Mapping Points of Origin in the Transnational Caribbean: The Foundational Narrative of the Puerto Rican Pioneer Family in the Virgin Islands

Abstract

Ongoing discussions within the geographical area known as the Virgin Islands on who is a native Virgin Islander bring forth constructions of identity, space, and place in the Caribbean, a region that keep challenging its transnational nature. Following the theoretical frameworks proposed by Nora (1989) and Hannerz (1992) on sites of memory, complex cultures, and deterritorialization of identity in cultural communities, this essay explores the foundational narrative of "pioneer families/familias pioneras" used by generations of Puerto Ricans who live in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also contextualizes these claims by exploring cultural perceptions of natives vs. foreigners in a context profoundly marked by ongoing, circular migration between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.