Bad Bunny performing
The football game on Sunday (Superbowl) was not much, a defensive battle mostly. But the half-time show was something, Puerto-Rican star Bad Bunny performing in a highly choregraphed rendition of some of his most popular songs, all sung in Spanish. The backdrop to the music was mostly scenes celebrating the culture of Puerto Rico. The opening scene featured sugarcane fields, highlighting the island’s agriculture and colonial history. From there, other aspects of life in Puerto Rico shown included a “La Casita” (typical home), a nail salon, a coconut stand, and men playing dominoes. The overall impression was the Bad Bunny was showing his pride and joy in being Puerto-Rican. He ended with “God bless America” (in English).
Not everyone was impressed with the performance. President Trump commented that the performance was “an affront to the Greatness of America, and doesn’t represent our standards of Success, Creativity, or Excellence. Nobody understands a word this guy is saying…”. Yet millions of Americans understand Spanish. Spanish in fact is very much a part of US culture, historically and practically integrated into all aspects of everyday life in this country. The same is true by the way for African-American contributions to our country. And for other minorities. To my mind that diversity is what makes up “the Greatness of America”, not ignoring or belittling the richness that those and other cultures (and people who are not white) bring to our lives. Bad Bunny demonstrated that. We should embrace the spirit expressed by the official motto of the European Union “United in diversity” or as it says on US currency: E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one).
The President is also unhappy about US athletes competing in the Olympics who do not embrace his view of what America stands for. He called Olympic skier Hunter Hess a “real loser” on Sunday after the athlete expressed “mixed emotions representing the US right now…there’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and I think a lot of people aren’t.” Hess posted an apparent response to Trump on Instagram, writing that he loves his country. “There is so much that is great about America, but there are always things that could be better. One of the many things that makes this country so amazing is that we have the right and the freedom to point that out.”
That in fact should be celebrated as another aspect of the “the Greatness of America” that we can love this country and yet strive to make better by pointing out what needs to be changed. And be allowed to express that opinion.
I really, really loved the Bad Bunny Halftime show and what it represented. Obviously, as a political statement, it was gold, but the artistry demonstrated made me feel so joyful. The Dancers, the music, the way the entire field was transformed and took the audience to Puerto Rico. The cinematography was snappy, engaging, surprising, and fun. The diversity was amazing, and they somehow managed to fit an entire wedding ceremony into the performance as well. I cried after watching the show, and then cried after rewatching it.
I’m not Latin American, nor do I speak Spanish, so I understood there were probably a ton of references, easter eggs, and historical context that I missed. The show inspired me to learn more about Puerto Rico’s complicated history, and I’m so grateful that Bad Bunny was able to broadcast his message all across mainland America, which remains oblivious to its impact on the broader world.
I hope to see shows like this that celebrate more cultures than just the mainstream or most “digestible ones”. There are so many beautiful cultures and people who have contributed to our nation, who deserve to be celebrated! Hopefully this was the start of something bigger.