Mexicans and Puerto Ricans: They are Not the Same.
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Differences & Resemblances: How to Tell Them Apart
Being a Puerto Rican myself, I have had my fair share of mistaken ethnic identity by curious inquirerers. I can see why they would be confused. Mexicans and Puerto Ricans make up the two largest Spanish-speaking groups in the United States. However, we have more in common than not.
Mexican & Puerto Rican Ethnic Origins
Both ethnic groups have their origins from Spain a result of Christopher Columbus' comissioned discovery of the New World. Spanish Conquistadores gained control of both formerly-called Borikén and México-Tenochtitlan, which are presently known as Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Puerto Rico's ethnic history is curiously a miniature scale of that of the United States mainland's, but not entirely. Europeans brought along African slaves to supplement the almost-extinct Taino Indian population. Their main goal was to excavate and take the island's gold back to Europe, which can be currently found in its lavish cathedrals.
Eventual inter-marriages among the indigenous Tainos, Europeans and African slaves led to the very varied mixture of races that is commonly found on the island as well as in the United States. Therefore, there is no typical Puerto Rican per se. The people can range from blonde-haired, blue-eyed to mid-range colored skin, or to actual Black in color.
Contrary to Puerto Rico, Mexico did not participate in the importation of African slaves into their ancestral origins. They did, however, have a group of indigenous people called the Aztec Indians, which intermingled with the European races. The majority of Mexicans have strong indigenous physical features such as straight hair, brown skin, and Asiatic eye shapes.
Immigration & Politics
Puerto Ricans are United States citizens by birth after being previously naturalized by the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917. The island of Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the United States just as Autralia is a Commonthwealth of England. Therefore, Puerto Ricans are free to move to the mainland from the island and vice-versa without a passport.
On the other hand, many Mexicans have had to illegally cross the United States-Mexico border in order to migrate to the United States. The Unites States government has currently been facing criticism in their economic relations by anti-globalists citing that the government does not combat illegal immigration effectively.
Heritage & Cultural Features
Even though both groups are connected by the Spanish language, there are variations in accents and vocabulary. This stemmed from the indigenous influence from each of the groups' native ancestries.
Puerto Ricans pride themselves in their musical heritage. Genres of salsa , merengue and reggaeton are central and prominent in social get-togethers. In sports, baseball is Puerto Rico's main sport with Mexico's being soccer, or f útbol .
Mexican's pride is strongly rooted in the mariachi and banda music genres. Both nationalities have produced artists of international reknown that have created unity between the two with mutual fans. Carlos Santana and Jennifer Lopez are just examples of the many successful representatives of each group.
Each's ethnic cuisines are very different with the exception of rice and beans being common items on both Mexican and Puerto Rican menus.
Animosity Between the Two
For many years now, there have been feuds between Mexicans and Puerto Ricans. Much of it stems from a sense of right and entitlement that each group acclaims. There are resentments due to illegal immigration, crimes, gangs and collective prejudice from non-Latinos that assume both ethnicities are the same.
When President Obama appointed Sonia Sotomayor, of Puerto Rican descent, for the United States Supreme Court, many Mexican-Americans were in an uproar as they felt it should have been one of their own so as to better understand the immigration issues of the country.
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Why thanks! It could've been a bit more elaborated, but it stemmed from a frustration from people who ignorantly assume all Latinos are the same.
I believe that Mexicans have contributed far more to the American landscape than have many Puerto Ricans. The Bronx, as I've experienced it in Central Florida is probably one of the worst jokes ever played out on those stateside.
When Jesus comes back in the clouds, New Yorican papis will be making caca on a large scale.
My X wife was born and raised in PR...and thank God not all of Puerto Ricans are New YOricans -- thanks Almighty God.
Tackle This: Because of the entitlement to your own opinions is the only reason I've approved your comments. New Yoricans are not representative of all Puerto Ricans living in the US mainland. Every ethnic group has its bad apples. Thanks, though, for taking the time to read. ;-)
My point exactly; thank God not all Puerto Ricans are New Yorican. I reside in Central Florida and the bulk of our problems here are due to men who think they are the papi of the world. In a word, laughable. Roadside litter would be reduced by at least 50% of the papis and mamis of the world moved back to that place that the world revolves around -- namely the Bronx which is also laughable.
Thank you! for the hub! I've had similar encounters.
I will say the following: My parents were born in Puerto Rico but grew up in Harlem. That makes them nuyoricans but nothing like described above. I am of 100% PR heritage. I was born in NYC and lived in a Bronx housing project. I've been called a nuyorican and neorican.
I wrote a poem about the "rican" terms. Now I call myself a Technorican. Check out my website >> www.technorican.com
This rivalry between Puerto Ricans and Mexicans is good to a point every culture has a rival. I myself am Mexican-American and have retired U.S. Army and I will say this you got good and bad on both sides but over all we need to get along. My Platoon Sgt SFC. T helped bring me back from a year long deployment from Iraq I will always be grateful and guess what he is Puerto Rican born and raised in the Bronx. "Thank You SFC T. AKA THE GODFATHER for bringing me back" Paz y Amor
Great hub! Latino peoples are of various nationalities and racial groups. Each Latino/Latina person is an individual person and their respective cultures should be respected. Latinos/Latinas are not all alike! As a Black person, I am so aware of one size fits all mentality. Latinos/ Latinas like Blacks are not all monolithic. Great hub again!
Thank you all for the personal perspectives on this.
This hub attempts to bring awareness and straighten out misconceptions and I praise you for it. My experience with the Mexican people has been a positive one.
I was 10 when our family moved to the states from PR and the places my family lived did not have, in the same degree, the animosity encountered in the Bronx where it's a live and let die world.
