The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (North of Greater Antilles) are generally not considered part of the Antilles, but sometimes you might see them grouped with the Lesser Antilles. These were intoxicating inhalers that were used in spiritual ceremonies that induced hallucination and helped connect to god or spirits. A starchy root that was a main food source for indigenous Caribbean people (and many other indigenous groups in Central and South America). The Tanos were without a doubt the cultural group that reached the highest levels of political organization in the Caribbean. Historically, these societies often follow a hunter-gatherer or horticulture subsistence strategy. Quickly thereafter, exploratory missions took place throughout the Caribbean, with the, The dramatic collapse of the Tano populationlike that of other, Common objects produced by the Tano include, Archeologists have discovered hundreds of three-pointer stones, suggesting they were common among the Tano. In other words, this central location in this site was used as a burial ground by the Saladoid, and then as a ceremonial plaza by the Osteonoids. In this map we can see the Greater (red) and Lesser (blue) Antilles. Ama' = n : River or Body of water. (See the word Yayama). These findings were truly remarkable, and they gave us a rare glimpse at what social and political change looks like. Disease, famine, and slavery are the main factors said to have contributed to such a rapid demise. The Taino mainly lived off of what they could find on land and were also fishermen. MAIZE. Cassava:also known as yucca and manioc. Twins were born in the same cave as the sun and the moon. Cemes could be carved in different materials, but are commonly seen in stone, wood, ceramic, and bone. To better grasp how Caribbean inhabitants were able to travel across islands, it is worthwhile to review again the map of the Caribbean region. Confirming this, some accounts of Spanish colonizers go as far as saying that the Tano did not want to do anything except play batey and hold areytos. A very common non-figurative object made by the Tano are celts, which are ceremonial axe blades made of polished stone. Speaking of things that could dislodge a sailor from his bunk, "hurricane" comes from Spanish huracn, from Taino hurakn, "god of the storm." 9. Chief Guanikeyu. Not everyone, however, reached the necessary state to communicate with the gods. Barbecue is a Taino word. From the Greek words anthrpos (humans) and morph (morphology/shape/form). Ycahu and Attabeira, as well as other lesser gods associated with natural forces, were worshiped in the form of, Tano artist, Zem, c. 1000 C.E., wood and shell, from the Dominican Republic (The Metropolitan Museum of Art), While the Tano were matrilineal, meaning that the mother determined name and rank, their society was not matriarchal. Columbus introduced the plant to Spain in 1493. In this second section, Jos talks about environmental change in the Caribbean over the thousands of years Indigenous peoples have occupied the area. What stories were they trying to tell us? http://www.native-languages.org/taino.htm, Achagua, The Taino did not have a written language so we must rely on the interpretation of the first European visitors. The Tanos believed that when the Boinayel cried, his tears transformed into rain. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Batey was a ball game played by the Tanos, and it greatly resembles the ball game played in other indigenous groups from Central and South America, such as the Maya. But what do Tano symbols mean? Abstract and Figures. In the early days of Caribbean settlement, you would expect to see theArchaicpeople foraging and practicing horticulture at a small scale. Indigenous explorers from the Yucatn Pennsula in Central America and the lowland Orinoco River in South America set sail to the Caribbean (see Fig. Group that migrated (in multiple migratory waves) into the Caribbean from South America.