☆ keke ♡

ooh, girl Shock me like an electric eel

- traditional quinceañeras (or as they are often called by puerto ricans quinceañeros) are really not that common anymore, most girls nowadays have pool parties or go on a cruise. if miles were to go to one of his cousins’ 15 birthday party, chances are it would be casual— no big poofy dress (his mom probably had one like that though)

- plantains are a big part of our diet. also, pr being an island in the caribbean, coconut is in a lot of our desserts. if miles had to pick a favorite fruit I hc he’d pick either one of the two lol also please google our food, our food isn’t actually spicy so much as savory

- we “celebrate” thanksgiving like other americans. it’s about the only time we eat oven roasted turkey. for winter holidays (christmas eve/day, new years eve/day, three kings day/eve) oven roasted pork. chicken might be offered as a second option for people who don’t consume pork for whatever reason

- you’re pretty much taught how to dance as soon as you can walk. most of us have basic rhythms down. chances of miles dancing with his mom or friends at parties? astronomically high.

- the reason why our flag is everywhere, besides pride, is ‘cause it was illegal to own it. look up the gag law that prohibited us from even displaying it at our homes. so it’s actually an awesome detail in these movies

- this is my opinion/a fun fact but I feel like miles is basically an homage to black and puerto rican (specifically nuyorican) solidarity around the 70s-80s during the creation of hip-hop and rise of graffiti as a form of expression (you can easily read up on this or watch shows like the get down to learn more about this if you’re curious)

- whether you’re “nuyorican” or “from the island” spanglish is common so miles’ mixing english and spanish isn’t odd bc even rio does this as miles points out in the party scene. he isn’t a “no sabo” kid so much as someone with a strong accent. he understands his mom perfectly

- race ≠ ethnicity. there are plenty of black people in and from Puerto Rico, and miles’ pr family in the spiderverse films are designed to be for the most part afro-latine. so I wouldn’t really call him biracial

- the puerto rican day parade wouldn’t be a thing he skips, he’s gifted a special suit for it in a comic run. his puerto rican heritage is important to him!

for family

- in reference to moms: ma’/mami, “my mom” = “mi mai”

- in reference to dads: pa’/papi, “my dad” = “mi pai”

- parents don’t really refer to kids as niño or niña, it’s nene, nena, bebo, beba. depending on what part of pr you’re from even ñeñe, ñeña, muchachito, muchachita

- yelling bendición (asking for blessings) before you dip anywhere, and your parents saying “dios te bendiga”. typically followed by a kiss on the cheek (like in the movie hey!). the younger person typically says bendición. if you’re older and you say it by reflex to someone younger they’ll probably laugh/make a joke about how they’re more mature than you

- for grandparents: ‘buelo/abuelo, ‘buela/‘bueli/abuela

between friends/for love interest:

- corazón (my heart). really common tbh even servers will call you this. “claro que sí, corazón” = “of course, (implied: my) heart”

- oye (or hey) mama/mami, papa/papi (both platonic and romantic - not really sexual idk just something that is. frequent between same sex friends and partners too. don’t use my/mi before it, that’s what makes it parental. an á at the end of mama/papa would too)

- mi cielo (my sky)

- mi amor (my love). also: mi amol, mi’mol (love, mylove) (puerto ricans tend to turn rs into ls without thinking about it, this is more intentional/lazy)

- mi vida (my life)

-“baby” in English and in Spanish (bebé). sometimes you’ll hear the more gendered terms bebo, beba. “baby, dame la mano” = “baby lend me a hand”

- “mi pana aquí” = “my friend here”, pana means friend. “somos panas” = “we’re friends”

- dimelo = what’s up?

- janguear = to hang out, “vamos a janguear” (we’re going to hang out)

- “mano”, short for hermano (which we never really say unless referring to an actual brother), so essentially bro. “mano, que coraje” = “bro, what anger (implied: that I feel)”

Color & mood exploration paintings I did for Spider HQ!