The Taino Awards event in New York City
Tau My Relatives
This past Saturday, March 28 it was my honor to attend the First Annual Taino Awards Ceremony sponsored by Ku Karey Spiritual Circle and Yamokuno Tanama Yukayeke Taino at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York City.
The event was the brainchild of Beike Warixi and Beike/Kasike Maweiaru. My general impression of the event is that it was an honest and sincere attempt to honor Tainos in our community who the honoree selection commitee felt had made a real contribution to our progress as a people and also a sincere attempt at further reconciliation and unity within our community.
The event was moderated by New York hip hop celebrity Caridad De La Luz "La Bruja" who captured the hearts of everyone present with her sincerity, her candor and the purity of her expression, not to mention her awesome talent. The event was well organized and effectively carried out and brought together under one roof some of the most prominent figures in the Taino Resurgence, including such people as Jorge Estevez, Bobby Gonzalez and Kasike Pedro Guanikeyu Torres.
I was one of the nominees and travelled from Pittsburgh to attend but I have to admit that I felt somewhat overwhelmed and a little inadecuate to be placed at the same level as individuals who have lived their whole lives among the Tainos of the Resurgence and have been active in the furtherance of our tradition for over twenty years right there in the New York area where the Resurgence Movement originated.
There were emotional moments during the event that stopped the show and brought total silence to the crowd. One of these moments was the acceptance speech delivered by 17-year-old honoree Sofia Inaru, daughter of Kasike Roman Guaraguaorix of Maisiti Yukayeke. Sofia delivered her speech entirely in Taino and the effect was electrifying, to see that beautiful young woman standing up there speaking the words of a language that many have pronounced "extinct".
Other moments of high emotion followed, including the acceptance speech of Tekina Ana Maria Maynard, who not being able to attend in person, sent in her acceptance speech in video form. The video was screened on a huge screen where we in the audience could all see it and it captured the imagination of all present. It showed Ana Maria in full Taino regalia surrounded by the beautiful children who are part of her enssemble in Austin Texas. Ana Maria accepted the award not in her own behalf but in behalf of the children with whom she works through her PuertoRican Dance group. at the end of the speech the children, also dressed in full Taino regalia, shouted a confident and defiant cry of confirmation that we Tainos are in fact still here.
The rest of the evening was filled with similar moments of great emotion and general feeling of community and unity. There was prayer and tradition led by Kasike Maweiaru and words of encouragement delivered by Beike Warixi.
I felt extremely honored to find myself in the company of the other honorees and those brothers and sisters present in the audience, and I left the event with a wonderful sense that the Resurgence had taken one more step towards real unity and reconciliation.
Please check out other photos of the event in my photo album. All photos were taken from the Flicker gallery of photographer Elena "Mamarazzi" Marrero.
Taino Ti
Miguel Sobaoko Koromo Sague
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anita Pagan on
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Tau Miguel!
It seems you had a blast! Literally!! LOL!!
Would you be so kind as to list the folk that were awarded and the "category" they were recognized under for those of us who were not able to attend?
Bo'matum
Nanu -
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Permalink Reply by Miguel Sague Jr on
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Tau Nanu I knew someone was going to ask for this sooner or later...don't think it didn't occur to me I was just being lazy and didn't want to enumerate every single honoree. :-)
Of course, you are right, I should. I will look at the program tonight and post into this discussion thread a full list of all the honorees.
Of course if our sister Warixi happens to be following this thread could you pretty please do this little job for us. You also have a full list.
Taino Ti
Miguel -
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Permalink Reply by Monika/Mamona on
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Ta'kahi
Miguel
Bo'matum for the information, it was great to see the people rec'd the awards for their hard work and kindness to our people, we are one, it is good to see also rec'ding an award for you part in keeping our people informed..
You have such a good heart and soul my brother
Bo'matum
Mamona -
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Bo Matun Sister! :-)
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