For the Taino in all of us

[JC Perea]

My Father's family is from the town of Añasco: They are very proud to be somehow connected with this event. Taino is how the have always identified.

Urayoán was a Taíno "Cacique" (Chief) famous for ordering the drowning of Diego Salcedo to determine if the Spanish were gods.   He was the cacique of "Yucayeque del Yagüeka or Yagüeca", which today would lie in the region that presently spans between Añasco and Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. His territory was marked by the natural boundaries of two rivers: Guaorabo to the North and Yagüez to the South.

In 1511, Urayoán and Agüeybaná II (The Brave) conceived a plan to find out if the Spaniards were really Gods. Diego Salcedo (a Spanish soldier) was welcomed by Urayoán into his village and was offered to stay for the night. The following day, by Urayoán's order, Salcedo was drowned while attempting to cross, while on top of a Taíno warrior, the Guaorabo river (presently called Great Añasco River). The body of Salcedo was watched for 3 days after his death. Upon confirmation of the mortality of the Spanish, Agüeybaná II ordered the Taínos to revolt.