taino: the myth of extinction produced by: raven ingenito raven ingenito

Taino: The myth of extinction

Produced by: Raven Ingenito

La desnudez taínaMitopoema

Por: José Enrique Méndez

Representacion de Anacaona y un trigonolito sagrado con la efigie de la Divinidad Madre Yukaju

Vagua Maorokoti

Los de Caonabopudieron levantar la caraen la lectura de los signos

que soportaban sus estandartesen la voz aguda y larga

de la palabra completa queescondían en el azar

Los del Maguanapudieron levantar la cara

en la esculturaprimer anillo

mirada inalcanzablemuro ausente de la carne

piedra blanca

Los del valle Nitipudieron levantar la cara

en el ser hondo del nombreen el lenguaje de los huesos resecados

en el cambio jadeante de medula y semental

Los nacidos del vientre de Anacaonapudieron levantar la cara

cambiar de nombreen la piedraen el anillo

en el lenguajeen el ser hondo

en la palabra completa blanca

en el enigma de su signoen su lenguaje de lenguaje

y ser poema al hablar

Pero llegaron ellos y embriagaron de prisas sus tiempos,

les impusieron culpas,vergüenzas por la desnudez de sus cuerpos

y desde entoncesles impusieron el miedo

La mirada del ibero desgarró el signoquebró el transito del rito

la epopeya del Cemíy sus dominios

Click icon to add pictureThe PeopleHe was a hunter, warrior, and medicine man.Strong for his family and band.She sheltered, clothed, and fed her family,

Lovingly caring for all.The young and strong learned from the old ones,Whose wisdom guided us well.Then strangers came to the land.

What is civilization?

Its marks are a noble religion

and philosophy,

original arts, stirring music,

rich story and legend.

We had these.

- 1927, Grand Council Fire of

American Indians, memorandum

To the mayor of Chicago

Do not grieve.Misfortunes will happento the wisest and best of

men.Death will come and

always out of season.1818, Big Elk, Omaha,

when an old man

Click icon to add picture

Things may be going well

for you one day,

then something happens

and you are destroyed.

This is the way life is.

Remember, it can happen

to you, too.

- Ancient Diequeno mourning

song

The Cemi Museum In Barrio Coabey, Jayuya, Puerto Rico 

Cacique

Mabodamaca

Isabela, Puerto

Rico

Caguana

Ceremonial

Ball Courts

Site

Taino Legacy

fututo

iguana

hammock

maracas

guiro

yucca

hurricane

barbeque

canoe

Current issues:

“The way they wrote us out of history, we will

write ourselves back in.” –Naniki Reyes Ocasio

THE LOST TAINO TRIBE examines the complex issue of Taino history in Boriquén (Puerto Rico) and documents the efforts of the Taino resurgence movement taking place throughout the Americas

Taino Revival Efforts

El Futuro…

We try to teach our Indian children,do not be ashamed,even though you are Indians.Think like Indians, be like Indians,but learn English,learn how to write,be educated.You have two mindsand you can work with both.We do not want to lose outon being Indians. -1967, Buffalo Tiger,Miccosukee leader

Encounter by Jane Yolen

“ So it was we lost our lands to the strangers from the sky (The Spainards). We gave our souls

to their gods. We took their speech into our mouths,

forgetting our own. Our sons and daughters became their

sons and daughters, no longer true humans, no longer ours.

That is why I, am old man now, dream no more dreams. That is

why I sit here wrapped in a stranger’s cloak, counting the

stranger’s bells on a string, telling my story. May it be a

warning to all the children and all the people in every land” (p.

27).

We are also products of a rich and ancient culture

which supersedes and makes bearableany oppressions we are forced to bear.

We believe in tribalism,we believe that tribalism

is what has caused us to endure. - 1961, National Indian YouthConference policy statement

“  “INSIDE EVERY MESTIZO THERE IS EITHER ONE DEAD INDIAN OR AN INDIAN WAITING TO RE-EMERGE.” -JOSE BARREIRO

Resulted from the DNA findings:

Taino

African

Spainard

Education