India taina puerto rico: India Taina, Boricua Warrior, Puerto Rico

On The Menu | La India Taina Puerto Rican Restaurant

Harianys De Jesus says her mother, Johanna, has always wanted her own restaurant. 

Fourteen years ago, they came to South Dakota. As soon as she turned 15, Harianys began working to help reach her mother’s dream. 

“We literally had to save our money little by little by little,” she said. 

And all of their hard work paid off. 

“With a lot of help, we made it happen for her,” said Harianys. 

When the De Jesus pair opened the doors of La India Taina Puerto Rican Restaurant on March 3, more people than they could have imagined flooded in. 

As guests took a seat at the restaurant for the first time, they had a choice of seven appetizers. 

One of them is the Alcapurria de Yuca con Carne Molida o Jueyes, which is homemade green plantain dough with ground beef or crab. 

Another starter option that bridges into seafood is Pastelillo de Camarones, turnovers stuffed with shrimp.  

At La India Taina, the drink menu has a few tropical choices. One of the most popular is Parcha, passion fruit juice. Guava Piña, guava pineapple juice, and Agua De Avena, oat milk water, are not far behind. 

Piña Colada has been selling a lot, too,” explained Harianys. “Everybody loves Piña Colada.” 

But no matter what a guest orders, Harianys says that quality is much more important to her and her mother than speed. 

“We like to make sure all the flavor is there and all the taste is there, so we don’t want to give you anything that is just already made,” she said.


“cinnamon goes on top of {the tembleque} and the main ingredient is cocnut. It’s kind of like Jell-o but a little bit thicker and made with milk.” -Harianys de jesus


One of the dishes that Harianys expects to become a favorite is Mofongo Con Su Carne Preferencia, mashed plantain that is fried and served with a special sauce and one of four meats.

“The food is always going to be fresh. It’s all about patience. It might take a little longer, but it’s definitely going to be worth it,” she added.

Another entree that may give mofongo a run for its money is Arroz Con Gandules, Pernil Y Ensalada De Papa O Ensalada De Coditos. This translates to rice with loungers, roasted pork, and potato salad or elbow salad.

“A lot of people love Pernil because of the pig skin,” said Harianys. “The way we make it is really crunchy and delicious, so a lot of people love that part.”

That opening day was a lot for the first-time business owners to handle, to say the least. 


More On The Menu

APERTIVOS/APPETIZERS

Pinchos

Made with pork or chicken and topped with barbecue sauce. 

Sorullus de Maiz

Made with cornmeal and stuffed with cheese. 

SANDWICHES

Tripleta

Made with a choice of pork, chicken, or ham along with lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese, mayo-ketchup, potato stick, and dried bacon.  

SOPAS/SOUPS

Sopas De Fideo con Pollo

Noodle soup with chicken, garlic bread, and one side.

PLATOS/MAIN DISHES

Papas Locas

Crazy fries, roasted pork, chicken, mayo-ketchup, nacho cheese, and dried bacon.

Pastelón con Arroz Blanco 

Sweet plantain lasagna with white rice.

POSTRES/DESSERTS

Flan de queso

Cheesecake-esque dessert.

Tembleque

Coconut-based dessert sprinkled with cinnamon.



“TEAMWORK IS VERY Important, communication, and patience. Those three things are the main priority for a business in general.” -Harianys De Jesus


“The kitchen, this was their first time actually working together,” Harianys explained. “They are still learning their pace. There was a lot of hold time on their food.

For the first couple days, the restaurant had to close early due to food supply shortages and more customers than the De Jesus duo planned for.

But you live and you learn.

“There’s more to learn every day,” said Harianys.

A few days after opening, she said, “For it being the third day, we have progressed so much just in three days.”

But both Harianys and Johanna are putting in as much effort as they can to make the restaurant everything they dream it to be.


One of the biggest featured artworks is a transportable mural of parrots, the Puerto Rican flag, and more painted by

David Saldana-Rico.


“Me and my mom are here from morning until night. We’re not going to make people stay. We’re the owners so we’re making sure people get their food and our workers go home happy.” 

Harianys says she looks up to her mother for everything. 

“Everything I know is because of her. I’m 21 years young and in my 21 years, I know so much. I’m, like, 35,” she added with a laugh. 

Harianys says that her mother deserves this restaurant. 

“My mom is very hard working, independent, straightforward, open minded,” she said. “Everything about her screams Puerto Rican.” 

For more information, visit LAINDIATAINA.COM.

History and culture of Loiza Aldea

Above: Detail of artist Samuel Lind’s ‘Yuiza’, Indian Cacique Chief.

