In South America, Taino people are recognized as Arawak people. Even their language falls under the Arawakan family of the northern region in South America. Typically, Taino culture is used to describe anything related to the indigenous, seafaring people of Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles or Bahamas.
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.
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.
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 main classes in this society: naborias, also called commoners, and nitainos, also known as nobles. Chiefs were responsible for governing these classes and were given the title of caciques. These people may have been female or male, and were known to be advised by healers or priests called bohiques. The bohiques were thought to have special abilities when it came to speaking with the gods and healing. They were often the ones consulted and giving permission for the society to participate in practices.
This culture had a matrillneal system that was used when it came to inheritance, kinship and descent. If the male heir was not present, the succession or inheritance was then granted to the oldest child, be it female or male, of a deceased individual's sister. In society, married couples lived in the home of the maternal uncle because there was belief that the uncle had a more important role in the life of the woman than her biological father. Both men and women were known to have participated in polygamy in this culture. They might have up to three spouses, although caciques were recorded to have as much 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.
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.
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 main classes in this society: naborias, also called commoners, and nitainos, also known as nobles. Chiefs were responsible for governing these classes and were given the title of caciques. These people may have been female or male, and were known to be advised by healers or priests called bohiques. The bohiques were thought to have special abilities when it came to speaking with the gods and healing. They were often the ones consulted and giving permission for the society to participate in practices.
This culture had a matrillneal system that was used when it came to inheritance, kinship and descent. If the male heir was not present, the succession or inheritance was then granted to the oldest child, be it female or male, of a deceased individual's sister. In society, married couples lived in the home of the maternal uncle because there was belief that the uncle had a more important role in the life of the woman than her biological father. Both men and women were known to have participated in polygamy in this culture. They might have up to three spouses, although caciques were recorded to have as much 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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