AIBONITO, PUERTO RICO

'Aibonito' (ei-bo-NEE-to) is a small mountain town in Puerto Rico located in the Mountain range of Cayey, north of Salinas; south of Barranquitas and Comerio; east of Coamo; and west of Cidra, and Cayey. Aibonito is spread over 8 wards and Aibonito Pueblo (The downtown area and the administrative center of the city).
Aibonito is located on a relative high elevation (its main plaza is the highest in the island at 2,401 ft/731 m above sea level), thus cooler year round than many of island towns.

Contents

History

Flag

Coat of Arms

Demographics

'Barrios' (Districts/Wards)

Geo/Topography

Anthem

Economic

Agriculture

Business

Industrial

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

Festivals and events

Transportation

Climate

Sports

Notable "Aiboniteños"

References

External links

History

The first Catholic church in Aibonito was built in 1825. The building was replaced by the current church, which was started in 1887 and completed in 1897. The name of the town of Aibonito is a corruption of the Taino word Jatibonicu and derives its name from Jatibonicu. Aibonito's local Taino Indian Cacique (Chief) was called Orocobix and his yucayeque or tribe was known as the Jatibonicu Taino.

Flag

Blue for the sky, white for air purity, red for love of theown motherland, and gold (yellow) for the traditional Hispanic values.

Coat of Arms

The shield is divided in four corners or quarters. The superior left corner represents the Asomante where last battles of the Hispano-American War took place, symbolized by the sword.
In the right corner we find: a white band symbolizing the fog that covers the Aiboniteños valleys and mountains in winter; on a blue field, a purple color flower typical of the region and declared official by the organizers of the First Festival of the Flowers in 1969; and in the inferior end a golden lily to remember San José, patron of the Parochial Church of the town and also symbolizing the Eminence Cardinal Luis Aponte Martinez, first Puerto Rican Cardinal of the Catholic Church. The bottom left corner on a blue background is placed the gold tower of the Manresa House to symbolize the spiritual value that such institution represents for all Puerto Rico. In the right corner a divided mountain of green color which represents the San Cristóbal Canon with a seashell in the superior part that symbolizes Apostle Santiago

Demographics

'Barrios' (Districts/Wards)

★ Aibonito Pueblo ★ Asomante ★ Algarrobo ★ Caonillas ★ Cuyón

★ Llanos ★ Pasto ★ Plata ★ Robles

Geo/Topography

Mountains; Asomante (2,042 feet), La Sierra (2,394 feet) and the Torre Degetau (2,109 feet).
Rivers; Aibonito, Cuyon, La Plata and Usabon.

Anthem

By Santa Guevara Marrero
Aibonito, Aibonito, Aibonito

donde vieron mis ojos la luz

son tus flores las flores más bellas

y tu cielo más puro y azul

Te recuerdo con mucho cariño

nunca, nunca te podré olvidar

Aibonito, Aibonito, Aibonito

eres tú mi pueblito ideal.

Aibonito mi pueblo querido

donde todo es belleza y bondad,

recordando tus lindos paisajes

me embarga la felicidad.

Dios Bendiga mi pueblo tan lindo

Aibonito, mi pueblo natal

tu belleza es incomparable

y tu clima que no hay otro igual.

Economic

Agriculture

Mainly flowers, some tobacco and coffee

Large chicken producer such as ''Pollos To-Ricos'' hailed from here.

Cattle production

Business

Industrial

Clothing, furniture and tapestry as well as pottery and ceramics;

Tourism

Landmarks and places of interest

★ Cañon de San Cristóbal

★ Casa Manresa

★ La Piedra de Degetau

★ La Trinchera de Asomante

Festivals and events

★ Fiestas de Pueblo - May

★ Aibonito is known for its flowers, and every year, many visitors from other Puerto Rican areas and other countries are attracted to Aibonito's annual ''Festival de las Flores'' (''Festival of the Flowers''). - July

★ Fiestas Patronales (Patron Saint Celebrations) - July

★ Festival del Pollo - August

★ Maratón del Pavo - November

★ Festival de la Montaña - November

Transportation

Climate

Aibonito holds the record for the lowest temperature in Puerto Rico. That is 40°F on March 9th, 1917.

Sports

Aibonito has a BSN basketball franchise, the ''Polluelos de Aibonito''. In 1986, with such players as ''Angel Cachorro Santiago'', Enrique Aponte, Willie Melendez and Panama's Rolando Frazer, the Polluelos, sponsored by To-Ricos, beat the defending champions ''Jose Piculin Ortiz'' and his ''Atleticos de San German'' in seven games (game seven score: 94-92 Aibonito) to win their only championship. In 1987, the Polluelos reached the finals once again, but that time, they lost in seven games to the ''Titanes de Morovis''. Recently, the Polluelos have not been able to see action on the BSN's tournaments because of economic problems.

Notable "Aiboniteños"

★ Dr. Rubén Berríos Martínez (1939- ) - Senator, President of the Puerto Rican Independence Party '(PIP)' and 'Honorary President' of the Socialist International

★ Juan Martínez Capó - Writer

★ Manuel Alvarez Nazario (1924- ) - Professor & writer

★ Papito de La Plata

★ Rafael Pont Flores - Journalist

★ Obie Bermudez - Singer

★ Don Benigno Del Rabanal

References

External links

★ Welcome to Puerto Rico Aibonito

★ Map of Aibonito Puerto Rico

★ Mi Aibonito