I dedicate these pages to my good and true friend
Elder Pedro Guanikeyu Torres, his Tribe and to all Taino People.


"AJI AYA BOMBE!" (Better dead than a slave)

"We, The Taino People Who Discovered Columbus In 1492
Are Still Here"


The Taino People

Taino Jatibonicu' Tribe of Boriken (Puerto Rico)
"Great People Of The Sacred Hight Waters"

A Jatibonicu' Taino History in Puerto Rico & New Jersey

Taiguey Guaitiaos
Good Day Friends

Taino Indigenous People of The Caribbean & Florida

The Taino people living in the mountainous regions of the Caribbean Islands faced economic hardship. Because they were by tradition farmers, Taino workers from the Islands and from Florida entered into contracts with farmers in southern New Jersey to supply agricultural labor in the production of vegetables.

This settlement took place in the 1930s and marks the beginning of the Taino Jatibonicu' band of southern New Jersey, known as by their tribal name of Jatibonicu' "Great People Of The Sacred High Waters". It was not until November 24th, 1993, that the first NJ Taino Council came to order in the State of New Jersey under the leadership of its founding father:

Elder Pedro Guanikeyu Torres.

Elder Pedro Guanikeyu Torres

Proud Taino Warrior Man"

These Taino peoples originated in the mountain yucayeke (village) of Jatibonicu' - the village of Great Chief Orocobix of the district of Jatibonicu', which today covers the cities of Orocovis, Barranquitas, Morovis and Aibonito on the Island of Boriken (Puerto Rico).

Our New Jersey Taino Tribal Band has its own United States Taino Tribal Council Government and today serves as the United States region office of the Taino Tribe of Jatibonicu' of Boriken (Puerto Rico),that has representation via two (2) NJ Inter-Tribal Commissioner within the New Jersey Commission on Indian Affairs.

"We are not, nor are we so bigoted as to have ever claimed to be the Taino Indigenous People of the Caribbean and Florida, but just another small humble branch of the same old Sacred Cojobana tree".

Memories of Columbus

Tau Guaitiao, Guazabara (Hello Warriors Friends)

We, the Taino people, know Cristóbal Colón very well. He called our people Indio. The word sounds like In God one with God, yet he committed mass genocide against 8 Million of my family members. My beloved great-grandfather Chief Orocobix of Yucayeque (Village) of Jatibonico was put to the Guamikena (Covered peoples) sword, after Diego Colónin Boriken (Puerto Rico) took the land and over 400 pounds of gold from his mountain yucayeque (Village).

Now ask me, "Do I love this white man named Colón?"

Guaroco Yucayeke

In Rememberance of My People

I always seem to cry when I talk about what this man and his people did! The pain of my people is still very deeply rooted within my heart! I only ask the Creator Yaya for forgiveness, for my painful bitterness of this cross that I carry within my heart!

The Taino people are very much alive. They just cover the negative side of how Cristóbal Colón (Columbus) and his Euro-criminal scaused mass genocide against our people. They do not tell the whole truth, they just keep spreading the Caribbean Taino extinction story. The other problem we find is that they do not inform people that the Taino's had lived in the tropical Taino homeland of Florida as the Tribes of the Timucua, Guacara and Calusa or other Taino people living in Bemini (Florida) at the time of the Spanish invasion of 1492-93. We will start a Taino Indigenous book review, to clear out the false story tellers. Most of the books you find do not cover the fact that the Taino people are very much alive.

Yes, the memories do cut like a knife into my heart. But the memory of this animal must be spoken about, for our people have gone too long without telling the world the truth, about this man called Cristóbal Colón, the man that did not discover anything. To the north they speak of him in history books, as a great man. They do not tell how he and his people fed the chopped up body's of our children to their killer dogs. Nor do they talk about the men that, jokingly placed our young Yucayeke(Village) boys in a line and cut them in half with the Toledo swards. See how many of our Taino children that they could cut in half with one single blow! Yes the 500 plus years of pain never goes away. I, as a Taino man must tell the world what it does not want to hear. The truth spoken by one of the real First Americans who survived of the great holocaust of the of the 6 to 8 Million tears.

