"El Fanguito" Community in Martín Peña Channel with Children in its Surroundings
Description
The image shows houses built on stilts over the water, they are made of wood, have gable roofs, and zinc. Some houses have wooden windows and others have aluminum windows. In the center it can be seen that outside of a house, there is a boy and a girl with an outstretched arm and a boat. By the distance tall buildings and electrical wiring can be seen.| Origin Name |
LMM3776
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| Relation |
Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín > Sección X, Serie 3, Colección Luis Muñoz Marín
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| Geographical Coverage |
San Juan
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| Date |
[19--?]
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| Descriptive Notes |
Title assigned by the cataloguing team. The lower part of the image has an inscription that reads: "Fernando Colorado".
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| Descripción decolonial |
Resilience and activism define the history of the community of Caño Martín Peña, once home to an extensive slum known as El Fanguito. Houses on stilts over the water, made of wood, stand against an industrialized backdrop. In the center, children interact with a man, possibly a family member or a neighbor, rowing a boat to move between humble dwellings. Land and water become indistinguishable here, as homes on stilts reflect and refract in the channel waters. Amid American exploitation, residents face unemployment, poverty, and dire health conditions. Such heartbreaking scenes of families struggling for survival underscore the urgent need for social change and housing rights. Despite systemic challenges, the community's collective resilience shines through, even today. The slums have been cleared, but the challenges of poverty and pollution still face the community around the channel. However, thanks to recent eco-activism and community action, a new partnership has emerged between residents, non-profit organizations, and federal agencies, hoping to finally uplift a part of San Juan that was once an emblem of suffering and inequality.
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| Historical Background | |
| Architectural Subject |
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| Decolonial Subject | |
| Rights |
English Rights. (hyperlink)
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| Editor |
Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín
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| Resource Format |
JPEG
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| Resource Type |
Image
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