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TAÍNO HISTORY // HISTORIA DEL PUEBLO TAÍNO

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TAÍNO HOMELANDS
TERRITORIOS DE EL PUEBLO TAÍNO

The Taíno are Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean. At the time of European contact in the late fifteenth century, our ancestors lived across most of Kuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Borikén (Puerto Rico),  Bahamas, the northern Lesser Antilles, and the southern tip of Florida in what is known as the U.S. today.

Los taínos son pueblos indígenas del Caribe. En el momento del contacto europeo a fines del siglo XV, nuestros antepasados ​​vivían en la mayor parte de Kuba, República Dominicana, Haití, Jamaica, Borikén (Puerto Rico), Bahamas, el norte de las Antillas Menores y el extremo sur de Florida en lo que se conoce. como los Estados Unidos hoy.

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FIRST ENCOUNTERS
PRIMEROS ENCUENTROS

The Taíno were the first Indigenous Peoples of the Western Hemisphere to encounter  Cristobal Colon (Christopher Columbus) during his first voyage in 1492. The Taíno are also the first Indigenous Peoples of the Americas to be called Indians.

Los taínos fueron los primeros pueblos indígenas del hemisferio occidental en encontrarse con Cristóbal Colón durante su primer viaje en 1492. Los taínos son también los primeros pueblos indígenas de las Américas en ser llamados indios.

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TAÍNO LANGUAGE 
EL LENGUAJE DEL PUEBLO TAÍNO

The language and dialects of the Taíno are largely a part of the Arawakan language group, but also include other linguistic influences from all around the region.

El idioma y los dialectos de los taínos están relacionados en gran medida con el grupo lingüístico arahuaco, pero también incluyen otras influencias lingüísticas de toda la región.

...no census can vie with the trained observer, and therefore attention must be called to the following statements of Captain W.S. Shuyler in a report onAugust 30, 1899: while work was being done on the roads, I had the occasion to watch crowds of 700 or 800 men gathered around the pay tables at Las Marias, La Vega, and Anasco. The frequency of the Indian type was very noticeable. While its almost certain that there is today no single Indian of pure stock in PR it is equally sure that the type can be seen every where in the mountain settlements. At San German I noticed a woman whose color, hair, and features were true Indian as seen in the Southwest of the US.

Report of General George W. Davis, War Department Census Of Puerto Rico 1899, LT. COL J.P. Sanger, Inspector-General, Director. Government Printing office 1900

Deminan Karakarakol

TAÍNO ART / ARTE TAÍNO

Before the arrival of Europeans, art in Taíno culture represented various aspects of daily life including spiritual world-view. Taíno artists worked with clay, wood, stone, shell, cotton, gourds, palm, feathers, and even bone. Today, contemporary Taíno artists work hard to maintain many of these artistic traditions. 

Antes de la llegada de los europeos, el arte en la cultura taína representaba varios aspectos de la vida diaria, incluida a su cosmovisión espiritual. Los artistas taínos trabajaron con arcilla, madera, piedra, concha, algodón, calabazas, palma, plumas e incluso hueso. Hoy, los artistas taínos contemporáneos trabajan arduamente para mantener muchas de estas tradiciones artísticas.

Conch shell ornament. Puerto Rico. Taíno
Taíno water vessel
Heart shaped vessel. Dominican Republic
Taino ceremonial stone belt
Amulet. Puerto Rico. Taíno
Amulet figures in a squatting position
Taino ceremonial stone belt
Indigenous Taino ceremonial stone belt
Taino Pictograph in Dominican Republic
Taino duho, ceremonial stool
Cohoba Stand, A.D. 974–1020, Taino
Cemí taíno (Chican Ostionoide)
Taino ceramic effigy
Taíno shell carving
Petroglyphs on Congo Cay. (Taken from Sleight 1962)
Taíno petroglyphs, Reef Bay. Photo: Rudy Patton
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