The Second Discovery of Taino

[Keiahani]

In Puerto Rico the indigenous identity has been a blend of staged historical reenactments and Indian hobbyist. The Nuyorican Movement however had a plethora of information regarding the Native American movements. They also had a vital resource: other natives. It is from these natives that state side Tainos learned about the Indian reality, continuity, affirmation, and nation building. In other words restoring and preserving the culture,the Daca Taino movement, and the process of the restored nation/confederation/intertribal councils. Tainos in the states also took on native issues like poverty in reservations, the incarceration of Leonard Peltier, encroachment onto native land, and violations of treaty. State side Tainos have also fought for repatriation which resulted in the return of ancestral remains back to the indigenous community headed by Don Panchito in La Rancheria en Baracoa, Cuba. State Side Tainos were also able to remove the word extinct when it came to the Taino in the Merriam Webster dictionary.

It is because of our experiences within the states we are able to understand the global Indigenous reality and awareness. The Tainos from the US of A might be deprived of island life but by not being present it has broadened our perspective on what it means to be indigenous. By no means am I blaming the Island Taino for being romantic or stereotyping because I know that they are the by product of a staged culture. In essence their model for indigenous identity is a historical reenactment, which i consider just another part of cultural genocide and globalization. All of these beginnings are pre-genetic study. They happened before the Mitochondrial DNA was even a blink in the Taino's eye. After the Daca Taino movement in the untied states and the DNA studies, the staged culture [historical reenactment] in Puerto Rico began to identify as taino and no longer as indigenous hobbyist.

Now we are in the stages of the second "discovery" based on DNA. It has also brought a new wave of Taino that focuses solely or the majority of their indigenous identity on characteristics and traits. It has also brought a wave of Caribbean students who feel that the taino movement is new and up for them to redefine or reinvent without any cultural contributions of the founding pioneers in taino revival. -Which are the majority of the verifiers of the "authenticity" of the staged culture.

So my question is why do the new comers to the movement spite the same people that pioneered it and refuse to learn from their experiences?

how can people ignore what has been presented to them by the same tainos that gave birth to the taino identity?

if affirmation is one element of resurgence why aren't people ready to learn about the resurgence? or is it even about resurgence at all?

Or is Daca taino now just about DNA? what type of nation will this ideology leave?

[Keiahani]

can i have a few examples of what you will be teaching? what taino traditions will you teach and to whom?

[Caracoli]

Your christian traditions and lifeways ?

Will they be any Taino traditions you will teach your children

What would those traditions be

will you carry on the work of the resurgence as stated in the post ?

[Caracoli]

Your answers are short bursts,

you really don't bring much to the table sorry to say

you really need to seek an elder in Boriken and learn the Taino reurgence movement.

Naniki Reyes Ocasio of the Caney quinto mundo would be a start.

Go talk to the Consejo general de Tainos borincanos

perhaps org. taina ke

Concillio Guatu Macu

Taino Arawaka

Find Kacian who lives in Juana diaz

Go to them with humility

that would be a start.

[Ivy]

Oh, and I'm doing my part to keep the population alive, too! LOL!

[Caracoli]

lmao thats Taino Resugence big time

[Keiahani]

lmao

[Ivy]

Ray, tell me more about the Resurgence, as I have very limited knowledge of it. I know I have to do my own research, but can you just give me a little walk-through? Thanks.

[Caracoli]

Taino Ti Ivy

You can start by reading Taino resurgence the eary days, I will post a new installment soon also Brooke has covered some of the resurgence as stated above.

Caracoli

[Ivy]

It would be nice to hear from more elders as well as newcomers to see what direction they think the Resurgence is going and where it should be going...

[Anita Pagan]

Taino Ti all~

These are interesting questions, Brooke. Thanks for bringing them up and allowing the opportunity for examination and discussion.

So my question is why do the new comers to the movement spite the same people that pioneered it and refuse to learn from their experiences?

More than anything, I believe that the offense may come from ego on both sides. Some of these "pioneers" will attempt to impose their ways and opinions on others without considering that this imposition is disrespectful. That this person may have different experiences that don't reflect the same values. Forgetting that not everyone is ready to accept what one has to offer,and the possibility that a newcomer may have something to offer as well. There is little tolerance for different points of view and many are not willing to accept those opinions or actions with which they do not agree. Lack of acceptance leads to power plays that lead to splintering.

