Nelsonrafael Collazo Grau was born in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, on the ninth day of December of 1940. His parents were Vicente Collazo and Doris Grau.

He graduated with honors from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. He was a disciple of Doctor Ricardo Alegría, who influenced his literary formation. As university student he was distinguished in the foundation and direction of the University’s Círculo Jayuyano. His roots of his tierra adentro or inland were let felt still more when collaborating with other distinguished Puerto Ricans in the foundation of such newspapers as Conuco; Vocero Juvenil; Paliques Universitario; Puntita; ESCO and the Boletín de Promoción Cultural del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Bulletin of Cultural Promotion of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture).

His patriotic restlessness has taken him to establish other groups and to publish magazines that foment the development and fortification of our culture. His published magazines are Hequetí; Revista Cultural del Sur and Ateneísta. Among the established groups are: Centro Cultural Jayuyano; la Sociedad Protectora de la Flora y la Fauna en Peligro de Extinción (Protective Society of the Flora and the Fauna in Danger of Extinction); Ateneo de Jayuya (founder and first executive director) and the Festival Nacional Indígena en Jayuya (National Indigenous Festival in Jayuya). He collaborated in the foundation of the Artisan Group Yamoca and the Tierra Alta Craftsmen. He was one of the founders and directors of the group Avanzada Cultural. Nelsonrafael was civically distinguished as founding partner of the Club Rotario de Jayuya. He occupied the position of Secretary of the Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades (Puerto Rican Foundation of the Humanities), in addition to being one of his founders.

The town of Jayuya has in Nelsonrafael Collazo Grau, not only a son, but an ambassador who has dedicated all his efforts in making his native home a leader of the Puerto Rican culture.

The blood of the noble taíno man runs through his veins and he shapes in his stories a silent race that roamed our forests, valleys and rivers freely. In that quiet scream of his words, he presents his stories to us. This is also true about his poetry and the novel. He has published the following works: La tumba del indio de Boriquén (1974); El prócer (1979); Salcedo (1979); Senderos (Calendario -1981); La muerte de Joconuco (1981); Influencia indígena en la cultura y la lengua puertorriqueña (1981). El Último Cemí (two editions: 1980 - 1983); Guazábara en el silencio (three editions: 1980, 1981 - 1982); Cuentos (1989); Ilusiones (Poetry - two editions 1989 - 1990); Poesía sin rostro; La soledad tendrá un amigo (Novel 1992); El tiple puertorriqueño (1992) and Enigmas y revelaciones de los petroglifos.

For Nelsonrafael, the enigma of the petroglyphs of the first inhabitants of Boriquén has taken him to the study of such, culminating with the publication of seven editions, between the years 1983 and 1996, of Petroglifos indígenas de Puerto Rico.

Of the works listed above, El Último Cemí was taken to the towns of the island of Puerto Rico and to the foreigner within the programming of artistic group Instarte Guazábara in silence and was included in a documentary video, prepared by the CUM; artistic group Cimarrón, directed by Brunilda García, dramatized it at national and international level and in 1981 this story received the Premio Nacional de Literatura del Ateneo Puertorriqueño. Guazábara in silence was translated in English and circulated a bilingual edition that was distributed in Puerto Rico and the United States.

Other works of Nelsonrafael are: Anaturey (included in a documentary video prepared by the Colegio Universitario Metropolitano); Guaónico; Imiza; Ellas también mueren; Angelito del cielo; El huevo; Perdición Flores; Guarí; Herminio; Barriga de trapo; El ascenso y El ahorcado.

Nelsonrafael Collazo Grau has offered all his effort to the promotion and development of our cultural values. His program Senderos transmitted by WPAB-AM and 18 radio stations, received the first prize by INTRE as the best public service radio program on the Island. Then he received, from this same organization, the first prize as First micro radial program of Puerto Rico. In 1990 the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico grants him recognition as one of the most distinguished promoters of the Island. That same year, radio station WPAB dedicates its fiftieth anniversary celebration in recognition to his constant and outstanding collaboration. Nelsonrafael initiated a radio program called Voces de la Prehistoria Puertorriqueña on radio station WEUC-FM of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de P.R., Ponce. In the 1992, this program and Nuestros Artesanos was transmitted by WIPR A.M. and F.M.

As Director of the Popular Arts and Crafts Program at the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, Nelsonrafael discovered hidden artists of our land and brought them recognition in the Puerto Rican community. He was the Southern Regional Representative of the Cultural Centers Program of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, since 1975 and evolved as Director of the South-Central Regional Seat of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture in Ponce, in 1993.

I must mention that Nelsonrafael is also a virtuoso of the wood turning. His created pieces: The Three Kings and Nativity, have taken the Paloma Company, Messenger of Love directed by Joche Dávila, to produce five Christmas postcards that have been distributed inside and outside Puerto Rico. In 1999, the former mayor of Jayuya, Venancio Tejedor León, used on the cover of his Christmas card for the town, The Three Kings turned by Nelsonrafael. His Three Kings turned in wood have been exhibited in Tokyo, capital of Japan.

His main goal at the moment is to disclose his written work to fortify the Puerto Rican culture, to know our roots and develop a clear conscience of what it means and is to be Puerto Rican.

Nelsonrafael is a continuous craftsman with eighteen years of experience in wood turning. He has managed to create his own and exclusive designs. El Quijote and Sancho, the Three Kings and Nativity, are pieces unique and impossible to acquire in another place or by another craftsman. The only form of acquiring an original one is if he does it. From anyone else, only a non-authorized copy can be acquired.

In year 2000, Nelsonrafael began his wood scroll work. His experience as artisan promoter, craftsman and former director of the Program of Crafts of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, takes him to discover the significant absence of patterns in wood scroll art inspired by the Puerto Rican culture. In order to correct the absence of patterns he initiates a creative project with his teacher in wood scroll art, Juan Hernández Príncipe and, Ponce born artist, Angel Jiménez Alfínez. Juan Hernández has created his own patterns and in the future will unite with those of Collazo for the benefit of others.

The Word scroll art of Pedro Albizu Campos, Muñoz Marín, Nemesio Rosario Canales, Juan Antonio Corretjer, Elpidio Collazo "Maboití", Nelsonrafael, El Guardián del Lucero, El Caballo de Paso Fino and others are under authority of Nelsonrafael and Alfínez.

Written by: Alejandrina Ortiz / Translated by: Alejandrina "NiJaiba" Baerga