-in-san-sebastian/https://kitchen-at-camont.com/basquelandiahttps://stories.forbestravelguide.com/spending-two-perfect-days-in-san-sebastianhttps://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/24/travel/things-to-do-in-36-hours-in-bilbao-spain.html?.?mc=aud_dev&amp;ad-keywords=auddevgate&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2ITa2bTr8gIVmrjICh2OHQ3pEAAYASAAEgL0CfD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.dsBilbao Processions: https://issuu.com/turismobilbao/docs/bilbao_pocket_n17_mar-abr_2019_es-e/40Artzentales: https://www.visitenkarterri.com/en/enkarterri/our-villages/artzentales.htmlOxtandio: https://sitioshistoricos.com/que-ver-en-otxandio-territorio-del-dios-vulcano/Zeanuri: https://www.clubrural.com/que-ver/vizcaya/zeanuriUbide: https://www.minube.com/que_ver/espana/vizcaya/ubideLuko: http://arabakoerromanikoa.blogspot.com/2018/11/luko-restaurando-llegamos-al.html&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;https://www.eitb.tv/es/video/historias-a-bocados-4-temporada/7172/183620/luko-arrazua-ubarrundia/

Basque Country Ancestral Travel Itinerary

The work of genealogy is the search for truth. It requires us to embrace heroic stories as well as painful ones. In my own 12-year journey, no discovery has been more profound or difficult than finding both the enslaved and the enslavers within the same family tree. As I wrote in my research, "to have been able to document ancestors that are both an enslaver...and freed slaves...from the same period - mid 1800's - is humbling".PATERNALMy last name, Arroyo, comes from my 3rd great-grandfather, Baltazar Arroyo, a man identified in his daughter's (my 2nd great grandmother María Eulogia) 1843 baptismal record as a Liverto, or freedman. His wife, my 3rd great-grandmother, Ceferina Dijols, was also a Liverta. She had been enslaved by a man named Francisco Dijols, owner of the Hacienda Boca Chica in Juana Díaz. The ruins (see below) of this hacienda’s slave quarters still exist today—a place where my 3rd great-grandmother most certainly lived. To find their names, to reclaim them from a system that saw them as property, is the sacred work of this journey.<figure id="figure-frblgu139fmdow1jbh" class=""><img id="frblgu139fmdow1jbh" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/27u8BdnQN0eTXXum2zTL4wPFpTG3QZoWkraM6LNCzm8rNCmnX4bJ6l9yxYMW3lY3.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% 100%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="100%" data-positiony="100%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/27u8BdnQN0eTXXum2zTL4wPFpTG3QZoWkraM6LNCzm8rNCmnX4bJ6l9yxYMW3lY3.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% 100%;"></figure> <figure id="figure-ontwe8qh7amdovx1do" class=""><img id="ontwe8qh7amdovx1do" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/8bnUolJgxmYZJM232lMm44lyysZTNbkh8UpqY4sfZJYlHrVpfqc6Jh14EW9TRcto.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/8bnUolJgxmYZJM232lMm44lyysZTNbkh8UpqY4sfZJYlHrVpfqc6Jh14EW9TRcto.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>The humbling complexity of our history came into sharp focus when I uncovered the story of my other paternal 3rd great-grandfather, Pedro Lefebre. He was an enslaver. As the&nbsp;mayordomo (administrator) of the Hacienda San Justo in Carolina, his duties included managing the enslaved laborers. Records show he was assigned at least 15&nbsp;emancipados (emancipated)&nbsp; — Congolese captives from the illegal slave ship Majesty, which ran aground in Puerto Rico in 1859 (SLAVERY AND CHILD TRAFFICKING IN PUERTO RICO AT THE CLOSING OF THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE: The Young Captives of the Slaver Majesty, 1859-1865, Jorge Chinea). These men and boys, though technically "emancipated," were forced into a state that was neither slave nor free. My ancestor was a direct participant in this system of exploitation.&nbsp;MATERNAL&nbsp; This dual legacy extends further back. I found my 7th great-grandmother, Lorenza de Morales, listed as ESCLAVA (slave) in her 1784 death record in Fajardo, enslaved by the presbyter Josef Manuel Tufiño of the Santiago de Apostol church of Fajardo. My 6th great-grandmother, Juana de Figueroa, is also listed as ESCLAVA in her 1824 death record.<figure id="figure-woa96stqmdowexql"><img id="woa96stqmdowexql" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2vwez2f8GquvZ5sxevzb6BBsftgjp0Aon9nhkx2W5r3YCBObIfIjCVuoTQ95bBTd.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl selected" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 85% 85%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="85%" data-positiony="85%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2vwez2f8GquvZ5sxevzb6BBsftgjp0Aon9nhkx2W5r3YCBObIfIjCVuoTQ95bBTd.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 85% 85%;" data-mce-selected="1"></figure>Their lives were lived against a backdrop of constant struggle. The myth of the docile slave in Puerto Rico is shattered by the long list of rebellions, from the first major uprising in the Americas in 1527 to assassination attempts and revolts that continued until abolition.To be a descendant of both the person who held the whip and the person who felt its sting is the profound and painful truth of the Puerto Rican experience. The wealth of the island was built on the backs of my ancestors like Baltazar and Ceferina. Acknowledging this truth is not a choice; it is a responsibility. At Nanichi Roots, I honor our legacy by telling the whole story—one that confronts the darkness of the past to celebrate the unbreakable resilience of those who endured it.