The Legends of Loiza are many but perhaps the most popular one is about the only female Taino Cacique ( chief) named Yuiza ( Yuisa, Loaiza, Luisa, Loiza). Of all the Taino Chiefs of the Caribbean there were only two who were women, only one in Boriken ( Puerto Rico).

When the Spanish Conquistadores invaded Puerto Rico and enslaved the Taino Indians the indians resisted. They never adapted to slavery, most of the Taino men were killed. Many of the women lived on as wives of the spanish sailors.

Legend has it (that to protect her people) Yuiza became the lover of mulatto conquistador Pedro Mejias and because of this she was killed by other Taino Caciques ( who felt she was a traitor to have been with a spaniard). She actually was a hero and greatly admired by her own tribal people, even today. This may be the legend that gives meaning to the mix in Loiza of black Africans and Taino Indian, or it may, in fact be a historical truth. In actual fact, there are no historical documents to prove this, her marriage with Mejias.

History records show that the colonial government of Puerto Rico, by a crown decree from Spain in the 1600’s, was instructed to place runaway slaves from the British colonies in what is today Loiza Aldea. This area was chosen by the Crown because it was the weakest flank of defense of the island, and they hoped that the freed slaves would help defend the island against British invaders. It is said that the majority of these Africans were from Nigeria.

Somewhat inexplicable would be the great quantity of fishermen among the people of Loiza Aldea. Fishing by escaped slaves was considered an aberration because slaves were traditionally taught a fear of the sea as a way to keep them enslaved. Historians argue that the Africans of Loiza developed their fishing skills through direct contact with the Tainos of Puerto Rico. The presence of Amerindian mtDNA in Loiza, supports this hypothesis. Loiza is populated by the largest community of African descendents on the island of Puerto Rico

Fish are prone to diseases that are carried by algae. Fenbendazole can be used for treatment, but of course this cannot be done in open water.

In later years Inigo Lopez de Cervantes y Loayza, a prestigious Spaniard, had great extensions of land in this region. His second last name could have been used to name this territory.

Foundation: In 1692 Loiza was appointed as an urban section because it had approximately 100 houses and 1,146 inhabitants. In the year 1719 the Spanish government recognized its importance by declaring it an official town. Its founder was Gaspar de Arredondo. It wasn’t declared a municipality until August 16, 1970.

The Catholic congregation of Loiza is the oldest established congregation in Puerto Rico. The church has been rebuilt, but is still significantly old.

” . . The legend is that the name Loiza was that of a Taino woman, Chief Loiza or Yuisa, who governed a territory called Jaymanio in the margins of the Cayrabon river now named the Rio Grande de Loiza.”

. . . let us stick to the legend of this stately Taino Chief, Yuiza. In 1972 an artist from Loiza had a vision in which Loaiza came to her. She ( Lolita Cuevas) painted her vision in the dark at 2 am. Loaiza spoke to her and asked her to paint her but said she would not return. This drawing now hangs in City Hall in Loiza.

Below is the drawing made by Lolita Cuevas, from her vision.


Loaiza drawing made by Lolita Cuevas in 1972

The mystery of the disappearance of ships in the Bermuda Triangle is revealed

British oceanographers explained the disappearance of ships in the Bermuda Triangle – huge waves formed due to storms are to blame. In addition, in this region there is a high concentration of inexperienced sailors who are unable to cope with the ship in extreme conditions.

The mysterious Bermuda Triangle in the Atlantic Ocean, bounded by Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, is world famous for the disappearance of aircraft and ships in it. There are various hypotheses explaining these anomalies, up to the tricks of aliens and the inhabitants of Atlantis. Scientists, however, adhere to more prosaic explanations – for example, they point to the abundance of shallows in this area, as well as the frequent appearance of storms and cyclones, which causes problems with navigation.

The Bermuda Triangle was first mentioned in the press in 1950, and it got its name from the suggestion of the writer Vincent Gaddis in 1964. Since then, there has been a fierce debate between skeptics and supporters of the existence of anomalous phenomena about the reasons for the disappearance of ships and aircraft in this region.

A team of researchers from University of Southampton in the UK has found a new explanation for the disappearance of ships in the Bermuda Triangle. In their opinion, 30-meter “killer waves” are to blame for everything.

“There is no doubt that high waves are born in this area,” says oceanographer Simon Boxall, one of the team members. “They appear wherever there are several storms at the same time.”

These waves are very steep and high, they look like a wall of water and appear unexpectedly, experts from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration explain. For example, certain regions of South Africa are prone to them, where they are generated by storms coming from the Indian, Southern and Atlantic oceans. There have been similar disappearances of ships and planes over the years, Boxall said.