As for the description of our people, there are two issues I'd like to address. One: Our people's music has been influenced by many countries. Salsa, merengue and reggeaton are not originally ours, but adopted. La Plena, la Bomba and, my all time classy favorite, la Danza are ours and no one can claim them. I love the "conversation" between partners in la Danza and no Waltz can rival its beauty.
The second issue is war. I don't know of any other country that has not gone through a civil war to free slaves, but ours. We have fought in other countries' wars, but have never had one of our own.
Maybe, now we can avoid a cultural war by taking pride in having humble beginnings, that is, the Jibaro way: No disrespecting adults, no loud music at all hours, no fear of silence, working for family's benefit not wealth, no cursing, learning from nature, respecting God. Both Mexican campesinos and Puertorrican jibaros lived like this. Why can't we?
The resentment goes more than you are citizen and you are not, it is the subconscious feeling of eventual population invasion and displacement of a mere 6 or so million PRs(In PR and Mainland US) by an ethnic majority of 180+ million Mexicans(Around the world)... Also Mexican women have more (anchor)kids than Puerto Rican ones... They see us as sell outs and 'vende-patria' because we are a Territory of the US while thiers is a 'free and independent country from the United States. Kind of the same resentments the Italians have as they see Little Italy shrink more and more to Chinatown.
Brown pride!
i think the only way latin Americans could get it right is with education ..social education..and hard work could bring us together what are vwe rivals about we both get discriminated against.. just that puerto ricans are citizens trust me many anglos wish that we didnt have shit here ..these people dont like any of us so we should be stupid and hate each other.
Mexican and Puerto Rican, it's the best of both worlds in my household! I'm Mexican from Los Angeles and my husband a Puerto Rican from the Bronx. Although we come from different backgrounds, as Latinos our values and morals are similar. I love our lil blended family, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Actually the Spanish brough slaves over to Mexico as well, and Mexicans are also mixed with Afrians as well. However, it may not show as much becasue there were thousands of tribes in Mexico, but if you go to the south, like Veracruz for example, there are people who look more black. In fact, our second president was a mulato, half black and half indian, and a very famouse revolutionary hero is mulato as well. However, Mexicans don't acknowlidge African ancestry, as well as thier Indian ancestry, and it's all because of colonialsm, that made them ashamed of their roots. Sad but truth
I think it is ridiculous for Puerto Ricans to separate in to sub groups of New Yoricans and "the rest". How foolish to discriminate against your own nationalities. I guess it just further perpetuates the stereotype of stupid Puerto Ricans.
-Puerto Rican from the Bronx
First I would like to state that I am Puerto Rican and Mexican. First not all Mexicans are illegal they can get their papers. Also Mexicans play a huge role in America they do jobs that "Americans" don't want to do. For example they harvest crops such as fruit which is the reason why some fruits are cheap. In America we need illegal immigrants because if we didn't have them there would be many changes in America.
psh All latinos and latinas are fricken awesome. though i might have to side with the PRs seeing how I'm dating one xD
"there is gringos then there are mexican?" I am mixed and so are you. PR, Mexican, Venezuelan, Cuban, Brazilian, Jamaican and every spanish & Italian group settled in all of the America's are mixed. Both the Italians and Spaniards brought slaves and when they arrived to the region the brought "missionary help" OR in plain-talk COLONIZED...they arrived to find varying tribes of Native Americans (depending on the region). Likewise they brought slaves from varying tribes of Africans based on where the trade took place. Mexicans, have deep within its culture African cults and isms (i.e., Día de los Muertos). Okay, but so too are the blacks who live in the US -- mixed. So, if it makes you feel better Mexicano person to not have ANY association with those from Africa...then by all means...say whatever makes you feel good about yourself. Truth however, is Truth....Christians please stand up and tell the truth...you know who you are and i am speaking to you. You are the Light of the World, you are the Salt of the Earth.
soy mexicano/americano and proud of it.my wife is boriqua and thru the years we have found out that we are more alike then we ever imagined.we are latinos,spanglish is the langusge most spoken in our home by us and our three kids.....we have arroz con gandules along with the carne asada in our bbq's lol!.....she loves tortillas especially warm homemade flour ones that she now makes like a pro.i love my boriqua and she loves her chicano wouldn't want it any other way.
Just to clarify, Mexicans are not only brown. As a Mexican-America, my skin is as fair as any other white person's skin. If you visit Mexico, especially in cities you will see blonde hair a blue-eyed people.
looking at all the comments the one that strike me funny is the people that say the children learn spanish first,,that are born here... thats great so they sound like they come from another country...speak almost broken english..the bottom ine is both have big % of black...if it looks like a duck walks like a duck it is probly a duck LOL...
Actually mexico became another hub for the slave trade the largest in america in fact... if you was to do some research you will find that mexico actually has one of the first pueblos documented ever to be formed from free slaves both native and african,,, even more shocking African slaves were responsable for the very first mexican revolution leading to the first black presedent in the americas.... so the very first presedente of the free mexico we all know today was actualy Black African!!!!!!!
Looking back in history, Puerto Ricans OPENED doors on the east coast New York, Ct, Mass, PA,FL etc. To new coming hispanics such as the cubans,mex,dominicans etc. if Puerto Ricans establish their PR resturants,stores,pharmacys, etc (all) english & spanish speaking. That gave way for the new hispanic/spanish people to come & get help first arriving. & salsa was made from the cubans & puerto ricans. Reggeaton was based off spanish reggea in panama we put our own beats & added dembow to make it our own. But ill orgullo BORICUA :)
indanila Level 2 Commenter 2 years ago
Nice hub!!