Cuba: Hanabanilla

Did You Know - Hanabanilla is a forest reserve located in the central part of Cuba, and it is named after the daughter of a local Taino chief. According to local oral tradition, Hanabanilla means “small basket of gold” in the Cuban Taino dialect. Oral tradition also relates that the young “princess” Hanabanilla was the daughter of a well-respected Kasike (chief) named Arimao and she used the waters of the river that also bears her name as a mirror. The Hanabanilla reserve is located in the Escambray Mountains and is also well-known for its beautiful vegetation, river, water fall, and endemic species such as the Sapo de Hanabanilla. – UCTP Taino News © 2008

A Taino Kanei (Caney)

Did you know - The traditional home of a Taino tribal leader or Kasike is called a kanei (caney); pronounced kah-nehEE. This dwelling was usually a central focal point in the community and faced the iukaieke (village) ceremonial and social grounds called “batei (batey)”. Besides being a residence for the village kasike (chieftain) and family, a kanei was sometimes used a ceremonial gathering place for community leaders including spiritual leaders. Like a typical dwelling called “bohio”, a kanei was traditionally made from local hardwood trees and was usually thatched with the Royal Palm. Unlike a bohio, which was often round, a kanei was typically rectangular, had a gabled roof, and a type of porch. - UCTP Taino News © 2007

Kanoa is Taino

Did You Know - The first Europeans to travel to the islands of the Caribbean were greatly impressed by the kanoa (canoe) or boats constructed and used daily by the Taino islanders. Christopher Columbus wrote, "On every island there are many canoes of a single piece of wood; and though narrow, yet in length and shape similar to our rowboats, but swifter in movement. They steer only by oars. Some of these boats are large, some small, some of medium size. Yet they row many of the larger row-boats with eighteen cross-benches, with which they cross to all those islands, which are innumerable, and with these feats they perform their trading, and carry on commerce among them. I saw some of these canoes which were carrying seventy and eighty rowers." The kanoa were made from very large trees that were hollowed out over some months. Reminiscent of similar craft in Polynesia, the largest recorded 16th century Taino kanoa were said to hold over 150 people, they were ornately carved, and were used to travel long distances between the Caribbean islands and even into Bahamas, Florida, mainland of South America, Mexico, and Central America. Kanoa - a Taino and Lokono Arawak language term - is still used in Latin American Spanish, and is the origin of the English word canoe. - UCTP Taino News © 2007

Taino Body Stamps

Did You Know: With hand-crafted clay stamps, Taino people traditionally printed various designs on their bodies or on cotton cloth material. In a process comparable to temporary tattoos or henna-painting, pigments attained from plants such as Bija or Jagua and other natural resources were applied to the Taino stamps. The stamps were then pressed onto the body or cloth, imprinting the beautiful and varied designs. Body stamp designs could represent many concepts. While some designs could have a more traditional meaning among a certain community, others designs could be more of an individual expression. – UCTP Taino News © 2007

Behike

Did You Know - Among the Taino, the behike or shaman, was usually in charge of curing the ills in the community, thanks to his or her knowledge of medicinal plants and interaction with the spirit-world. Sometimes kasike (community leaders) took on a dual role of chief and medicine person. Kasike were also recorded as calling on behike for advice in major decisions affecting the well-being of the community. Alogn with the term behike (behique), other terms were used to identify this or a similar community role including bohitiu, buhiti, bohike, and piaie (piaman). -- UCTP Taino News © 2007

Image credit: Miguel Sague

Day of the Puerto Rican Indian

Did You Know - The official “Day of the Puerto Rican Indian” was inaugurated in a State Proclamation of the Interim Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Hon. Fernando Chardón, on the 12th day of August 1970. Recently, the autonomous municipality of Jayuya (Office of Tourism) in cooperation with local Taino represented with a community organization called CATTA-COOP Inc. has celebrated this day with a weekend of special presentations and programs entitled "La Jornada Indigena". - UCTP Taino News © 2007