Their world, which had its origins among the Arawak tribes of the Orinoco Delta, gradually spread from Venezuela across the Antilles in waves of voyaging and settlement begun around 400 B.C. Mingling with people already established in the Caribbean, they developed self-sufficient communities on
the island of Hispaniola
Which countries did the Tainos settle?
Taino, Arawakan-speaking people who at the time of Christopher Columbus’s exploration inhabited what are now
Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands
.
Where did the Tainos mostly settle?
The Taíno were an Arawak people who were the indigenous people of the Caribbean and Florida. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of
Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti), and Puerto Rico
.
Where did the Tainos first settled?
The original inhabitants of
Jamaica
are believed to be the Arawaks, also called Tainos. They came from South America 2,500 years ago and named the island Xaymaca, which meant ““land of wood and water”. The Arawaks were a mild and simple people by nature.
Where did the Tainos mainly settled in the Caribbean?
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. The Taíno were an indigenous people of the Caribbean. At the time of European contact in the late fifteenth century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of what is
now Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and the northern Lesser Antilles
.
Who killed the Tainos?
At this point, the Taíno were refusing to grow crops, and those who didn’t bleed to death after their hands were removed began to die of famine and disease. When they fled into the mountains, they were
hunted down by dogs
. Many killed themselves with cassava poison.
Who did the Tainos worship?
Taíno religion, as recorded by late 15th and 16th century Spaniards, centered on
a supreme creator god and a fertility goddess
. The creator god is Yúcahu Maórocoti and he governs the growth of the staple food, the cassava.
How did Tainos look like?
The Taíno people are 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.
When did the Tainos settle?
Their world, which had its origins among the Arawak tribes of the Orinoco Delta, gradually spread from Venezuela across the Antilles in waves of voyaging and settlement begun
around 400 B.C. Mingling
with people already established in the Caribbean, they developed self-sufficient communities on the island of Hispaniola …
Why did the Tainos live near the river?
Their location on or near the water was also
important as fishing provided a great source of protein for their diet
. In addition to spearing fish and catching them with hooks, the Taino would also catch fish and turtles in nets.
Are Jamaicans originally from Africa?
Jamaicans are the citizens of Jamaica and their descendants in the Jamaican diaspora. The vast majority of Jamaicans are of
African descent
, with minorities of Europeans, East Indians, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and others of mixed ancestry.
What is the name of the Tainos leader?
Cacique
comes from the Taíno word kassiquan, meaning “to keep house”. In 1555 the word entered the English language as “prince”. In Taíno culture, the cacique rank was hereditary and sometimes established through democratic means.
Did the Tainos have tattoos?
“As a pre-columbian society the Taino had no written alphabet. Instead they had a language called Arawakan, which consisted of petroglyphs, artistic symbols that were carved on rocks. These artful symbols were also tattooed.
Taino men had tattoos for spiritual purposes
, the women had piercings.”
What did the Taínos contribute to the Caribbean?
In Jamaica, the Tainos established an estimated 200 villages by the time Christopher Columbus set foot on the island in 1494 and numbered around 60,000 people. They thrived for thousands of years by cultivating
corn, gathering local fruits, and catching fish and turtles for food
.
Why did the Taínos painted their body?
Body painting was common among Arawakan peoples, partly for the sake of aesthetics but mostly
as an act of spirituality
.
What were the Taínos known for?
Skilled at agriculture and hunting
, Taínos were also good sailors, fishermen, canoe makers, and navigators. Their main crops were cassava, garlic, potatoes, yautías, mamey, guava, and anón. They had no calendar or writing system, and could count only up to twenty, using their hands and feet.
