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Tuning Into Puerto Rican Culture

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2007

VALRICO - Men in traditional Puerto Rican straw pavas, or hats, teens wearing backward baseball caps and a smattering of women eager to break the gender barrier gathered recently to renew a connection with their island heritage.

Each cuatrista claimed a nook in the room at Estrella Tropical Latin Grill, tediously tuning their 10-string instruments that would connect them for the evening.

Before them, premiere cuatrista Alvin Medina stood, the instrument of Puerto Rico in one hand, a white-board marker in the other.

In Puerto Rico, he said, the musica typica - or traditional music - is different in each town.

"A lot of it is passed down from one generation to another," he said.

In the United States, where many people of Puerto Rican descent were brought up, cuatro players are among many keeping the culture and traditions of the island alive.

"It's about preserving our culture," said Elizabeth Espinosa, who owns Estrella Tropical with her father, Eliseo Espinosa. "A lot of it is personal interest. Usually, it's men that play the cuatro, but things are changing."
Elizabeth Espinosa said she decided last week to host the cuatro workshop to bring the Puerto Rican community together, noting that Puerto Ricans make up one of the largest minority groups in the region. She hopes to draw others from across the Tampa Bay area interested in learning about the national instrument of Puerto Rico.

Orlando has a well-established Puerto Rican community and places to gather, but east Hillsborough County has no meeting place for this type of event, prompting Espinosa to open the restaurant on a night it is typically closed.

Manny Montanez, 18, of Valrico, taught himself how to play the cuatro about three months ago.

"A lot of young people in our culture don't even know how to speak Spanish," Montanez said shortly before Medina's intro. He added that many young women don't know how to cook using Puerto Rican traditions.

His cousin, Carlos Figueroa, 16, works at Estrella Tropical, Spanish for tropical star. Figueroa said his father taught him to play the cuatro.

"This is a way to keep the traditions going," he said. "This workshop is a way to sharpen my skills."

Elson Morales of Brandon, speaking in Spanish while his wife served as interpreter, said he has been playing on and off all his life. The most difficult thing about playing the uniquely shaped instrument is tuning it, Morales said.

Originally, the cuatro had four strings, Medina said. That's why it is named after the Spanish word meaning four. Through the centuries, the country folk who played the cuatro in Puerto Rico tweaked its shape and the number of strings. It now has five sets of two strings.

"This was a surprise, to learn about this workshop," Ana Morales said. "This was a great opportunity for him to learn even more."

Medina focused on the fundamentals of playing the cuatro and the importance of knowing how to play by ear and by reading sheet music.

Ebony Tollinchi, 33, and her sister Alexandria Tollinchi, 20, both of Brandon, brought their guitars, which typically are used to accompany the cuatro.

"We want to learn the cuatro, too, but we figured this was a good opportunity," Ebony Tollinchi said. "I've been playing guitar for seven years, and I'm still in the beginner stage."

Alexandria has been playing for two years and only recently started getting professional instruction again.

Their mother purchased them tickets to the workshop during one of their frequent visits to the club.

"It's very important to maintain our culture and participate," Ebony Tollinchi said. "For women to play is rare. That's why we're here. You have to develop an ear for traditional Puerto Rican music."

Among the few occasions at which many Puerto Rican Americans hear the cuatro played is during a traditional Christmas celebration known as a parranda, where small groups gather to surprise friends with the Puerto Rican version of Christmas caroling.

Groups play music on friends' front porches, then those friends join in and go to the next house.

Estrella Tropical also hosts a Christmas Eve celebration that is open to the public. On Friday nights, the restaurant offers noche bohemia, or Bohemian night, where cuatristas gather to play into the night entertaining diners.

The restaurant is at 1941 E. State Road 60, behind Applebees. For information on upcoming cuatro workshops, call Elizabeth Espinosa at (813) 643-8700.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or at yhammett@tampatrib.com.

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