"Humbling is the Word": Finding the Enslaved and the Enslaver in My Family Tree

You may not find the term "Cruzan-Rican" in every history book, but it represents one of the most powerful stories of resilience, migration, and cultural fusion in the Caribbean. It is the story of a unique identity, forged in hardship and love, between two sister islands: Puerto Rico and St. Croix.This story begins nearly a century ago, on the small, beautiful island of Vieques, In the 1920s and 30s, the sugar industry—the pulse of the Viequense economy—collapsed. With the sugar mills closing, there were virtually no other jobs available. This created extreme poverty and desperation, "pushing" thousands of families to seek survival elsewhere.<figure id="figure-75qatxf4ecmdnigwta" class=""><img id="75qatxf4ecmdnigwta" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/341HjV25mSUzCiFDaFdEG9PsrppNgjacIavQKuLubHAuybyOLcs10tX3Po6LxVNe.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% 50%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="100%" data-positiony="50%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/341HjV25mSUzCiFDaFdEG9PsrppNgjacIavQKuLubHAuybyOLcs10tX3Po6LxVNe.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% 50%;"></figure>Located just about 40 miles away from Vieques, the sugar fields and rum distilleries of St. Croix were thriving and they needed workers. Because of the Jones Act of 1917, Puerto Ricans were U.S. citizens just like U.S. Virgin Islanders. This meant they could travel and work freely in St. Croix, which was also a U.S. territory, without needing passports or visas. In a great wave of migration, these brave families from Vieques and the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, like Fajardo, made the journey.&nbsp; &nbsp;They didn’t just fill a labor gap; they planted roots. (Image: Sugarcane workers in the Virgin Islands, Mediadrum Images - Public Domain)<figure id="figure-hwtiji92simdni1vh7" class=""><img id="hwtiji92simdni1vh7" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/c5hX8kEzG0IQ4RCDtWyzXU5rOQBi4hlJWMP9bYAfWxrfKZHsmGNgEuRUIbURmMeS.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/c5hX8kEzG0IQ4RCDtWyzXU5rOQBi4hlJWMP9bYAfWxrfKZHsmGNgEuRUIbURmMeS.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>These families established vibrant communities, where sounds of Spanish mixed with the local Crucian dialect, the rhythms of bomba and plena, and the aroma of arroz con habichuelas. Over the decades, they created a unique, blended identity known as "Cruzan-Rican"&nbsp; and is deeply felt to this day. Some of the most frequently cited family names in 1930 and 1940's census include: Ayala, Camacho, Carrasquillo, Cotto, Cruz, Encarnacion, Feliciano, Figueroa, Garcia, Gomez, Gonzalez, Lopez, Maldonado, Medina, Morales, Osorio, Ramos, Reyes, Rivera, Robles, Rodriguez, Rosario, Santiago, Serrano, Torres, and Vasquez.