Full Moon Ceremony in Youngstown Ohio

[Miguel Sague Jr]

Takaji My Relatives
On Saturday September 5 the Caney Indigenous Spiritual Circle joined with the United Confederation of Taino People in the city of Youngstown Ohio to celebrate the Sacred Full Moon Ceremony.

We could not have asked for a more beautiful afternoon for the celebration of this powerful ritual. The full moon had already been gracing us for several nights and we were all charged and spiritually ready for the ocasion.

The event was held at Boardman Park and officially hosted by the local Ohio UCTP regional representative Dr. Rose Xochitl Anao Quinones who took care of reserving the location and personally conducted most of the publicity activities.

Both the UCTP and the Caney Spiritual Circle maintained information tables at the event allowing the participants an opportunity to learn more about our Resurgence movement and the ancient culture of the Tainos. Our sister Rose Anao made sure that participants, many of whom are not really very much informed on the current Taino Resirgence, received a copy of the UCTP Census registration form so that our brothers and sisters in the eastern Ohio area can become part of our great re-awakening.

The Caney Circle also erected a tiny replica of a Taino bohio which served to entertain as well as instruct the children who were in attendance by providing them an opportunity to incorporate knowledge of our ancient ways into their play. The kids had a ball with that little lodge.

We were joined in our event by a wonderful contingent of New York City and Philadelphia Tainos who made the long journey all the way from the east in their regalia and shared their beautiful spirit and teachings with us at our ceremony.

The Ceremony itself was graced by our sister Rose Anao who assumed the sacred role of Atabey during the most important part of the ritual. She was assisted by my wife Leni MaisGuariche in the lighting of the two flames that represent the double light of the full moon spirit Maroya during this the most powerful moment in her twentieght-day cycle. MaisGuariche also assisted her in the uttering of the sacred words of the ceremony "THE WOMEN HAVE WITHIN THEM THE RYTHM OF THE UNIVERSE". These words have been uttered by women during the Full Moon Ceremony of the Caney Circle for over twenty years.

The ceremony and the tradition which was brought to the Tainos of Youngstown by our Caney Circle, the UCTP, and the brothers and sisters who travelled from New York and Philadelphia was almost overwhelming to the local Tainos of the Youngstown area and we saw in their faces a wonderful image of awakening to a rebirth that some of us who have been in the Resurgence for some time now take for granted.
How blessed we were by the gorgeous late summer afternoon and how beautiful the sacred full moon spirit shone on us all last night from a perfectly clear night sky after our ceremony was over!

I am enormously grateful to our sister Rose Anao in Youngstown for creating this opportunity in her home town for us to present the blessings of the Caney Circle to her community. Likewise I put forth a great Bo Matun to the United Confederation of Taino People for the role that it played in making this dream come true for Rose and myself. In particular I would like to thank the Kasike of the UCTP Guama Roberto Mucaro Borrero for the loan of a traditional sibucan which was used as an educational tool to share with our Ohio brothers and sisters the ancient tradition of casabe processing. He also made available to us the official UCTP Census registration forms which will give the opportunity to local Ohio Tainos to join the Resurgence Movement. I also want to thank UCTP's Boriken rep, Roger Atihubancex for the material that he sent from the home island to Rose.

I want to offer a special Bo Matun to Tomas Waribonex who gathered up a contingent of Tainos from the New York and Philadelphia areas and caravaned in three cars all the way west to our region to join us in our ceremony. Thank you Wari, Xeiti Aon, Yatekinex, Anani, Matumyaru and all of the other beautiful souls that travelled with you to be with us yesterday. We were truly blessed by your presentation of your traditions such as the makana dance. We were annointed by the spirits as you gracefully shared the bija blessing on all of our faces.

Bless you all in turn from us and I pray that you take a little bit of the love from the western Pennsylvania/eastern Ohio regon back to your east-coast homes with you.

Taino Ti
Miguel

[Miguel Sague Jr]

[maria]

Taino Ti Miguel!!! It looked like a wonderful ceremony. Thank you for sharing. Leni, you look great!

Maria

[Teresa]

wow thanks for sharing Miguel esp. the story with the pictures means so much more, I hope someday to make it to a gathering.

[Priscilla (Pbutter72)]

Taino Ti Atili Sobaoko!

Yes, it was a Wonderful time and there was such a great Energy present--- Thank you and all the relatives from Pittsburgh and Ohio for receiving us so warmly.. Let's do this again soon!

Blessings,
Anani

[Dr. Rose M. Xochitl AnaO Quinone]

Taino'ti Bo Miguel,
Thank you Bo Miguel, Lrni Mais Guariche, and Mukaro Agueybana for all your sacrifices in coming to our fair city, Youngstown several times.I truly appreciate your guidance and teachings about our traditions and the need for the rebirth of our Taino sisters and brothers. I have seen throughout the years as a clinician how the lack of connection to one's traditions as detrimental to the psche. Thus, I am pleased and humbled by the response and enthusiam expressed by those brave Tainos in Youngstown willing to "venture and learn whence they come from" and bring the Taino people back to life in our traditions. Many have offered their pain to me of their dis connection from Boriken and their traditions.The "coldness" of the Northern lands goes beyond temperature. It transcends the souls of some. The disconnect with the ancestors is painful. The dominant culture does not have room for what we Tainos need. I believe the resurgence of the Taino culture is vital to bring our people to the realization of what was intended for us. I don't mean to say to live in huts. No, we need to "become whole inside" and to connect with Atabey and Yukahu. It does not matter how and what we call God, it is that we call upon His Spirit and call upon Her and all the Spirits that share our world. We are not alone.
Again, Bo'matum and Oma'bahari
Naboria daka, Xochitl (so-cheel) Ana O.