CHAPTER 8
 PARAMETERS OF PROJECT

 The creative project involves the exploration of identity and culture through auto-

ethnographic research in order to understand a complex cultural identity. Its goal is to allow

people to see the power of memory and the process of understanding cultural identity, even if the

viewer is foreign to the culture. Works on the fields of anthropology, ethnography, graphic

design, architecture, urban design, photography and linguistics, were studied in order to arrive to

this stage of completion to my creative project. All of the work in this project was written and

documented by me and it exposes the perception of my experiences in Puerto Rico's urban

landscape. It was crucial for me to understand what the culture meant to me first before assuming

how others live and experience it. Whether anyone else feels this is the appropriate way to

understand and analyze cultural identity is up to the individual. I found that this method allowed

me to understand the city beyond its governmental patrimonies.

 I also paid particular attention to the event of cockfighting (Figure 8-1). The decision to

document and study it was due to the strong connection the local culture has with it.

Cockfighting is considered to be the national sport of Puerto Rico and I was interested in seeing

how this patrimonial event plays a role in how we see and understand ourselves as Puerto Ricans

(Figure 8-2). By creating a metaphor between a how a gamecock is raised and prepared to fight

in the cockpit and the process of growing into manhood in the city, I was able to create a stronger

connection to my exploration of cultural urban identity. Understanding comes with maturity and

experiences. The more you experience the city, the better you should understand it. In this

manner, the process of maturity from boyhood to manhood relates to the process a gamecock, as

it is developed to fight in the cockpit. My goal was to develop a narrative about my experiences

in the city through images, poetry, patterns, and music as I expose the city and cockfighting