Did You Know: The Rio Yauco in Borikén (Puerto Rico) was originally called the Koaiuko (Coayuco). It was at the mouth of this river that the first recorded battle against the Spaniards was undertaken by Borikua Taíno in 1511 during the first week of January. Many historians state the exact day of the battle was January 3rd. The Spanish chronicler Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo (1478-1557), in his book "Historia General de las Indias", wrote that "the Christians and the Indians fought the first battle in the land of Agüeybaná at the mouth of the Coayuco River." This reference affirms that the location of the Agüeibaná clan was in the area of the contemporary town of Guayanilla. Local historians have noted that during that time the Rio Yauco flowed into Ventana Beach, in the Boca de Guayanilla neighborhood.
- © 2017 UCTP Taino News
References
Brau, S. (1904). Historia de Puerto Rico. D. Appleton y Compañía.
Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, G. (1851). Historia general y natural de las Indias, islas y tierra-firme del mar océano (J. Amador de los Ríos, Ed.) (Vol. 1). Imprenta de la Real Academia de la Historia. (Original work published 1535)