WE TAINO'S HAVE SURVIVED TO TELL THE WORLD THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS MAN NAMED COLUMBUS !!!

The Tainos And The Pocahontas Story

Pocahontas is anther lie! Many Taino know that Pocahontas was a not even in the picture 200 years, before the original story was being read by some White Man named John Smith. He read the Garcilasco De Vega story, about a captive Spanish man called "Ortiz" and his account of 1528. This account was later published in 1557 in Lisbon, Portugal and later translated into English in 1605. This account by Garcillasco De Vega about Juan (John) Ortiz's encounter with the Taino-Timucua Indigenous Cacique (Chieftist) near Tampa Bay in Bimini (Florida). Her real name was Caciquea Ulele (Chieftist). The use of the word "Barbacoa", a word that survived as "Barbecue" is of the Taino Language, meaning the fire pit.

It seems that the father of Ulele, Cacique Hirrihugua of the Yucayeque (Village) of Ucita, was going to have Juan (John) Ortiz put to death, because the Spaniard Narvaez had cut off his nose and killed his Mother. The daugther Ulele pleaded with her father to spare Ortiz's life. The next day Caciquea Ulele took Ortiz to the nieghboring Guacara Yucayeque (Village) of Cacique (Chief) Moscoso. The rest is nothing but a little white lie told by John Smith or John Ortiz an English manor a Spaniard? The Powhatan people do not have our Taino southern traditions; furthermore we do not speak the Powhatan language of the North-East. We Taino Indigenous Nation of the Caribbean & Florida know the truth of Juan Ortiz. It was not until 500 years later on in November 18th, 1993 that we have made this statement via our supporting evidence of traditional language and customs of the Taino-Timucua people of Bimini (Florida). Please do note that many historians of Florida support these historical facts.


We The Indigenous People of Amikekia

I will speak my heart, as my fallen Grandfathers would ask of me. Many times we lose track of what symbols mean.

We, as the true landlords of our mother Atabey (Earth Mother) must always remember the past, so we can live in the present. The old Taino language name for Turtle Island was once called the Amikekia (The People's Island Land of the Great Lord). Today they call it America. We as a United Native American people have never had a flag that represents our people, "La Raza": The Race of Amikekia.

The point that must be made here is that we shed our blood for something that was not ours! Many Native American Warriors fell in battle for this colonial symbol. We must respect the memory of those brave Warriors, not the colonial flag of United States OF North America. We must remember the memories of our Sacred Chiefs, like War Chief Guarionex and Chief Joeseph with the tear in his eye. Do you not remember the Indian Wars? Then why do you still think of this colonial symbol as being yours? It is time that all Native people of Amikekia, stand up: for the symbol of the four Directions. This is what rises in the morning, under one Amikekia Nation. The Nation of the Sun father must soon be free!

A point of North American Anglo prejudice AMERICA does not mean the United States "OF" North America. We are one people, one race, that family of the rising Sun, shining upon our Sacred Caguana (The Trutle Island).

In the morning before the wings sing their honor song, I rise in the west. Hear me sing my morning bird song, holding up my arms like the sacred tree, giving thanks for the birth of the new day, as was shown tome by my honored Grandfathers.

"We are still here!"

Tayno Ti! (Walk in gentleness)

Pedro GuanikeyuTorres, Council Elder



The Taino Indigenous Documentation Project
(An Umbrella Research Project)

The Taino National Directory List

The Taino National Directory List project was started on November 24, 1993, with the support of the Puerto Rican Genealogy Society of Morovis Puerto Rico. The linking of all the Taino families under one National Directory of the Caribbean is a monumental task.

The Taino Elders Documentation Project

It seems that the Indigenous Caribbean knowledge is disappearing at an alarming rate with the passing on of our older Elders. We have taken the task of documenting all Taino family genealogy and mountain culture remaining that is in the past memories of our older Elders, who are dying off like flies. We must act now! We must realize for each minute we waste an older elder dies, with them goes a part of our past history, our true understanding of the Taino Indigenous way of life. Each day a part of our own life dies along with our beloved sacred Elders!