To test their guess, the researchers recreated models of some of the missing ships, and then simulated the movement of water in the Bermuda Triangle in a special vessel. It turned out that high waves are really capable of quickly sinking a ship, and the larger it is, the faster this happens. Small ships could get out on the crest of a wave, and large ones simply broke in two.

The researchers also commented on other hypotheses that could lead to the disappearance of ships, such as magnetic anomalies.

“They don’t exist,” Boxall explains briefly. Magnetic anomalies do exist and are associated with the movement of the Earth’s mantle under the crust, but the nearest of them is more than 1500 km to the south, near Brazil.

Another theory is related to the accumulation of explosive gas hidden in air pockets under water. Due to the movement of water, it can rise up and flood the ship. However, according to Boxall, this has not yet been experimentally proven.

“Theoretically, it’s possible, but there are many places in the world where it can happen,” he says. “Not just in the Bermuda Triangle.”

Boxall believes human error is the most likely cause of the disappearance of ships and aircraft.

For example, he cites the disappearance of five American military aircraft in 1945 during a training mission – most likely they simply ran out of fuel.

About a third of all registered and privately owned oceangoing vessels in the US are located in the states and islands near the Bermuda Triangle, he explains. At the same time, according to the Coast Guard, 82% of incidents in this territory occurred with people who did not have the skills to work in the ocean and did not undergo appropriate training.

“We take a third of all US ships and send them to the Bermuda Triangle – that’s mystical disappearances for you,” Boxall throws up his hands.

In addition, not all ships have radios or navigation devices.

“Several times, while working at sea, we came across people who are guided by the road map. Some relied on their mobile phones for navigation and communication, but when you sail 50-60 kilometers from the coast, the signal is lost, ”says the scientist.

Changeable weather conditions also contribute – a sudden storm can confuse inexperienced sailors, or even completely sink the ship. Shoals represent an additional danger. So, being in the heart of a storm without the ability to align the course or call for help, unlucky sailors have every chance of dying.

“The Bermuda Triangle can be expanded to cover the entire globe,” says Boxall. “Waves are popping up everywhere, underwater pockets of dangerous gas are everywhere, and where amateurs with no experience are concentrated, we will get a lot of mysterious disappearances.”

Ashrams – 11 most popular temples for spiritual practices

Where : Pune, Maharashtra.

The Yoga Institute accepts students from all over the world. Here they can touch the wisdom of the teachings of Guruji Iyengar and understand the very essence of yoga. The institute runs many classes for beginner, basic and advanced level visitors. Women and children are engaged in specialized groups. In order to enroll in classes, you must meet a number of requirements:

  • have been practicing Iyengar yoga for at least 8 years;
  • read the book “Yoga Deepika. Clarification of Yoga”;
  • perform inverted poses of Shirshasana and Sarvangasana for 8-10 minutes;
  • know English.

At the same time, it should be taken into account that the average period from the moment of submitting an application to receiving an invitation is 2 years. Unlike most other Indian ashrams, Ramamani Iyengar does not provide lodging.

Uniform: T-shirt with sleeves and shorts, in the premises of the Institute everyone walks barefoot.

Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute © rimyi.files.wordpress.com

Art of Living Foundation

Where : Bangalore, Karnataka.

Classes in the ashram “The Art of Living” allow people to plunge into the joy hidden in every person, to feel the natural rhythms of the body and soul. These practices are very easy to learn and all courses are based on correct breathing. With it, you can not only get rid of stress, but also remove most of the toxins from the body.

Sudarshan kriya technique practiced in the ashram helps to relieve deep emotional tensions and is included in the top ten most effective methods of non-drug treatment by the World Health Organization. In order to get into the ashram, you must enroll in an introductory or one of the advanced courses. According to the organizers, everyone can attend classes – the program does not contradict any of the existing religions or practices.

Shape: any.

Art of Living Foundation © upload.wikimedia.org

Art of Living Foundation © i2.wp.com

Gita Bhavan

Where : Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

Gita Bhavan is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, in a secluded place, next to the picturesque river Ganga. Peace, tranquility and cleanliness reigning in the ashram are in sharp contrast to the noise, dirt and bustle of the crowded streets of Rishikesh. The energy of this place is truly magical – the famous Indian guru Shri Ram Sukh Daashi practiced here. Since then, his followers have gathered twice a year at the complex to read the Ramayana.

Gita Bhavan is an ideal place for contemplation, meditation and solitary prayers. People come here to study Hindu philosophy and Ayurveda, as well as practice yoga. Accommodation in the monastery is free, but, like in many ashrams in India, it involves a voluntary donation.

Shape: any.

