Taino people are considered among the Arawak people of South America. Their language is also a part of the Arawakan family of northern South America. In general, Taino culture refers to the seafaring, indigenous individuals of the Bahamas, northern Lesser Antilles and Greater Antilles.
Columbus arrived in 1492. At the time, there were five Taino territories and chiefdoms tribute was paid to. These were in an area formerly called Hispaniola and in the modern world are called Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The people were historically known as the enemies of Carib tribes, another group that has its origins in South America and primarily in Lesser Antilles. The relationship between the groups has been a topic of discussion and subject of study. For most of the fifteenth century, Taino tribes were driven to northeastern Caribbean because raids by Carib tribes. Women were even taken captive, which resulted in many Carib women eventually speaking Taino.
Spaniards first went to Hispaniola, Cuba and Bahamas around the 1490s. They later arrived in Puerto Rico and on these first excursions, did not bring their women along. Instead, the Taino women were taken in as common-law wives, resulting in many mestizo children. There was a lot of sexual violence against these women by Spanish men, especially in Haiti. It has been said that a notable amount of racial and cultural mixing took place around this time in Cuba as well.
The culture became extinct when the Spanish colonists began to settle. This was primarily the result of infectious disease that had spread and the absence of immunity. The first outbreak of smallpox recorded in Hispaniola took place in December 1518 or January 1519. This epidemic in 1518 killed nearly 100 percent of natives who were still alive at the time. Enslavement and warfare by colonists also led to many deaths. In 1548, native population had fallen under 500.
The society had been divided into classes: nitainos or nobles, and naborias or commoners. These two classes were governed by the chiefs who were called caciques, and could be male or female. Caciques, who were advised by healers or priests called bohiques, were given special privileges. Bohiques were known for their powers to heal and ability to speak with the gods. These were consulted and granted permission to participate in specific tasks.
The culture followed a matrillneal system in terms of kinship, descent and inheritance. When a male heir was not present, inheritance or succession was automatically granted to the eldest child, male or female, of the deceased person's sister. In the society, couples who were recently married lived in the household of a maternal uncle. The belief was that the uncle was more important to the life of a woman than her birth father. Some people, men and women, engaged in polygamy. They could have two or three spouses, and caciques were known to have as many as 30.
Women from this society had high skills in agriculture. In fact, the culture depended upon them for this. Men were also responsible for hunting and fishing. They used cotton and palm to make fish nets and ropes. Arrows and bows were also utilized for hunting, as well as poison arrowheads.
Columbus arrived in 1492. At the time, there were five Taino territories and chiefdoms tribute was paid to. These were in an area formerly called Hispaniola and in the modern world are called Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The people were historically known as the enemies of Carib tribes, another group that has its origins in South America and primarily in Lesser Antilles. The relationship between the groups has been a topic of discussion and subject of study. For most of the fifteenth century, Taino tribes were driven to northeastern Caribbean because raids by Carib tribes. Women were even taken captive, which resulted in many Carib women eventually speaking Taino.
Spaniards first went to Hispaniola, Cuba and Bahamas around the 1490s. They later arrived in Puerto Rico and on these first excursions, did not bring their women along. Instead, the Taino women were taken in as common-law wives, resulting in many mestizo children. There was a lot of sexual violence against these women by Spanish men, especially in Haiti. It has been said that a notable amount of racial and cultural mixing took place around this time in Cuba as well.
The culture became extinct when the Spanish colonists began to settle. This was primarily the result of infectious disease that had spread and the absence of immunity. The first outbreak of smallpox recorded in Hispaniola took place in December 1518 or January 1519. This epidemic in 1518 killed nearly 100 percent of natives who were still alive at the time. Enslavement and warfare by colonists also led to many deaths. In 1548, native population had fallen under 500.
The society had been divided into classes: nitainos or nobles, and naborias or commoners. These two classes were governed by the chiefs who were called caciques, and could be male or female. Caciques, who were advised by healers or priests called bohiques, were given special privileges. Bohiques were known for their powers to heal and ability to speak with the gods. These were consulted and granted permission to participate in specific tasks.
The culture followed a matrillneal system in terms of kinship, descent and inheritance. When a male heir was not present, inheritance or succession was automatically granted to the eldest child, male or female, of the deceased person's sister. In the society, couples who were recently married lived in the household of a maternal uncle. The belief was that the uncle was more important to the life of a woman than her birth father. Some people, men and women, engaged in polygamy. They could have two or three spouses, and caciques were known to have as many as 30.
Women from this society had high skills in agriculture. In fact, the culture depended upon them for this. Men were also responsible for hunting and fishing. They used cotton and palm to make fish nets and ropes. Arrows and bows were also utilized for hunting, as well as poison arrowheads.
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