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Multicultural Kid Blogs

For families and educators raising world citizens, through arts, activities, crafts, food, language, and love.

10 Fun Facts about the Taino Indians

November 24, 2017 by Frances

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Location

1. The Taínos are a subgroup of the Arawak Indians.  They inhabited the Greater Antilles (comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola [Haiti and the Dominican Republic], and Puerto Rico) in the Caribbean Sea.

Image source

2. On November 19, 1493, Christopher Columbus on his second trip discovered the island of Puerto Rico that has inhabited by an aboriginal tribe that he called “Indians” because he thought he had discovered India.

Image source

Language

3. Words commonly used in both the English and Spanish languages such as barbacoa/barbecue, canoas/canoes, jamaca/hammock, and jurakan/hurricane are words invented by the Taínos. So next time you hop on a canoe and have a barbecue remember where the words come from.

Image source

4. They had three very organized social classes social classes: the naborias (working class), the nitaínos or sub-chiefs and noblemen which includes the bohiques or priests and medicine men and the caciques or chiefs, each village or yucayeque had one.

Physical Characteristics

5.  The Taino Indians were medium height, with a bronze skin tone, and long straight black hair. Facial features were high cheekbones and dark brown eyes.  The majority of them didn’t use clothing except for married women who would wear a “short apron” called nagua. The Taino Indians painted their bodies. They earrings, nose rings, and necklaces which were sometimes made of gold.

Dance

6.    Taíno rituals occurred in the batey (picture below).  Sacred dances known as areytos along with music, games, trades, storytelling and Taíno ceremonies were held in the batey.  These dances usually took place in the center of the village surrounded by the bohíos (huts).  You can make a Taíno sensory village with your kids, and have them learn about the yucayeque (Taíno village).

7.  The Taínos written language was in the form of petroglyphs or symbols carved in stones.  Symbols of the sun, pregnant woman, snail, and the coquí can be found in different areas in Puerto Rico.  A great activity for kids to learn about the Taíno rock art can be found here.

Fun and Games

8. The Taínos had fun in many different ways.  and a ball game called batú. They would play batú in an area called the batey (pictured below).  They played the game with a ball made of tree gum, leaves, and roots.  The game has two teams with up to 30 players including men and women.  To play they had to keep the ball in the air with their shoulders, elbows, hips and any other part of their body except for their hands.

9.  Of the 78 municipalities (cities and towns) in Puerto Rico 16 of them honor the Taíno (15) Caciques (male leader) and (1) Cacica (female leader) by being named after them:

  1. Arecibo (Arasibo)
  2. Bayamón (Bayamongo)
  3. Caguas (Caguax)
  4. Canóvanas (Canovanax)
  5. Cayey
  6. Coamo (Coamex)
  7. Comerío
  8. Humacao (Macao)
  9. Jayuya
  10. Luquillo (Yuquibo)
  11. Morovis
  12. Orocovis (Orocovix)
  13. Naguabo (Daguao)
  14. Utuado (Otoao)
  15. Mayagüez (Yagüex)
  16. Loíza (Yuiza)

Twenty more municipalities also have Taíno names.  Meaning that at least  46.15% of the island has an indigenous name. This shows that our Taíno heritage is present in our everyday life even after more than 500+ years later.

10.  The Taínos, as very religious people, believed in many deities. The cemí was a spiritual object housing a spirit and a fundamental symbol in the Taíno religion. It was a stone three cardinal points. Did you know that you can visit a museum in the shape of the cemí in Puerto Rico? Read more here.

Just for fun here’s a video of a Taíno  calling song:

Here I am with my son in the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center (Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes).

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10 Fun Facts About Dominican Republic

Native American Heritage Month | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Welcome to our fourth annual celebration of Native American Heritage Month! All month long we’ll be sharing posts about sharing these rich cultures with kids. Find our full schedule of posts below, and don’t forget to link up your own as well! We’re also having a giveaway (details coming soon!) Don’t miss our series from last year, 2015, and 2014, plus you can find even more ideas on our Native/Indigenous Cultures Pinterest board:

Follow Multicultural Kid Blogs’s board Native/Indigenous Cultures on Pinterest.

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Native American Heritage Month Giveaway

Native American Heritage Month Giveaway | Multicultural Kid Blogs

Grand Prize

From MotherTongues: Himdag T-shirt, women’s or unisex, S-XL, US/Canada Shipping Only
From Abrams Books: Puritan Girl, Mohawk Girl, Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, Buffalo Bird Girl, In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse, and The Star People, US/Canada Shipping Only

Native American Heritage Month Giveaway | Multicultural Kid Blogs

1st Prize

From Wisdom Tales Press: Children of the Tipi: Life in the Buffalo Days, Indian Boyhood: The True Story of an Indian Upbringing, Whispers of the Wolf, Horse Raid: The Making of a Warrior, US Shipping Only

Native American Heritage Month Giveaway | Multicultural Kid Blogs

2nd Prize

From Penguin Kids: I Am Sacagawea, US Shipping Only
From Quarto: Path to the Pacific, US Shipping Only
From Kid World Citizen: Machu Pichu Lesson Plan (English and Spanish versions)


 

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Frances

Owner/Blogger at Discovering the World Through My Son's Eyes
Frances is a native Spanish speaker, married to a Southern gentleman and a multicultural & Latina mamá to a tween. She started blogging when her son was 4 years old. She blogs about her multicultural family living, learning and discovering the world through her son’s eyes. Hence the name of her blog: Discovering the World Through My Son's Eyes. She can be found musing on her blog, Facebook and her favorite social media platform Instagram.
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Latest posts by Frances (see all)

  • Our Global Village: When MKB Members Meet IRL - July 10, 2019
  • Three-Course Meal Your Kids Can Make to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month - September 17, 2018
  • Read Around the World Summer Series - August 31, 2018

Filed Under: Central America and the Caribbean, Children's Activities, Dominican Republic, Global Learning for Kids, Haiti, Learning About Culture, Puerto Rico, Teaching Diversity Tagged With: Indians, multicultural activities, multicultural parenting, multiculturalism, Taino, travel with kids

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Comments

  1. Linda says

    November 26, 2017 at 10:01 am

    I celebrate Native American heritage by reading works by indigenous authors.

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