Gita Bhavan © eagledoodle.files.wordpress.com

Sivananda Ashram

Where : Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

Sivananda Ashram is a modern and well equipped training center. He specializes in the five teachings of yoga – meditation, relaxation, breathing, postures and proper nutrition. In addition, within the walls of the institution they study spiritual sciences, including Vedanta and Hindu philosophy. The Ashram was founded by Guru Swami Sivananda and is now considered one of the best in India.

Classes at the school are held every day except Sunday. Those who wish are offered courses in yoga, meditation, pranayama and other spiritual sciences. It is impossible to settle in the ashram in transit – an invitation is required. You can get it by writing a detailed letter about yourself and convincingly stating the purpose of your visit.

Uniform: Loose and opaque clothing is preferred.

Sivananda Ashram © yogaiya.in

Sivananda Ashram entrance Yoga Vedanta Dhanvantari © AjayTvm / Shutterstock

Sathya Sai Baba Ashram

Where : Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ashram is a whole town, which houses an institute, schools, a stadium, a library, a hotel and shopping center, a canteen. The interior of the complex is made in pastel colors – pink, yellow and blue and is very beautiful. The spiritual center of Sai Baba is known all over the world, it is often visited by politicians from different countries and famous Hollywood actors.

The ashram has a daily routine that must be observed. Prayers and meditations alternate with lectures on spiritual topics and interviews. In many rooms you can not bring anything other than a rug and a notepad with a pen. Movement within the territory is prohibited from 21:00 to 04:00.

Uniform: For men, a light-colored suit is preferred; for women, traditional Indian clothing or a white skirt, blouse and scarf to drape over the head is required. The most common footwear is sandals.

Sathya Sai Baba Ashram © gg-foto / Shutterstock

O&O Academy

Where is on the coast of the Bay of Bengal, 2 hours from Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The philosophy of this community is based on the appearance of Hiranya Garbha, the divine golden ball. It was described in the most ancient scripture on earth and symbolizes the Big Bang, as a result of which the Universe was formed. The O&O Academy is an incredible place of power to help you transform your mind and merge with God. Its founders, modern sages-philosophers Shri Krishnaji and Shri Pritaji believe that comfort is conducive to inner liberation and is an important component of deep meditation. Therefore, all the necessary conditions have been created for visitors – a convenient schedule, proper nutrition, modern rooms on campus and thoughtful design of premises and territory. In order to attend one of the courses, you must register on the official website of the O&O Academy and receive confirmation.

Shape: any.

O&O Academy © chennaiglitz.com

O&O Academy © ekam.org

O&O Academy © nxtpix.com

Babaji Ashram

Where : Haidakhan, Uttar Pradesh.

Ashram Babaji was founded in a secluded location – on the banks of the Ganges River, at the foot of the mountains. This place is considered holy by pilgrims from all over the world who come here to develop their minds, purify their souls and touch grace. The complex consists of nine temple buildings decorated with beautiful blue, green and yellow mosaics. They were built by the Great Babaji for the purification of this world and for the benefit of humanity.

Living in the ashram is paid. For those who cannot pay the full price, half the price is discounted. Several hotels with modest furnishings and minimal amenities have been allocated for housing – toilets and showers are shared. The dining room serves only Indian cuisine. The rules here are quite strict – they were written by Shri Babaji himself and are zealously observed by all pilgrims.

Shape: any.

Babaji Ashram © Katiekk / Shutterstock

Babaji Ashram © Katiekk / Shutterstock

Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram

Where : Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Mahatma Gandhi and his wife Kasturba Gandhi lived on the territory of Sabarmati Ashram for 12 years. In March 1930, this place became the starting point of the famous Salt March and now has the status of a national monument. A museum dedicated to India’s struggle for independence has been opened on its territory, but a large part of the exhibits – letters, texts and memoirs – relate to the life and social activities of Mahatma Gandhi. Thematic tours are held here, within which you can visit a hostel for girls from the untouchable caste, a school, an institute engaged in research in the field of solar energy and biogas, and some other departments.

Opening hours: daily, from 8:00 to 19:00.

Unidentified pilgrims at Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram © saiko3p / Shutterstock

Ashram rules

Almost every spiritual center has certain rules by which the community lives. However, they may differ, but only slightly.

  • Life here takes place with minimal amenities and according to a strict schedule, there is labor service and gender segregation.
  • In most ashrams, accommodation and some programs cost money, but there are also free options.
  • Only certain clothes in the specified color may be worn.
  • Vegetarian food, no alcohol, tobacco or drugs.
  • Most of the time the people of the community are focused on the personality of its guru.
  • The main principle of all ashrams is the practice of selfless help to other people, both on the territory of the temple and outside it.

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