Guayiga and Marunguey are Taino

Did You Know: Traditionally, Taino People made special use of a type of cycad plant species in the Zamia family that grows in several varieties throughout the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and even Florida (Zamia pumila, Zamia debilis, Zamia amblyphyllidia, Zamia integriflora, etc). This plant is known as guayiga in Kiskeia(Dominican Republic), it also is known as marunguey in Borikén (Puerto Rico). The indigenous Seminole Peoples of Florida call it Coonti. In Kuba (Cuba) these plants are known as Yuquilla de ratón or Yuquilla de paredón. While guayiga/marungueyis extremely poisonous, the Taino learned to make a bread called Chola or Cholla, out of its roots. The production of this bread is similar to that of Taino kasabe(yuka/cassava/manioc bread). According to local traditional knowledge, once the bread is made, it is left outside, and when insects begin to land on it, the bread is deemed ready to be consumed as the poisons have been sufficiently extracted. Today, on the island of Kiskeia, the communities of Higuey and Haina produce most of the chola bread made on the island. – UCTP Taino News © 2013 

Arepa

Did You Know: An arepais a flat corn bread patty developed by Indigenous Peoples in Northern South America, but its use has spread throughout the Caribbean region for generations. An arepa can be made fresh or with dried corn, which is ground into flour and made into dough that can be cooked in different ways. If dried corn kernels are used, however, they are boiled and soaked in water over night to breakdown the “hull” of the corn. Some indigenous communities also add ground limestone or ashes to breakdown the hull. The term arepa is used in the Taino language today, but it is actually a non-Taino “loan word” originally from the Karina or “true” Carib peoples of mainland South America. – UCTP Taino News © 2013

Taíno Political Organization

Did You Know: Taíno society was organized in two sectors - nitaíno (community leaders) and naboria (general community members).  Community life was administrated by chiefs and sub-chiefs called kasike(cacique), who in turn were supported and often advised by other community and spiritual leaders called behike and buhiti among other names. The traditional territories (called cacicazgosby the Spaniards) controlled by kasike were actually confederations of iukaieke (yucayeque) communities with populations that ranged from several hundred to thousands of people. As Taíno society developed over time, powerful kasike (caciques) united these communities into political states that were ultimately guided by a grand or paramount chief. In 1492, Kiskeia (Hispaniola) was organized under five confederations. Boriken(Puerto Rico) was organized under 20, with the Guainia (Guaynia) territory being the largest and most politically powerful. -  UCTP Taíno News © 2013

Kasike Agueybana Day

Did You Know – November 19^th is designated as Kasike Agueybana Day by proclamation of the the honorable Victor Vassallo Anadon, the congressional representative for Ponce and Jayuya, Boriken (Puerto Rico). The day was first proclaimed on November 19, 2009 in recognition of a monument erected in honor of the Taíno kasike (chief) Agueibana in Ponce. The proclamation of Kasike Agueybana Day was the result of a successful lobbying effort by the United Confederation of Taíno People. – UCTP Taíno New © 2012

Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center

Did You Know -  The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center (Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes) is currently considered by archeologists to be the oldest indigenous ceremony center in Boriken (Puerto Rico).  It represents a continuous habitation of indigenous peoples more than 1,000 years before Columbus encountered the New World. Within its designated 40 acres of this park owned by the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce, one of the largest burial grounds was also “discovered”. Arql. Luis Á. Rodríguez Gracia cites the earliest inhabitants as Igneri with preceding populations as “pre-Taino” and finally Taíno.   The site consists of “nine ball courts and three ceremonial plazas” as well as a Museum, garden, and several “recreated pre-Columbian homes”. Rodríguez Gracia believes it to be the oldest astronomical observatory in the Antilles. – UCTP Taino News © 2012

DNA and Taino People

DID YOU KNOW - DNA science affirms that a majority of Puerto Ricans can trace their American Indian linage via their maternal lines. In 2000, a DNA study was conducted revealing a 69.6% frequency of American Indian mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA) among a sample of individuals who claimed an indigenous maternal ancestor. In 2005, the study was again conducted using a broader sample set of 800 random individuals taken from throughout the island. This study concluded that approximately that 61.3% of Puerto Ricans have an American Indian maternal ancestry. Similar studies have been conducted in the Dominican Republic and in Cuba.  - UCTP Taino News © 2012