Valid Research on Taíno Claims to Native American Identity

With the increasing situations of the "Race Shifting" known as Pretenindian, I am in continuous research. This is the first of many to come. I value any research or feedback. Currently I am in building of information. Trying to gain more information on this term and how one defines it.

From the indigenousfoundation.org: A Pretendian (a combination of the words pretend and Indian) is a non-Indigenous person who falsely claims Indigenous ancestry, and/or falsely claims to be from a specific Indigenous nation.

Genetic Evidence

Recent genetic studies have provided strong scientific support for Taíno claims to Native American ancestry:

A 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) sequenced the genome of an ancient Taíno individual from the Bahamas. The researchers found that the Native American genetic components in some present-day Caribbean genomes are closely related to the ancient Taíno, demonstrating that indigenous ancestry in the region has survived to the present day6. This study directly counters the long-held narrative of complete Taíno extinction.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) studies show that approximately 61% of Puerto Ricans carry Native American maternal lineages, most closely related to the Taíno and other Arawakan-speaking peoples of the Caribbean and northern South America1 27. This genetic continuity is also observed in other Caribbean populations, though at varying levels45.
A 2018 ancient genome study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge and the University of Copenhagen confirmed that the Native American ancestry in modern Caribbean populations is closely related to the ancient Taíno, providing clear genetic evidence of their survival and continuity46.

Historical and Cultural Continuity

The dominant narrative in the Caribbean has been that the Taíno were wiped out or became "too mixed" to claim an indigenous identity after European colonization23. However, grassroots movements, especially since the 1960s, have challenged this, asserting Taíno survival through both genetic and cultural continuity2.
Cultural practices, language, and knowledge with clear Taíno roots persist in Caribbean societies. Many everyday words in Spanish and English (such as "hammock," "canoe," "barbecue," "hurricane," "guava," and "tobacco") are of Taíno origin, and elements of Taíno culture are visible in cuisine, rural traditions, and community rituals17.
Historians and anthropologists argue that Taíno identity survived through creolization and adaptation, blending with African and European influences but maintaining distinct indigenous elements1. The survival of Taíno-derived customs, especially among marginalized rural populations in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, further supports these claims1.

Recognition and Identity

In the 2010 US Census, Taíno individuals were able to self-identify as Native American, marking a significant step in official recognition2. As of the 2020 Census, over 92,000 Puerto Ricans self-identified as Indigenous, reflecting growing acknowledgment of Taíno heritage7.
The opening of Taíno exhibits at major institutions, such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and the increasing visibility of Taíno community organizations, further validate the ongoing presence and recognition of Taíno identity2.

Academic Consensus

While some scholars previously doubted the legitimacy of Taíno survival due to colonial narratives of extinction, recent genetic, archaeological, and anthropological research has shifted the consensus. The persistence of Taíno genes, culture, and self-identification is now widely recognized as evidence of indigenous continuity in the Caribbean1 4 67.

Summary Table: Evidence for Taíno Native American Identity

Type of Evidence	Key Findings	Source(s)
Genetic (mtDNA, genome)	61% of Puerto Ricans have Native American mtDNA; ancient genome links modern people to Taíno	1 4 6 7
Cultural	Taíno words, foods, and practices persist in Caribbean societies	1 7
Historical	Grassroots movements and census recognition of Taíno identity since the 1960s	2 7
Scholarly consensus	Recent research debunks extinction myth, confirms genetic and cultural continuity	1 4 6 7

Conclusion

Multiple lines of valid research—genetic, cultural, historical, and anthropological—support the Taíno claim to Native American identity. Despite centuries of colonial narratives asserting their extinction, both scientific studies and cultural evidence confirm the survival and ongoing presence of Taíno descendants in the Caribbean and diaspora1 4 67.

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Valid Research on Taíno Claims to Native American Identity

Summary Table: Evidence for Taíno Native American Identity

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