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A map of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico by licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Located in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico is well known for its natural beauty, from the dense, lush tropical forest of El Yunque to the bioluminescent bays of La Parguera and Vieques. The first inhabitants of Puerto Rico, known as Archaics, are estimated to have arrived as early as 3000 B.C.E. When Christopher Columbus (known in Italian as Cristoforo Colombo) first anchored his vessel off the western coast of the island in 1493, he found an island populated by 50,000 to 100,000 Taíno. The Taíno were an indigenous people that settled in the Large Antilles of the Caribbean, including the countries that we now call Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. The Taíno name for the island we call Puerto Rico was “Borikén” (also known as Borinquen or Boriquén), a Taino word that some sources claim meant “the great land of the valiant and noble Lord.” In fact, it’s not uncommon for Puerto Ricans today to identify themselves as boricuas, a name that proudly calls back to their Taíno ancestors.

The modern lyrics of “La Borinqueña,” the official anthem of Puerto Rico, celebrate the country’s natural beauty, its flowering gardens, and tropical shores. But an earlier iteration of the song had a very different tone and message.

Historic building on Calle de la Fortaleza at Calle del Cristo in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo by Wangkun Jia, Adobe Stock.

The First Version: Arise Borinqueño!

In 1868, the year when “La Borinqueña” was written, Spanish-ruled Puerto Rico was facing a financial crisis due to multiple factors. Hurricanes and earthquakes had ravaged parts of the island, the demand for Puerto Rican cotton and sugar exports had dropped, and many of western Puerto Rico’s coffee planters were deeply indebted to the merchant class. Rural day laborers, meanwhile, suffered under oppressive laws that allowed authorities to charge them with vagrancy or squatting, forcing them into serfdom and debt. Additionally, enslaved workers of African descent constituted approximately 7% of the population. In that context, the country saw a growing movement of Puerto Ricans who wanted to be free of Spanish rule.

Tensions finally reached a breaking point, and an insurrection was organized by Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances and other patriots in 1868. On September 23rd, approximately 600 rebels marched into the city of Lares and declared the Republic of Puerto Rico, where they arrested several merchants and burned records of their indebtedness. The following day, they mobilized to the neighboring town of San Sebastián, where Spanish forces quelled the rebellion. While unsuccessful, these events have been immortalized as “El Grito de Lares” (English: “The Cry of Lares”) and continue to inspire pro-independence Puerto Ricans today.

Lola Rodríguez de Tió, who was involved in the separatist movement, was inspired by the events of Lares to write lyrics for a popular danza tune known as “La Borinqueña.” While generally attributed to the Catalan, Félix Astol Artés, the song’s instrumental version has also been attributed to composer, Francisco Ramírez Ortiz, who wrote it as a love song. Some sources claim that both composers collaborated and Astol made the final changes to the composition in 1867.

Rodríguez de Tió’s lyrics were a call for the people of Puerto Rico to rise up, saying that it was time to fight and that “El Grito de Lares se ha de repetir” (English: “The Cry of Lares must be repeated”). Her lyrics also looked to Cuba as a revolutionary example, foreseeing that it would soon be free and calling for Puerto Rico to follow in its footsteps. Read and compare the lyrics in Spanish and English. 

“La Borinqueña” with lyrics by Lola Rodríguez de Tió, as performed by Puerto Rican singer Danny Rivera.

Increasing colonial oppression forced Rodríguez de Tió into exile, in Venezuela, New York, and Cuba. In exile, she continued to write poetry and advocate for the independence of Puerto Rico. Her most famous poem, “Cuba y Puerto Rico son de un pájaro las dos alas” (English: “Cuba and Puerto Rico are birds of a feather”), celebrated the two islands’ revolutionary bonds.

The Second Version: La Tierra de Borinquen

Although Rodríguez de Tió’s version of “La Borinqueña” remained popular, especially with Puerto Rican independence movements, her original lyrics were replaced over thirty years later by those of Manuel Fernández Juncos, which would become the official lyrics of Puerto Rico’s national anthem decades later.

In 1897, Spain was fighting against Cuban and Filipino insurgents. In an effort to maintain control over Puerto Rico, Spain granted the island a Carta Autonómica (English: Autonomy Charter), which meant that Puerto Rico would remain a colony under Spanish rule but would enjoy partial self-government.

However, this step towards self-rule was short-lived due to the Spanish-Cuban-American War, which came to a close with the Treaty of Paris of 1898. The treaty ceded Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam to the United States. And while the Philippines gained their independence in 1946, Puerto Rico and Guam are still unincorporated territories of the United States.

Puerto Rico’s colonial authorities and conservative politicians deemed Rodríguez de Tió’s popular lyrics belligerent and subversive, launching a contest to replace them in 1903. Spanish-born Fernández Juncos won the contest with new unthreatening lyrics that celebrated the island’s natural beauty. The lyrics to the new “La Borinqueña,” begin with “La tierra de Borinquen donde he nacido yo” (English: “The land of Borinquen where I was born”). It praised the island’s bright sun and the shores that surround it.

The last stanza of Fernández Juncos’ lyrics includes a reference to Columbus arriving at Puerto Rico’s shores and praising the island’s beauty. This was in stark contrast with Rodríguez de Tió’s version, which had urged Puerto Ricans to grab their machetes and join the fight for independence.

“La Borinqueña” with lyrics by Manuel Fernández Juncos, as performed by Orquesta Filarmónica internacional.

“La Borinqueña” Becomes the Official Anthem

There were now two sets of lyrics to the popular “La Borinqueña,” but neither was considered the official anthem of the island until the mid-twentieth century. In 1952, Luis Muñoz Marín, the first governor elected by the Puerto Rican people, signed into law a bill making the old danza melody the island’s official national anthem. It would take 25 more years for Fernandez Juncos’ lyrics to be officially incorporated as the anthem’s lyrics.

Smithsonian-produced video about a portrait of Luis Muñoz Marín by Francisco Rodón.

While Fernández Juncos’ verses were now official, Rodríguez de Tió’s earlier version (sometimes referred to as the “revolutionary version”) are still sung and performed by pro-independence Puerto Ricans. It was even included in Steven Spielberg's 2021 film adaptation of the musical West Side Story.

The complex historical evolution of “La Borinqueña” mirrors the nation’s ambivalent and unresolved political identity—whether it should continue as a Commonwealth, become a state of the Union, or become an independent nation. As a territory of the United States, Puerto Ricans live under most federal laws and have U.S. citizenship, but enjoy limited voting rights; they are unable to vote for the U.S. president or members of Congress. Like residents of other U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, Puerto Ricans elect a non-voting representative to the U.S. Congress.

The complex history of “La Boriqueña” and the story of how it became Puerto Rico’s national anthem reflect the island’s complex, divisive, and still unresolved status politics. If and when the people of Puerto Rico decide and are able to officially change their political status, it is possible that the lyrics of “La Borinqueña” may be revised once again.

Joanna McKee, January 31, 1992 - June 4, 2024

For over ten years Joanna McKee worked in a variety of capacities to support the Kennedy Center’s educational activities. She was a dedicated team member, loving friend, and was very proud of her Puerto Rican heritage. She is greatly missed.