History: Founded in
1983, Guakía is the most prominent arts and cultural organization in
Hartford’s Hispanic community. The word, guakia, means “we” in Taino, the
language of the original inhabitants of the Caribbean (pre-Columbus). The
word guakia signifies the unity of the Hispanic community no matter where
individuals may be living. Volunteer parents who felt that their children
had lost contact with the traditions of their culture and heritage founded
Guakía. They felt their children needed to connect with their heritage in
order to develop a sense of pride, community and self-esteem. Originally,
Guakía was focused on the culture of Puerto Rico, however in recent years,
as the community has become more diverse and the needs have shifted,
Guakía’s mission has been broadened to include all Hispanic cultures. Using
a curriculum based on both Puerto Rican and Latin American music, dance, and
art forms, Guakía provides a wide array of visual and performing arts
initiatives such as folkloric dance, painting, ceramics, traditional
Hispanic music, and art classes. The early sacrifices of parents,
volunteers, and teachers gave Guakía strong roots in the Puerto Rican
culture. These roots have now expanded and sprouted like a beautiful tree
with many branches and leaves to include all Hispanic cultures.
Mission: To provide a focal point for the
promotion of the cultural identity and heritage of Hispanics in the United
States through the advancement of the group’s history, language, music,
arts, and literature and to establish a center that will serve as a
clearinghouse for the study, celebration and exposition of Hispanic
culture…available to all residents of Connecticut.
Vision and Goals: 1) To be the premier
non-profit Hispanic arts, cultural and humanities organization dedicated to
enriching the value of the Hispanic community by promoting, preserving and
celebrating its cultural heritage and diversity. 2) To help our youth
develop a strong sense of self, maximize their talents, acquire vision,
internalize learning and in turn impact others in a positive way, fostering
harmonic diversity in our community.
