Bajari: Honor and Respect

Hello Everyone, my name is Carmen Cruz-Venie and I have been working on a documentary project for about 2 years. It all started with a DNA test in 2013. To my surprise, I found my ancestors were part of a recruiting campaign by the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association (HSPA) in the early 1900s and Puerto Rico was chosen because it had come under the control of the United States, officially, on October 18, 1898, as did the territory of Hawaii on July 7, 1898. The history of Puerto Rico had been shaped by Spain for 400 years and later by the United States. Conditions were not always favorable for the inhabitants. There had been a lot of suffering, hardship and repression for the Puerto Rican people as they were viewed as inferior by the system. A devastating hurricane, San Ciriaco, in 1899 was the catalyst that drove my ancestors as well as other Puerto Ricans to seek a better life. The HSPA had found a new source of laborers from Puerto Rico.

As I did the research for this documentary, I found that different ethnicities like the Japanese and Portuguese as well as Puerto Rican laborers were set against each other for the benefit of the plantation owners in Hawaii.

We must learn the history before we know the true story.

Bajari is the untold story of the Puerto Rican laborers who emigrated to Hawaii to find work and faced many challenges, including language, adjustment to a different culture and people in a faraway land. The immigrants worked hard to establish themselves in their communities to make a better life for themselves and their families. They were resilient and survivors.

I chose the title Bajari to honor and give respect not only to the Puerto Rican laborers that journey to Hawaii but also to the early inhabitants of Puerto Rico (Boriken), the Tainos.

Bajari is "A title of distinction and high respect" in the Taino dialect.

What makes this story unique is that Puerto Rico and Hawaii were possessions of the United States at the time of Hurricane San Ciriaco.

When General Nelson Miles made his proclamation to the inhabitants of Puerto Rico on July 28, 1898, it was to bring justice and humanity to the island society. Soon, the inhabitants discovered that they were seen as a lesser class and not even considered for the same rights as people of the mainland United States. Their skin color and traditions limited consideration to fully becoming American citizens. They were considered "aliens." Not welcome.

This story resonates today as it did 125 years ago.

It was hard to comprehend but this is part of our history. It is important to acknowledge it, learned and educate ourselves about the past to move forward to a better future.

"The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth" John F. Kennedy

My husband David, my sons John and Michael and I have financed the documentary trailer and I invite you to take a look.

A special thanks to the following people for lending themselves to the documentary trailer as voiceovers, interviewees and narrator.

To my husband, David, for lending your voice to narrate the trailer.

Rita Harris for lending your voice to tell the story.

John Lopez, Jr. for lending your voice for the storm narration.

Joseph Rodriguez, Jr.-my cousin who started me on this journey. Thanks so much for your words of encouragement and the interview.

Sonia Ledger, for being the special voice of Norma Carr (Gomez).

Natasha Velez-Cinematographer and editor.

Evan Joseph-for composing the music.

Enrique Montes-for the studio narration and recording.

Dr. Milagros Denis-Rosario, Professor and author.

Dr. Iris Lopez, Professor and Anthropologist.

Also, thanks to the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, Hunter College, Library of Congress and Archivo General de Puerto Rico and the many people who have advised me on this journey to bring this story.

A heartfelt thank you to the group Primas and Primos "We are all connected some more than others!!" for words of encouragement and support.

The next step is to raise funds to complete the full documentary. With your donations, we can continue:

Research

Editing

Music

Archival photos

Equipment Rental

Stipend for air travel to Hawaii and Puerto Rico

Film Festival Entry Fees

I have estimated a budget of approximately $18,000 based on what we spent putting together the documentary trailer.

The timetable for the finished documentary is late 2024.

Thank you in advance for your support and for helping bring this story.