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 to the area in the 1490s. During this time, there were approximately five chiefdoms and territories of Taino that tribute was paid. These were located in the area once known as Hispaniola and now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
This group was known to be an enemy of the Carib tribes, in the past. Carib tribes also had their origins in South America and were primarily found in Lesser Antilles. There has been much discussion and study on the relationship held between the tribes. For much of the 15th century, Taino people had been forced to the Caribbean's northeastern region because of Carib tribes raiding their area. They would hold women in captivity.
Spaniards went to Cuba, Bahamas and Hispaniola before arriving in Puerto Rico earlier. On this first excursion, they did not bring along their women. However, they took Taino women as their wives in common law, producing a lot of mestizo children along the way. There was much sexual violence directed toward these women by the Spaniards in Haiti. It is believed that a lot of cultural and racial mixing also took place in Cuba around this time.
This culture became extinct after settlement by the Spanish colonists. This was primarily caused by infectious disease in which there had been no immunity. The first smallpox epidemic recorded in Hispaniola took place in December of 1518 or January of 1519. In 1518, it killed nearly ninety percent of natives who had not already passed away. Enslavement and warfare by colonists also led to many deaths. By the year 1548, the population of natives had been reduced to less than 500.
There were two distinct classes: nobles or nitainos, and commoners or naborias. The chiefs governed the classes and were giving the title caciques. These individuals could be male or female. They were also advised by priests or healers known as bohiques, which were believed to have special abilities to speak with gods and heal. They were often consulted and offered permission for the society to engage in important 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 had a lot of skill in agriculture and society depended on this. Men fished and hunted, using palm and cotton to make fish nets and ropes. Bows and arrows were also employed for hunting purposes, and arrowheads with poison were used too.
Columbus arrived to the area in the 1490s. During this time, there were approximately five chiefdoms and territories of Taino that tribute was paid. These were located in the area once known as Hispaniola and now known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
This group was known to be an enemy of the Carib tribes, in the past. Carib tribes also had their origins in South America and were primarily found in Lesser Antilles. There has been much discussion and study on the relationship held between the tribes. For much of the 15th century, Taino people had been forced to the Caribbean's northeastern region because of Carib tribes raiding their area. They would hold women in captivity.
Spaniards went to Cuba, Bahamas and Hispaniola before arriving in Puerto Rico earlier. On this first excursion, they did not bring along their women. However, they took Taino women as their wives in common law, producing a lot of mestizo children along the way. There was much sexual violence directed toward these women by the Spaniards in Haiti. It is believed that a lot of cultural and racial mixing also took place in Cuba around this time.
This culture became extinct after settlement by the Spanish colonists. This was primarily caused by infectious disease in which there had been no immunity. The first smallpox epidemic recorded in Hispaniola took place in December of 1518 or January of 1519. In 1518, it killed nearly ninety percent of natives who had not already passed away. Enslavement and warfare by colonists also led to many deaths. By the year 1548, the population of natives had been reduced to less than 500.
There were two distinct classes: nobles or nitainos, and commoners or naborias. The chiefs governed the classes and were giving the title caciques. These individuals could be male or female. They were also advised by priests or healers known as bohiques, which were believed to have special abilities to speak with gods and heal. They were often consulted and offered permission for the society to engage in important 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 had a lot of skill in agriculture and society depended on this. Men fished and hunted, using palm and cotton to make fish nets and ropes. Bows and arrows were also employed for hunting purposes, and arrowheads with poison were used too.
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