Project Team Volunteers

We are asking that if anyone is interested in working with the Committee on this new Elders Project, who are living on the other Caribbean Islands to please contact our office so that we can make unified effort.

Donations

We are asking that anyone having any free time to work on the Taino Elders project to please contact our office in Southern New Jersey. We will be needing monies to fund the project. If you know about grant writing, please do not hesitate to contact us. This Project will be needing a VCR CamCorder, a Type Recorder, to archive the Elders on the Islands and in the United States as part of the Taino Indigenous Project documentation.

Taino National Repatriation Committee Members Needed

(Statement: To Repatriate All Sacred Objects and Cultural Property)

Our Taino Indigenous People's Sacred Objects are being sold at auctions, yet we can not stop them, because of a loophole in the law of not being BIA officially recognized. We are now starting up a fight to stop these people from selling our Sacred things. We need the help of our all Native American Nations to stop this from happening. Can anyone help us Tainos the First Americans of the invasion of Oct 12, 1492. Your fight is our fight, our fight is your fight! Now we Taino's need your brotherly support. Our Southern Colibri (Hummingbird) is calling to his brother the Guaraguao (Great Redhawk) and the Spotted Eagle) its brothers to the north. Our Mayohuacan Drum of the South beats for the union of the Sacred Buffalo Drum. The Longhouse of the Wolf Clan hear our cries, the crys of the 8 Million Taino ancestors the victims of Columbus!

"AJI AYA BOMBE!" (Better dead than a slave)

Great War Chief Guarionex of Otuao

November 1511
The Great Battle of the Toa

PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO ANYONE
WHO CAN HELP OUR SACRED CAUSE

Fraternally yours,

Pedro GuanikeyuTorres

Jatibonicu' Tribal Council Elder & Nitayno

Survivor of the Taino Tribe of Jatibonicu', Boriken (Puerto Rico)


References:

"The Indian Chronicles" by Jose Barreiro Ph.D a Prof. at Cornell University

The Taino Documentation Project A Monumental Task

We have The "Taino Documentation Project." We have collected many Taino files that we have within our project archives related to the Taino Indigenous people of the Caribbean and United States mainland. The BBS Hummingbird BBS online Service has a major database so call the Board [and] look around. If you have any new Taino documents or other related information files that you would like to share, then please upload, then to the Hummingbird BBS database. Please do it today. The Taino people need the help of lots of good Caribbean/Florida friends.

The Hummingbird Colibri Taino Bulletin Board Service

A Taino Community Bulletin Board Service
Sysop: Mr. Welfredo Cayey Alvarado
Voice: (609) 696-4571
The National Taino Computer Database
An American Indian Community News Service
The Hummingbird BBS Data Line: (609) 825-7922
High Speed US Robotics 28800 Modem (24 hour online BBS Service)



Recognize your Taino Roots


Puerto Rico And United States Tribal Contacts

El Consejo Tribal Taino De Jatibonicu'
Las Montan~aa De La Cordillera Central
Barrio Caonillas, Aibonito, Puerto Rico 00705


The Taino Inter-Tribal Council Inc.
NJ State Regional Office
527 Mulberry Street
Millville, New Jersey 08332
Voice: (609) 825-7776
Fax: (609) 825-7922

Southern Jersey Taino Tribal Band of Jatibonicu'
Tribal Caney Longhouse
Bohike: Frank Yuguaraguao WhiteEagle
Voice Phone: (914) 292-3544

The Taino Tribal Council of Jatibonicu'
US Regional Tribal Affairs Office
703 South Eight StreetVineland, New Jersey 08360
Voice: (609) 690-1565


May the Great Mystery Bless, Guide, Protect and Sustain you all, now and always!

Qué el Gran Mysterio Bendiga, Guía, Proteye & Sustenga a todo, ahora y siempre!

Taino-Ti! (Good Spirits Be With You! / Buenos Espiritus Estar Con Ustedes!)








Begin Your journey, learn the Steps to
Your Indian Ancestry
Beginners Lesson in Genealogy




American Indian Heritage Foundation
Indians.org Home | Indigenous Peoples' Literature Index Page

The Tribal Directory



The Indigenous Peoples' Literature pages were researched and organized by Glenn Welker.