Caribbean Archaeology #1 History and Disappearances, Cidra, Puerto Rico

Caribbean Archaeology #1 History and Disappearances, Cidra, Puerto Rico Victor. Arturo. Cabello. Reyes. The People of Cidra, Puerto Rico have in evidential archaeology their prehistory, unknown to many, their knowledge valid and essential for the formation and identification of our historical past and awareness as a People. It is de rigueur to be able to get closer to know that hidden history, it is an incalculable and unknown treasure. The spirit and civic-cultural direction of a People can be revalued by being able to recognize its ancient genetic-historical heritage; part of the integral development of the community, achievements and historical preservation of its legacy. It is not risky to say that, in order to raise awareness as a people with its own identity, it is essential to be able to consult and research all bibliographic sources, documentaries and old records, as well as the corresponding historical archives. Cidra, has a prehistoric past for centuries, before the two centuries of its foundation. One of the first projects that a people must undertake is to resort to documentary sources, archaeological records and scientific 'reports' of the people in order to maintain their face and identity as a people. It is what distinguishes him from others. The solid documentary evidence since the early 1930s is recognized with significant field studies that begin in Cidra: ''the most important prehistoric site of Cidra is Toíta (1936)''. So it was in Cidra, Puerto Rico where a "scientific and pioneering" excavation was carried out for the study of aboriginal cultures in the Antillean Caribbean. It is extremely important to point out the existence of the scientific record in archaeological field excavations in Cidra, carried out by Dr. Irving Rouse and his team of scientists and archaeologists from Yale University. Recording the excavation in his report published in New York. (Scientific Suervey of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Vol. XVIII. Part 4. New York Academy of Science, 1952, p.499 and in Dr. Frances Ortiz Ortiz, Historia de Cidra, (1807-1868) p.p.20,21,22,23,24) It should be noted that this same report -in an incomprehensible and unusual way-, which is supposedly "unknown" and even denied its documented existence by directors and archaeologists of the Museum of the University of Puerto Rico. (In Official Hearing of the Honorable Commission of Education, Art and Culture of the Autonomous Municipality of Cidra on: August 18, 2015) I quote from the Official Report of 8/18/2015: ''The systems previously used by professional and amateur archaeologists who carried out excavations in Puerto Rico did not identify the specific sites where the pieces were found. To this end, Museum officials cannot identify whether any of the artifacts in the Museum come from Cidra." Thus, according to the directors of the University of Puerto Rico Museum, the research of the pioneer of Caribbean archaeology and Yale University scholar, Dr. Irving Rouse, is placed within that conceptual context. However, the directors of the Museum of Río Piedras forget that in 1986, the press already exposed abundant information about the "disappearance of 365 archaeological pieces from the Museum of the University of Puerto Rico belonging to the Benigno Fernández García Collection". (part of the collection 'sacred' by Dr. Irving Rouse in Toíta, Cidra) A substantial part (possibly the entirety) of the Benigno Fernández García Collection was excavated in Cidra, in 1930 by the amateur archaeologist Don Benigno Fernández García and then loaned to the University for its Museum of Anthropology. Not knowing about this matter after what happened in 1986 at the Museum is something suspicious and worthy of investigation. (Estrada Resto, Nilka: ''They fight in Cidra for an archaeological treasure''. (El Nuevo Día, 1986, p.11; Nitza Bausá, Cover: Possible archaeological thefts are investigated at the UPR, Archaeological pieces disappear UPR Museum, El Reportero, January 18, 1986 p. 11, El Mundo Newspaper January 22, 1986, Nelson Gabriel Berríos, ''Pieces from the UPR Museum Vanish, p. and Rolf Olsen, Ths San Juan Star, ''Hunt begins for 'missing' artifacts'', January 21, 1986 p.2) This Museum of the University of Puerto Rico (MHAA) was the first Museum of Puerto Rico created by a Law of 1951 by Don Ricardo Alegría and as Bill # 97 it is intended to become a National Museum created to: ''gather, maintain and conserve for the purposes of cultural dissemination everything that constitutes part of our historical treasure, anthropological and artistic". (El Vocero, Monday, April 5, 2021 p.24) The question that all of Cidra and Puerto Rico must ask themselves is: Were the archaeology collections stolen from the deposits of the Museum of the University of Puerto Rico? And the Benigno Fernández García collection is complete? This journalistic information by Nilka Resto indicates: ''It refers to journalistic information attributed to the amateur archaeologist Víctor Cabello, according to which, of the 365 pieces that make up the pre-Columbian collection found on the Riviera of the Río La Plata, in the Toíta Barrio, in Cidra, there are currently 27 that have not been located by the employees of the UPR Museum and appear as ''disappeared''. (El Nuevo Día, March 3, 1986, Primer Plano, p.11) The consequences of this evidence collected from the stolen Cidra Collection, which until an investigative resolution of the Senate of Puerto Rico was presented on April 18, 1986, for the Honorable Commission of Social and Cultural Development of the Senate of Puerto Rico, to carry out an investigation of the archaeological disaster of the Museum. It is interesting to study this resolution presented by the Senate of Puerto Rico. (Resolution of the Senate of Puerto Rico R. del S.417 of April 18, 1986) From the beginning of 1930-1938 a series of archaeological excavations were carried out in Cidra, these excavations of our wealth in settlements and archaeological corridors unknown to the authorities continue to be carried out in Cidra, behind the back of the Municipality and