Tainos participate in the DRUMS ALONG THE HUDSON POW WOW

[Miguel Sague Jr]

Tau My Relatives
It was a pleasure for me this past Sunday May 17, 2009 to have had the opportunity of participating in this year's Drums Along the Hudson Pow Wow at Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan. Many of our Taino brothers and sisters were in attendance at the event. I had the pleasure of coming accross several members of this network including Yabey and Brooke among others, as well as our talented craftsperson Ray Caracoli, who actually had a booth at the event and was there working with various metals to create the unique art objects he is well-know for.

I also met other members of the taino Resurgence community, including the guama of the Nacion Taina De Las Antillas, Kasike Rene Cibanakan Marcano.

The United Confederation of Taino People, led by Kacike Roberto Mukaro Borrero maintained its own display table at the Environmental Tent and its talented music and dance group CACIBAJAGUA was given the honor of performing the opening presentation on the main stage.

I had the opportunity to hang out at the UCTP booth for a while.

While I was there I had the chance to observe Cacibajagua mayohuakan drummer and UCTP website technician Eric take time to teach a number of the children in attendance some simple techniques of the log-drum playing.

Kasike Mukaro spent a great deal of time at the information booth explaining details of traditional Taino culture to booth visitors as well as explaining the benefits of filling out the UCTP census information form and demonstrating the guamo playing technique.

The kasike of Maisiti Yukayeke Taino, Guama Roman Guaraguaorix (pictured here standing by me) was one of the official pow wow drumers and many Tainos participated in the intertribal dances to the beat of that big drum.

Although I myself did not have the opportunity to dance I was warmed by the sight of my Taino brothers and sisters, members of all the various groups and yukayekes dancing together to the drum heartbeat of our Mother Earth.

In this photo our sister Inaru of Yaboa, Bohio Ata Bey and UCTP, and kasike Cibanakan of Nacion Taina participate together in an intertribal dance. jan Jan Katu!
Taino Ti
Miguel