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

The Caribbean

Did You Know: The word “Caribbean” is said to be derived from the name of one of the dominant indigenous (Amerindian) groups in the region at the time of European contact during the late 15th century, the Caribs. While their continues to be debate among scholars as to the origin of the word, at least one of the communities currently identified as "Carib" call themselves Kalinago. The island of Boriken (Puerto Rico) itself was also identified as Carib in some old maps. Some of the other Indigenous Nations identified in the region are Arawak, Ciboney, Galibi, Garifuna, Igneri, Lucayan, and the Taino. - - UCTP Taino News © 2009

Manatee or Manati

Did you know: Manatees are said to have evolved from four-footed land mammals more than 60 million years ago. According to scientists their closet relatives are reported to be the dugong, and the African Elephant (distantly).There are three species of manatees, including the West Indian manatee. The Florida manatee, which can eat up to 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of vegetation a day and weigh a half-ton on average, is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee. Manatees can move readily between salt water and fresh water, but they can't survive in cold water for long periods. In the U.S. the manatee is still listed federally as an endangered species yet in the state of Florida it it is listed only as a “threatened” species. The word manatee is considered an indigenous "loan word" found in both the Taino and Carib languages. Among the Carib the term Manati is said to translate to mean "breast." Traditionally, the Taino consider this animal as sacred as North American Indigenous Peoples consider the buffalo sacred. Prior to colonization Taino hunters used every part of the animal for food, tools, and other resources. – - UCTP Taino News © 2009

Flat Foreheads

Did You Know: A flat forehead was considered very attractive in many Taino communities. Mothers carried their newborn babies on their backs with a padded, wooden board. The board would lay across the child's head and flattened the impressionable forehead.- - UCTP Taino News © 2009

The Hammock

Did You Know - The word “hammock” was derived from the Taino word hamaka. In 1535, European chronicler Gonzalo Oviedo noted that the hammocks he observed were well-woven and made from good quality cotton fabrics. The hammaka could function as a bed, chair, sack, or even a fishing net. The hammock is also credited for changing the 16th maritime industry as sailors began to adopt these ingenious sling-type beds for use during their voyages. Today, hammocks are part of a multi-million dollar industry and have become such a part of popular culture that they have even been used by American astronauts in the Apollo program. – - UCTP Taino News © 2008