MPRA ACTIVITIES

At the Annual Maui Fair, MPRA sells their Puerto Rican traditional food (pastele, arroz con gandule, and bacalao salad). The proceeds fund the MPRA Association.

Plantation Day – Sponsored by: The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas. The Maui Puerto Rican Association shared information about their Association. In addition, they shared the Puerto Rican culture and the history of their migration of Puerto Ricans to Hawai'i to work on the sugar plantation.

Puerto Rico Trip December 2019 – A small group of MPRA members traveled to Puerto Rico with a mission to share financial blessings with several churches so they may help their communities. We were able to do a financial donation to five different churches in Puerto Rico. Below are a few congregations we shared $5,000.00.

Three Kings's Celebration - Three Kings Day, or Epiphany, is one of the most important holidays on the Puerto Rican calendar. Traditionally, the island, and most of the Latin world, marked the eve of January 6 as the day to exchange presents rather than December 25. Kids would also gather grass, hay, or straw in shoe boxes for the Magi's horses or camels -- a charming alternative to cookies and milk for Santa. (Traditionally, you'll find carvings and artwork of the three kings on horses instead of camels; that's because the country folk in years past didn't know what a camel was.) MPRA celebrates this event yearly. We try hard to engage the children of families and friends of MPRA to participate. By the same token, the children learn about their culture and have fun doing the celebration.

MPRA monument in Iao Valley has gone through many challenges. The wet Iao Valley weather and vandalism have changed the way our monument appears to the public. A small group of MPRA members gathered their energies and went to Iao to clean up the monument. There are plans to renovate our monument and show a representation of our culture.

MPRA has offered the “Puerto Rican Kitchen” to the public, sharing other cultural foods besides “pasteles.” The guest is served the recipes prepared before them as if they were in an actual Puerto Rican restaurant. In addition, included in their luncheon is a recipe pamphlet of the meals prepared.