Who (or what) the heck is a Fupista?

The six of us present for last night's discussion of Luis Negron's Mundo Cruel all enjoyed the stories (to varying degrees, of course), and I warmly recommend the book.  Even if you don't "get" Negron's humor, there are also a couple of heartfelt selections, such as "The Garden," that pack a lot of emotion into a few pages.

Most of the stories don't require knowledge of Puerto Rican history or culture, but you will get more out of "La Edwin," in particular, if you at least skim Luis Orlando Gallardo Rivera's "Youth Sub-cultures of Puerto Rico, an Observation."  Here, for instance, is his explanation of what a Fupista is:

Fupistas – “Fupista” is a very uncommon term that I have only heard a few times, which literally translates into members of the FUPI, a pro-independence group that is quite popular within the public universities. The FUPI group has its own music tastes (ranging from reggae root to Latin American nueva trova) and its own clothing styles. Untrimmed beards and mustaches and at many times dread-locks or Che Guevara-style hair is common among males, while females usually will keep hair long and lose (sort of similar to the style commonly used by the last generation’s hippies) or in a bunion. Clothing might include camouflage or politically motivated shirts among males, long multi-colored dark-skirts for females, and leather-sandals for both sexes.

While this group is generally limited to the universities, they have a strong voice for they are the most active among Puerto Rican youth in political and social movements. Ideologies, both religious and political are generally more radical in this sect, ranging from communism to anarchy and Rastafarianism to atheism. Despite their social activeness and radical thought, this group tends to be the most non-violent (to other Puerto Ricans – it’s a different story with North Americans), healthiest, and even through many of their traits are imported, the most active in culture and the arts. Craft making, usually involving beads or hemp, is popular among females, who you can see during many sunny days sitting on colorful clothe sheets making bracelets and necklaces for sale. Incenses, Taino memorabilia, poetry and literature, protests (including plena music) and wide-scale reading are other common fupista pastimes.