Musical Instrument and Video
Running Header: THE CUATRO 1
THE CUATRO 5
Musical Instrument and Showcase:
The Puerto Rican Cuatro
[Student Name]
The University of Central Florida: College of Education and Human Performance
I. History of the Instrument
The cuatro is known as Puerto Rico’s national instrument; and, according to Cumpiano (2019), the cuatro is smaller than a guitar but larger than a mandolin. You can mostly hear the cuatro being played in more traditional/ folklore songs (there will be some examples in part three). The instrument got its name because the original cuatro only had four strings, the modern version has a total of ten strings paired up into five sections. The instrument’s original shape was also different than the modern one; it used to look like a keyhole. “Later in Puerto Rico, around 1915, artisans in the Arecibo region changed its traditional keyhole shape into one reminiscent of a violin, which had become a symbol of upper-class sophistication,” (Cumpiano, 2019, para. 5). Although the exact origin of the instrument is unknown, it has been thought to have been a part of Puerto Rico for over 4 centuries. And, the cuatro has been thought to have been the preferred instrument of the Jíbaro (which is the Puerto Rican term used to describe the people who used to live in the mountains and work the fields). In conclusion, this instrument is a cultural representation of the Puerto Rican heritage and will always be a staple in the traditional music of Puerto Rico.
II. How to Make a Cuatro with Your Students
Materials:
· A tissue box or shoe box (a shoe box is bigger, but with the tissue box you don’t have to cut a circle in the middle as a guitar has).
· Paper towel roll.
· Scissors.
· Glue and/or tape (I used both).
· Stapler.
· Popsicle sticks (4 per instrument).
· Construction paper.
· Paint.
· Brushes.
· Any other art material you’d like to use (I used pipe cleaners and glitter glue. Have variety so that your students have a chance to be as creative as they want).
Instructions:
1. Paint the paper towel roll and decorate it.
2. Decorate the tissue box or shoe box how you would like your guitar to look like.
*If you have a shoe box cut a circle in the middle.*
3. Cut four holes, using scissors, to stick the popsicle sticks in the paper towel roll.
4. Once the paint has dried, paste the paper towel roll onto the box. You can also tape it on to the box if you find it easier for you and your classroom.
*Let the glue dry before continuing*
5. Grab 4 rubber bands and cut them so they form a line (aka so they aren’t round).
6. Staple one band from a popsicle stick, past the circle in the center. (Repeat 3 more times).
And, you’re done!
III. Songs You Can Listen to that Have the Cuatro
The following are the most popular songs that have a cuatro. Most of these songs are sung during a winter season festivity called a Parranda (which is basically a Puerto Rican take on caroling). Unfortunately, these songs are all in Spanish, but you should always expose children to culturally diverse music; additionally, you can always look up the meaning behind the song and explain it to children (Edwards, 2013, pg. 167-168).
1. Alegre Vengo
2. Alegria, Alegria, Alegria
3. Burrito Sabanero
4. Dame la Mano Paloma
5. Feliz Navidad
6. Lamento Borincano
Here are the lyrics to el “Burrito Sabanero”, this song is very easy to try and learn:
Con mi burrito sabanero voy camino de Belén
Con mi burrito sabanero voy camino de Belén
si me ven, si me ven voy camino de Belén
si me ven, si me ven voy camino de Belén
Con mi cuatrito voy tocando, mi burrito va saltando,
Con mi cuatrito voy tocando, mi burrito va saltando,
si me ven, si me ven voy camino de Belén
si me ven, si me ven voy camino de Belén
IV. Use in the Classroom and How to Teach Students to Use the Craft They Just Constructed
The instrument is very easy to play; just play it like you would play a regular guitar. If you’ve never played with a guitar, just strum the strings. As a teacher, you can model how to play it with your students but let them get creative with the approach first. You can use any of the songs above to play along to; however, all of them are in Spanish. Some reasons why you should introduce this and other instruments that are culturally diverse are because it helps children learn about different cultures other than their own and helps children from that culture feel identified, acknowledged, appreciated, and they might learn something about their culture and heritage they probably didn’t know.
References
Edwards, L. (2013). Music and movement: A way of life for the young child (7th ed.), (pp.137- 176). Boston: Pearson.
Cumpiano, W. (2019). A short history of the Puerto Rican Cuatro and its music. http://www.cuatro-pr.org/node/83.
Ramos, S. (n.d.). The Puerto Rican music. https://sites.google.com/a/santiagoramos.com/www/the-puerto-rican-music-homepage/the-puerto-rican-music-instruments/thepuertoricancuatro/thepuertoricancuatrosongs.