Esta ley declara el último fin de semana de agosto de cada año como la fecha oficial para la celebración del "Festival Nacional del Cuatro Puertorriqueño" en el municipio de Orocovis. Reconoce la importancia cultural del cuatro como instrumento musical nacional y busca preservar esta tradición. La ley exhorta al Gobernador a emitir una proclama y al Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña y al Municipio de Orocovis a tomar las medidas necesarias para cumplir con sus propósitos.
(Approved January 14, 2000)
To declare the last weekend of the month of August of each year as the official date for the celebration of the "National Festival of the Puerto Rican Cuatro" in the town of Orocovis.
The Puerto Rican "Cuatro" is our national musical instrument, which identifies us as a people. This instrument was created by the inhabitants of Puerto Rico of the $16^{ ext {th }}$ Century; it was created in view of the artistic needs of the time and the difficulty to acquire musical instruments to express their artistic. The "Cuatro" is made by hand by distinguished Puerto Rican artisans, who with tenacity and by using native woods, such as trumpetwood, oak, mahogany, and musk wood, create this unique musical instrument.
Our "Cuatro" is a folkloric instrument, and as a part of the tradition, most of the musicians who play the "Cuatro" do so by ear, with no formal musical training. With the purpose of preserving our traditions and particularly, to highlight the cultural importance of the Puerto Rican "Cuatro", "MusiCuatro de Puerto Rico, Inc." was organized. Through their efforts, the First National Festival of the Puerto Rican "Cuatro" was recently held in the town of Orocovis. This festival was dedicated to several distinguished Puerto Rican musicians who have excelled in their
performance on the "Cuatro", to wit, Maso Rivera, José A. Rivera "Tony Mapey," and in memory of "Don" Eliseo Alvarado and "Don" Edwin Colón.
This bill has the purpose of giving perpetuity to the celebration of the "National Festival of the Puerto Rican Cuatro" and turning it into an event for the enjoyment of all Puerto Rican people. Through the approval of this bill, we are giving recognition to the great contribution that many distinguished Puerto Ricans have given through their music, and at the same time we are contributing to the preservation of our traditions and to the cultural enrichment of our people.
To such ends, this bill provides that the last weekend of every year shall be considered as the official days for the celebration of the "National Festival of the Puerto Rican Cuatro".
Section 1.- To declare the last weekend of the month of August of every year as the official date for the celebration of the "National Festival of the Puerto Rican Cuatro" in the town of Orocovis.
Section 2.- The Governor of Puerto Rico shall, by proclamation, an exhort the Municipality of Orocovis to observe the last weekend of the month of August of every year, as the official days of the celebration of the "National Festival of the Puerto Rican Cuatro".
Section 3.- The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and the Municipality of Orocovis shall adopt the necessary measures to comply with the purposes of this Act.
Section 4.- This Act shall take effect immediately after its approval.
I hereby certify to the Secretary of State that the following Act No. 14 (H.B. 2743) of the $6^{ ext {th }}$ Session of the $13^{ ext {th }}$ Legislature of Puerto Rico:
AN ACT to declare the last weekend of the month of August of each year as the official date for the celebration of the "National Festival of the Puerto Rican Cuatro" in the town of Orocovis, has been translated from Spanish to English and that the English version is correct.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, today $30^{ ext {th }}$ of April of 2003.
Elba Rosa Rodríguez-Fuentes Director