Don Bonocio Llenza Feliú:From Barceloneta to Barceloneta

The town of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico was founded by Don Bonocio Llenza Feliú on July 1, 1881. It was one of the last municipalities created by the Spanish government in Puerto Rico. Don Bonocio Llenza Feliú was a very active and enterprising man, devoted to trade and the world of business. Born in Blanes, Catalunya, he had four ships: Santa María, Pinta, Niña y Joaquina, which carried goods and passengers back and forth from Barcelona to Puerto Rico. He named Barceloneta, Puerto Rico in honor if the district of Baceloneta to honor the prosperous contact he maintained with that shipping district of Barcelona. The book is rich with information about the food, dress, religious beliefs, manners, health, and social habits of the people of his day as well as the important economic relationship forced between Catalunya and Puerto Rico in the 19th century.

Pilar and the Waters of Liberty

The mother of acclaimed cellist Pau (Pablo) Casals, Pilar Defilló iAmiguet was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, in 1853 to Catalan parents who had a comfortable position on the island. The family possessed a profound social consciousness and were friends and supporters of Ramón Emeterio betances, Puerto Rican nationalist and absolutist, considered to be the father of the Puerto Rican independence movement. Pilar’s father was a member of “The Secret Abolitionist Society" founded by Betances. The society baptized and emancipated thousands of black slave children. The event, which was known as "aguas de libertad" (waters of liberty), was carried out at the Cathedral of Mayagüez. Through the eyes of Pilar the book explores the work of the absolutists, the social conditions of the time and the contribution of Catalonians to the cause of social justice in 19th century Puerto Rico.  Sample pages (click on images to enlarge):

Catalan:Caribbean Connections

I have begun work --- as both author and illustrator --- on three books that explore the historical and cultural connections between Catalunya and Puerto Rico through the lives of individuals shaped by the society of their time.  The reading age for the books: 4-8.  The books will betrilingual, written in Catalan, Spanish and English.  My research began in Puerto Rico and will continue over the next few months in Catalunya.  The books are titled:
- Pilar and the Waters of Liberty
- Don Bonocio Llenza Feliú: From Barceloneta to Barceloneta 
- Bija: The Architect of Memory