We have adopted the modern idea of disposability and this has been applied to people as well...

how can people ignore what has been presented to them by the same tainos that gave birth to the taino identity?

This is an interesting question because the Taino identity, like any other, is constantly shifting. It wasn't just invented in the last 20 years, it's been defined and re-defined by the people who have identified themselves as such throughout the centuries!

The Taino self-identity is also different from one person to the next as well as from the islands and the mainland. It's even different from one Caribbean island to another. As mentioned, the Caribbean people in the mainland realized they were native through the Indians there and became active in the US native political scene.

The Taino on the islands just live it- they don't call it being Taino they call it life. For those who identify as Taino there, it was never a matter of question; and for many others, it's just a matter of identifying what is.

Self identity is personal and will vary according to the individual. For those coming to their Taino identity for the first time, on either side of the pond, the recognition could be the features, the DNA, the family stories, the uncle who did this, the grandma who did that, the lack of this or the presence of that...these things will aid them on their path of self discovery. One person can share their opinion with another regarding what Taino identity incorporates, but rarely do folks keep in mind that what is true for one may not be so for another. One cannot give birth to another person's Taino identity; one cannot give birth to another person's identity at all.

If you are talking about "political" identity, then that is a different story all together since not everyone is into politics.

if affirmation is one element of resurgence why aren't people ready to learn about the resurgence? or is it even about resurgence at all?

I believe that "resurgence" means different things to different people. The word means re-birth but how a person would re-birth themselves, and what values they keep or discard is a personal choice that is not open to discussion. One person may focus on creative endeavors whereas another may focus on academia, one may choose to keep or discard a spiritual practice that is foreign where another may not be interested in practicing any spirituality at all. Like you said, "affirmation is only one element of the resurgence", history is another. Interest in one doesn't imply interest in all.

And those interested in history must keep in mind that the story varies with the teller. Isn't that one of the biggest lessons we learn in this resurgence? There is differing information from one group to another and the same groundwork that leads to the splintering of people, leads to the splintering of stories. Everyone has their own experiences and opinions on the same empirical evidence.

Because people are disposable, it's real easy to bait, argue, insult and belittle each other. One can just walk away...

Those who seek to teach forget the best way anyone learns is by example.

Or is Daca taino now just about DNA? what type of nation will this ideology leave?

I think that DNA is only a very small part of self identity, although I will admit, it could be one of the paths taken to self discovery.

I think it's popular now because it's recent science and it's on the Discovery Channel and magazine articles are dedicated to it; it's used in forensics and court cases which is all the rage on tv. Once the population is fully saturated with the topic, something new will take it's place for such is the way of the media. Sadly, the abundance of information leads to a lot of misguided ideas. The topic is complicated to begin with and easily misunderstood. Add that to those who have limited time to read, or limit their sources of information, and you end up with a menjunje que no se quiere pa' na'.

I mentioned this somewhere else, if we are going to identify only through blood quantum, our numbers will swiftly dwindle and can only go down from there. By the same token, if we are going to base the Taino identity only on culture, the numbers will also decline.

Some of us grew up on the islands, jumping into the river off La Piedra Escrita, eating jobos off the tree and carrying boxes of artesania from feria to feria. Some of us have found cemis and shards of pottery lying around in our back yards. Some of us grew up knowing the subway system inside out, dealing with snow and walking among buildings with hundreds of floors. A Taino who grew up in Hawaii is not the same as one who grew up in Cali, in TX, in FL, NY, IL, or the Caribbean. These cultures are very contrasting, and Taino from such varied backgrounds will have substantial differences that will have to be acknowledged and respected if we are to become a Nation.

The word "diaspora" has been used so much in the resurgence that the implications of it's meaning has been lost.

Daca Taino is a matter of self discovery and self identity. Those who chose to become involved in the resurgence will need to take that into account and respect those differences by exhibiting a little tolerance, patience and acceptance towards and for each other.

I think it all boils down to respect and actively seeking common ground.

Again, thanks for the opportunity to share.
Nanu