Pleiades Dance?

[Nelson Kaoamarix Zayas]

Is anyone aware of a ritual ceremony in Taino culture involving  the Pleiades dance, which involves a mock fight between men and women, followed by a race? The dance took place at the start of the Taino year (between May and June)

[Miguel Sague Jr]

That sounds fascinating! where did you get your information? I want to check it out!

[Nelson Kaoamarix Zayas]

See article below. I am trying to confirm this information.

http://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2139/11062/Arti...

I would be interested in what you find out, Bo Matum

[Miguel Sague Jr]

This definitely looks like solid stuff. I would have liked the author to be more specific in sourcing the comment about the Pleiades dance itself but his sources in general (especially Sebastian Robiou-Lamarche) are top notch experts who know Taino archeoastronomy forward and backward. I will go back and re-read the archeoastronomy I have from Robiou-Lamarche because I think that is where this author got his info about the Peiades dance. Thank you for the info!  

[Nelson Kaoamarix Zayas]

My journey has only begun recently, so I am sure you can understand my wanting to confirm what I read. There seems to be a lot of "facts" stated in articles and books and I really have no way of knowing what is true unless I read the same information in multiple sources. Or post questions in forums such as this.  Also in this article it stated that the Taino year begins with the heliacal rising of the Pleiades. Is that your understanding also? Another previously posted question (on this forum) was why does the our Medicine wheel begin in the South (as opposed to the East, as most mainland Native American cultures do)? Thank you and all others on this forum for accepting my questions and for the answers I receive.

[Nelson Kaoamarix Zayas]

FYI. I was pleasantly surprised that after contacting him (or her) directly, Fabiola Jara sent me a copy of the article: Arawak Constellations: In Search of the Manioc Stars in Tropical South America. A Bibliography Survey.

In the article it also states "The agricultural cycle opens with the heliacal rising of the Pleiades, announcing the start of the new year and the time to cut down the first trees"

This statement is not cited which may mean s/he is the source of that statement based on their research. I am not done with the article. Will keep everyone posted

[Miguel Sague Jr]

I want you to know that this is of enormous interest to me right now. I myself am in the process of preparing my own blog post on Taino astronomy and I am alert at this time for anything new in that field. Thank you for bringing up this topic.

 

[Nelson Kaoamarix Zayas]

Astronomy was my first major in college back in 1980. I would be happy to work on an astronomy discussion meant to be done outdoors where the constellations can be shown to participants. I have a green laser I use which projects a green line up to whatever you point to in the sky (rather than just pointing with your fingers). I have even used the laser while looking through my telescope to find objects.

Later in the article author states" Among the neighboring Guaycurus, the heliacal rising of the Pleiades initiated a long period of ritual festivities involving a mock fight between men and women". The citation is Charlevoix, 1761, Vol. 1:73

Bibliography:

Charlevoix, P.F.X. de Histoire du Paraguay, 3 vols, Paris, 1761.

I already checked Amazon and they have an English translation for Volume 1 (its in my cart)

[Nelson Kaoamarix Zayas]

I did not see how to attach a document in a reply so I sent you 4 articles to your Yahoo account. When you get a moment, please confirm you received them. 

[Miguel Sague Jr]

I found your attachments and I already downloaded them into my hard drive. I am eternally grateful! Bo matun!

 

[Joanna 'Aya' Soto-Avilés]

Takahi Nelson,

I had the same problem myself trying to figure out how to attach a document in a reply.  I found out you can attach files (up to a limit of 5MB) by clicking where is says "Upload files" just below the reply window on the left hand side.  Then you would click on the "Browse" button under 'Attach files" to attach your file. 

Hope this helps.  I, too, would like to see the articles and I am sure there are others who are interested as well.  I find Taino archeoastronomy to be a vastly interesting and fascinating subject. 

Hahom, Atiao, for posting such an interesting discussion topic. 

Seneko Kakona,
Aya

[Joanna 'Aya' Soto-Avilés]

P.S.:  Attached is the "Astronomy in Taino Mythology" article by Sebastian Robiou-Lamarche, Archaeoastronomy, pp. 110-115, in case anyone in this discussion topic is interested.  :)

[Nelson Kaoamarix Zayas]

I see it now Joanna. Articles are on my laptop, will post everything I have tomorrow.