Section 1 Short title; findings
Short title— This Act may be cited as the “Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park and Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center Study Act”.
Findings— Congress finds as follows:
Caguana indigenous ceremonial park—
The Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park is comprised of approximately 13.5 acres located at the center of Puerto Rico, in the Caguana Ward at the Municipality of Utuado.
The park is visited by approximately 60,000 students and tourists every year.
Efforts to protect the park began in 1915, when archeologist John Alden Mason, together with Robert T. Aitken, started research on this archeological site. A final report was issued in 1941.
In 1949, the Puerto Rican anthropologist and archeologist, Ricardo E. Alegría started a series of excavations and, in 1964, as Director of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, ordered the restoration of the park.
During 1992, after years of studies and investigations, the National Park Service included the park in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1993, the park received the distinction of a National Historic Landmark.
The park has one of the most surprising archeological sites of the Antilles, including 22 petroglyphs on calcareous slates, monoliths located in its main square, and the Cemí Mountain as sentinel.
The park museum has a permanent exhibition of more than 80 archeological pieces from the Taíno ancestors. Other pieces are exhibited at the University of Puerto Rico Museum, the Puerto Rico Historical Archives, the National Museum of American Indians in New York City, and at Yale University, among other private collections.
The Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park has unique pieces belonging to precolonial culture, from Puerto Rico and from the Caribbean, and the best way to ensure their protection of these treasures may be the inclusion of the park as a unit of the National Park Service.
Tibes indigenous ceremonial center—
The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center is located between the wards of Tibes and Portugués in the municipality of Ponce, and is considered one of the most significant indigenous sites in the Caribbean. The center is visited by approximately 80,000 students and tourists every year.
In 1975, Don Luis Hernández—a sugar cane worker—discovered the remnants of indigenous cultures after the massive flooding caused by Hurricane Eloísa.
Just after the discovery, the Guaynia Society of Archeology and History from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico started the excavations and restoration on the site. The group was assisted by the renowned Antillean archeologist, Ricardo Alegría.
After months of excavations, the Society had discovered the oldest Antillean indigenous ceremonial site in Puerto Rico, including the largest indigenous cemetery on the Island with more than 186 human remains from the Igneri and Pre-Taíno cultures.
Additionally, the Society discovered nine plazas used by the indigenous to dance the areyto, play ball and celebrate ceremonies of great importance. The plazas varied in size from 42 feet long by 35.8 feet wide to 115 feet long by 30.5 feet wide, and were named as follows: Horseshoe Ball Court, Cemí Ball Court, Santa Elena Ball Court, One Row Ball Court, Principal Plaza, Oval or Elliptical Plaza, Bat Ball Court, and Chief Ball Court. The ninth court remains unnamed.
The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center is key in the education of the current and next generations of Puerto Ricans about our indigenous roots. Thus, the best way to preserve our heritage may be the inclusion of the center as a unit of the National Park Service.