Taíno Religion

The Taíno were a historic indigenous people of the Caribbean, whose culture has been continued today by Taíno descendant communities and Taíno revivalist communities. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of what is now Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and the northern Lesser Antilles. The Lucayan branch of the Taíno were the first New World peoples encountered by Christopher Columbus in the Bahama Archipelago on October 12, 1492. The Taíno spoke a dialect of the Arawakan language group and lived in agricultural societies. The Taíno had a matrilineal system of kinship, descent, and inheritance. Taíno society was divided into two classes: naborias (commoners) and nitaínos (nobles). They were governed by male chiefs known as caciques who inherited their position through their mother's noble line. The practice of polygamy enabled the cacique to create family alliances in different localities, thus extending his power. Taíno spirituality centered on the worship of zemis (spirits or ancestors). Major Taíno zemis included Atabey and her son, Yúcahu. Atabey was thought to be the zemi of the moon, fresh waters, and fertility. Guabancex was the non-nurturing aspect of the zemi Atabey who was believed to have control over natural disasters. She is identified as the goddess of hurricanes or as the zemi of storms. Guabancex had twin sons: Guataubá, a messenger who created hurricane winds, and Coatrisquie, who created floodwaters. Iguanaboína was the goddess of good weather. She also had twin sons: Boinayel, the messenger of rain, and his twin brother Marohu, the spirit of clear skies. Minor Taíno zemis are tied to the growing of cassava and the processes of life, creation, and death. Baibrama was a minor zemi worshiped for his assistance in growing cassava and curing people of its poisonous juice. Maquetaurie Guayaba, or Maketaori Guayaba, was the zemi of Coaybay, or Coabey, the land of the dead. Opiyelguabirán', a dog-shaped zemi, watched over the dead. Deminán Caracaracol, a male cultural hero from whom the Taíno believed themselves to be descended, was worshipped as a zemí. Macocael was a cultural hero worshipped as a zemi. Macocael had failed to guard the mountain from which human beings arose. He was punished by being turned into stone, or a bird, a frog, or a reptile, depending on local interpretations of the myth. Zemí was also the name the people gave to physical representations of zemis. These objects or drawings took many forms, were made of many materials, and were found in a variety of settings. The majority of zemís were crafted from wood, but stone, bone, shell, pottery, and cotton were used as well. Zemí petroglyphs were carved on rocks in streams, ball courts, and stalagmites in caves. Some zemís were accompanied by small tables or trays with ornately carved snuff tubes. These are believed to be receptacles for hallucinogenic snuff called cohoba which was prepared from the beans of a species of Piptadenia tree. Before certain ceremonies, Taínos would purify themselves either by inducing vomiting (with a swallowing stick) or by fasting. After communal bread was served, first to the zemí, then to the cacique, and lastly to the common people, the Taíno would sing the village epic to the accompaniment of maracas and other instruments.