Borinquen
The Taíno name of Puerto Rico, also written Borikén, still alive as the island's poetic name. It appears in the anthem, La Borinqueña, in business names and inside the demonym boricua. When someone says Borinquen they are not naming a different place, just the island by its oldest name.
Example
The anthem is called La Borinqueña after that Indigenous name rather than any particular region.
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Related terms
Local slang
Boricua
The word Puerto Ricans use for themselves, derived from Borikén, the Taíno name of the island. It carries pride and...
History
Taíno
The Indigenous people who inhabited Puerto Rico, which they called Borikén, when the Spanish arrived in 1493. Their...
Culture
Danza puertorriqueña
A nineteenth century ballroom genre, elegant and slow, that was the music of urban society in Ponce and San Juan. Its...
Local slang
Wepa
An exclamation of joy and approval, the local shout of celebration. It comes out when the good song starts, when...
Frequently asked questions
Is it spelled Borinquen or Borikén?
Both circulate. Borikén is closer to the reconstructed Taíno name and Borinquen is the common Spanish form.
Is it an official name?
No. The official name is Puerto Rico, and Borinquen works as a historic and affectionate one.
