DINGA AND MANDINGA by Fernando Fortunato Vizcarrondo
And your grandma, where is she?
Yesterday you called me Negro,
And today I will respond to thee:
My mom sits in the living room,
And your grandma, where is she?
My hair is kinky,
Yours is like silk,
Your father’s hair is straight,
And your grandma, where is she?
Your color came out white,
And your cheeks are pink;
Your lips are thin,
And your grandma, where is she?
You say that my lips are big
And they’re always red?
But tell me, in the name of the Virgin,
And your grandma, where is she?
Since your girl is white,
You take her out a lot…
And I feel like yelling to you:
And your grandma, where is she?
You like Foxtrot,
And I like ‘Bruca Manigua’,
You display yourself as white
And your grandma, where is she?
You are white on the outside
and got into High Society
Fearing that someone may get to know
The mother of your own mami.
Here, who does not have Dinga has Mandinga ha ha ha haaa!
So again, I ask you,
And your grandma, where is she?
Yesterday you called me Negro,
Wanting to embarrass me.
My grandma steps out to the living room,
And yours hidden from everybody.
The poor woman is dying
Seeing herself so abused.
Even your dog barks at her
If she ever steps out to the living room.
And I know her very well!
Her name is Mrs. Tata
You hide her in the kitchen,
Because Negro is really… she.
DINGA Y MANDINGA by Fernando Fortunato Vizcarrondo (Spanish)
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
Ayé me dijite negro
Y hoy te boy a contejtá:
Mi mai se sienta en la sala.
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
Yo tengo el pelo’e caíyo:
El tuyo ej seda namá;
Tu pai lo tiene bien lasio,
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
Tu coló te salió blanco
Y la mejiya rosá;
Loj lábioj loj tiénej finoj …
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
¿Disej que mi bemba ej grande
Y mi pasa colorá?
Pero dijme, por la binge,
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
Como tu nena ej blanquita
La sacaj mucho a pasiá …
Y yo con ganae gritate
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
A ti te gujta el fojtrote,
Y a mi brujca maniguá.
Tú te laj tiraj de blanco
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
Erej blanquito enchapao
Que dentraj en sosiedá,
Temiendo que se conojca
La mamá de tu mamá.
Aquí el que no tiene dinga
Tiene mandinga . . ¡ja, ja!
Por eso yo te pregunto
¿Y tu agüela, aonde ejtá?
Ayé me dijite negro
Queriéndome abochoná.
Mi agüela sale a la sala,
Y la tuya oculta ajtá.
La pobre se ejtá muriendo
Al belse tan maltratá.
Que hajta tu perro le ladra
Si acaso a la sala bá.
¡Y bien que yo la conojco!
Se ñama siña Tatá …
Tu la ejconde en la cosina,
Po’que ej prieta de a beldá.
In the poem, Viscarrondo discusses the importance of accepting/embracing one’s culture. Throughout the poem, he repeats the line: Tu Abuela, ¿Dónde Está? (And where is your grandmother?) It is said that Puerto Ricans will say this to light-complexioned Puerto Ricans to remind them of their African roots. In essence, even with non-ethnic features, there’s no denying who you are by looking at your grandma…your ancestors. You can’t keep grandma hidden…
In a proud puertorrican, proud of my grandma’s and my ancestors. I’m black, I have curly hair, I have big lips, I talk without using the S and I change the R for the L most of the time.
I’m from Puerto Rico. And I’m proud of it.
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