&nbsp;My maternal great grandfather Juan Dolores "Dede" García Meléndez was a jornalero - a sugarcane field day worker in Fajardo. He migrated to St. Croix on March 12, 1931 with my grandmaother María Josefina Garczeia Díaz when she was 17. My grandfather Carlos Pérez Mercado migrated from Vieques to St. Croix on June 6, 1933 when he was 20 years old. My grandparents married in 1935 at the St. Patricks Church in Frederiksted, St. Croix. Since my mother was born in Vieques, me and my siblings are 1st generation Cruzan-Ricans. I like to say Bori-Cruzan since we were raised as Puerto Ricans.<figure id="figure-m9jrme5niamdnjsj22"><img id="m9jrme5niamdnjsj22" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/3aUkwajZDSk2GOkMwtYnEwtzlpHd1gg0sDMfdd5b0cCzZhJBhRpj569jlwqsgyLI.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 0% 0%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="0%" data-positiony="0%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/3aUkwajZDSk2GOkMwtYnEwtzlpHd1gg0sDMfdd5b0cCzZhJBhRpj569jlwqsgyLI.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 0% 0%;"></figure><figure id="figure-nnpaglnjnemdnjtdt0"><img id="nnpaglnjnemdnjtdt0" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/23RkvEWPGjj32AOwHmfL1kgn5TczYiohfuITd9oBKOkad7sjnQ8PhPmY7jmfCELC.png" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 0% 0%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="0%" data-positiony="0%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/23RkvEWPGjj32AOwHmfL1kgn5TczYiohfuITd9oBKOkad7sjnQ8PhPmY7jmfCELC.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 0% 0%;"></figure><h3>Learn More!</h3><a data-mce-href="Bridge%20the%20Gap%20-%20St.%20Croix%20by%20Dean%20Huertas" href="Bridge%20the%20Gap%20-%20St.%20Croix%20by%20Dean%20Huertas">Bridge the Gap - St. Croix by Dean Huertas</a><a data-mce-href="https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/opinion/ties-that-bind-the-usvi-and-puerto-rico/article_6344455f-9b74-5739-a0a2-9573e0c4cca0.html" href="https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/opinion/ties-that-bind-the-usvi-and-puerto-rico/article_6344455f-9b74-5739-a0a2-9573e0c4cca0.html">Ties that bind the USVI and Puerto Rico - Virgin Islands Daily News</a>Sugar Pathways Documentary by Johanna Bermúdez-Ruiz<figure id="figure-1ry184q1s9mdnk0q3h" data-full-width="" class=""><iframe id="1ry184q1s9mdnk0q3h" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/144982830" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/sugarpathways/144982830" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="true" data-mce-src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/144982830" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><figure id="figure-l4kf3vl13apmdniutq6"><img id="l4kf3vl13apmdniutq6" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2aSbB8XaSHiMj5uPC3Wy9ABRWVA1bZpSQvQfGZG12tbenjzhQFagr2AxQauDT1re.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-lg md:rounded-xl lg:rounded-2xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% 30%;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="100%" data-positiony="30%" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2aSbB8XaSHiMj5uPC3Wy9ABRWVA1bZpSQvQfGZG12tbenjzhQFagr2AxQauDT1re.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: 100% 30%;"></figure><h3> </h3> <h3> </h3> <h2> </h2>

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