Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño
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The Monumento al Jíbaro Puertorriqueño (Monument to the Puerto Rican Countryman) is a monument built by the Government of Puerto Rico to honor the now disappeared Puerto Rican Jíbaro, in remembrance of Puerto Rico's humble roots. It was sculpted by Tomás Batista.
The "Jíbaro" is a Puerto Rican staple of times past, a humble, hardworking and wise man, but living in poverty and with little or no education. Jíbaros disappeared from the countryside as freeways and well-maintained roads allowed the countrymen to emigrate from the island's mountains to the coastal cities to acquire education, better work opportunities, or even emigrate to the US mainland. Today, most Puerto Ricans have readily access to education and work.
Recognizing the influence of the Jíbaro in the development of the Puerto Rican culture, the Government of Puerto Rico erected the monument by Autopista PR-52, close to the island's Central Range to remind the passerby's of our lost, but not forgotten heritage and roots.