the defense of the Cultural Heritage of Cidra. As a summary presented and to be able to speak with propriety and authority of the matter, on February 12, 1986, I informed the Honorable Legislative Assembly of Cidra, in plenary, of the findings and a detailed and documentary copy of everything was given. Look at the date. =1986. Cidra has several corridors rich in unspoiled archaeological settlements. To date, more than 55 archaeological evaluations have been registered. (commissioned for the Office of the Council of Terrestrial Archaeology and State Office of Historic Preservation) All of them unknown to the Municipality of Cidra and without counting the ill-fated East-Cidra-PR-172 Connector and its sequel of= 174 tastings carried out by the ''Puerto Rican commissioned archaeology''. The pioneer in Caribbean archaeology, Dr. Irving Rouse= (Yale University Doctoral Thesis-1934), visits Cidra and carries out several excavations there in the Toa basin (La Plata River). It is part of a vast program and scientific project of archaeological reconnaissance of the Insular Caribbean= (1930-40) with the participation of prestigious and educated archaeologists. All of them made their reports; as were Froelich Rainey, C. Osgood and the one of our special interest the prestigious Yale archaeologist, Dr. Irving Rouse. (see: List of Archaeological Sites in the Municipality of Cidra, SHPO-OECH State Office of Historic Preservation=CD CD0100001=Rouse 1952 183-185 Cidra#1,1936 Toíta to CD02000013) Other report and Record in: Archaeological Sites Reported for the Municipality of Cidra Inventory of Sites Archived in the Council of Terrestrial Archaeology and State Office of Historic Preservation with their Respective Code-(CDI-al CD7). Still, no one from the authorities of the Municipality or Cultural entities of Cidra, have seriously concerned themselves with determining efforts to Register and identify historical properties of the town. From Cidra, Puerto Rico, 365 valuable archaeological pieces are stolen that end up in private hands; some are part of the Museum of Archaeology of the University of Puerto Rico. (Benigno Fernández García Collection = 365 archaeological pieces of Cidra) "In Puerto Rico, the main scholar was Adolfo de Hostos, who had published a series of important studies on art and archaeology in anthropological journals in England and the United States during the first decades of the century, although now his research activity had been limited to the history and maintenance of his rich archaeological collection." (Dr. Ricardo Alegría) Don Ricardo Alegría is the one who reports that among the existing collections in the Museum of the University of Puerto Rico is the Cidra Collection. She is known through Don Eugenio Fernández Méndez, as well as Dr. L. Montalvo-Guenard, Robert Junghamns and José de Castro. (Don Ricardo Alegría, Proceedings of the XV International Congress of Caribbean Archaeology, Presentation, p. XVIII) It is unfortunate that after informing the Commission of Education, Art and Culture of the Municipality of Cidra (under the frustrating and frustrated past administration), they were 'duped' by the Director of the Museum, answering the following and I quote: ''During the meeting, both the Archaeologist and the Registrar and the Director of the Museum reiterated that in the museum there are countless artifacts recovered in different sites of Puerto Rico, but that they cannot identify if these were recovered in Cidra". (Reports of the Autonomous Municipality of Cidra, Report of the Commission of Education, Art and Culture, August 18, 2015) So, the weak Commission of the Autonomous Municipality of Cidra, were deceived and for going on their own without advice -to try to take the matter as their merits and achievements-; all those from the Culture Commission visited the University, without any document and any referential preparation. The only thing they had to prove was the same report by Dr. Rouse of Yale University, on the discovery of the 30s in Cidra. (Dr. Ricardo Alegría, Ballcourts and Ceremonials Plazas in the West Indies. Yale University #79,1983) The people at the Museum informed them - at their convenience: "The systems previously used by professional and amateur archaeologists who carried out excavations in Puerto Rico did not identify the specific sites where the pieces were located". (Report to the Municipal Commission of Education, Art and Culture) However, there are reports and abundant evidence about the famous Archaeologist Dr. Irving Rouse, who visits Cidra doing the excavation and it is also he who refers to the field archaeology report. (Scientific Survey of Porto Rico p.499-502) Of that same excavation, Dr. Ricardo Alegría makes clear specific and documentary mention, in his work: Ball Courts and Ceremonial Plazas in the West Indies, 1983, p.p.108-109. Therefore, to say that there is no documentary record is false and is only = Big Lie to cover up the pillage and looting of our National Heritage among the Museums of the Country. Let us see what Don Ricardo Alegría says about the method of documentation of the excavation of Cidra and others by Rouse. "Rouse is today one of the few theoreticians of American archaeology." So the excavation of Cidra does have a report or valuable documentary and scientific account, carried out by one of the most prestigious archaeologists in America. (Dr. Francisco Moscoso: Caciques, Aldeas y Población Taíno de Borinquén, 2008, Table 4: Inventory of archaeological sites of Puerto Rico, 1936-1938 p.78) This matter is supposedly "unknown" by the Directors and archaeologists of the University of Puerto Rico and the Institute of Culture, according to a report to the Commission of Culture and Art of the Municipality of Cidra on August 18, 2015. And, currently, evidence that was passed on to those of the Museum, Dr. Francisco Moscoso makes specific detailed mention of the denied excavation. (Caciques, Aldeas y Población Taína de Borinquén. (2008, pp.76-79 and Dr. Ricardo Alegría, Ball Courts and Ceremonial Plazas in the West Indies (1983) Caribbean Archaeology #1 History and Disappearances, Cidra, Puerto Rico Victor. Arturo. Cabello. Reyes.