Maintenance of Taino traditions within Puerto Rican culture Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Ramos, Toni-Ann, 1964- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 13:17:13 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/278503 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy snbmltted. 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Contact UMI directly to order. A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road. Ann Arbor. Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 MAINTENANCE OF TAINO TRADITIONS WITHIN PUERTO RICAN CULTURE by Toni-Ann Ramos Copyright ©Toni-Ann Ramos 1995 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the GRADUATE INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM IN AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA * 19 9 5 UHI Number: 1376047 Copyright 1995 by Ramos, Toni-Ann All rights reserved. 0MI Microform 1376047 Copyright 1995, by OMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: /c Dr. Tom Holm 7 / Date Professor of American Indian Studies 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The completion of this thesis would not have been possible without the academic support of the American Indian Studies Department of the University of Arizona, The Department of Black and Puerto Rican Studies of Hunter College, C.U.N.Y., and the Centro de Estudios Puertorriquenos, also located within Hunter College. I extend my sincere gratitude to the following people who worked within these institutions during my course of study, generously sharing their knowledge with me both in and outside of the classroom: Dr. Tom Holm, for being a role model, and for reminding me that laughter is the best medicine of all, Prof. Mary Jo Fox, for extending her friendship as well as providing a woman's perspective on my work, Dr. David Wilkins, for helpful suggestions and words of encouragement, Dr. Jay Stauss, for his genuine concern for students, Shirley Dickey, for all her kindness, Prof. Jose M. Torres Santiago, whose knowledge, shared through his classes, provided the inspiration for my research, Kanaratitake, for supporting the value of my research and for helping me discover that the path to happiness lies within my own heart, Iris Quinones, for her stories, her laughter and her love. I would also like to extend my deepest thanks to all my friends and family, who helped me keep the balance in life by providing constant love, encouragement and a support network which enables me to pursue my goals, especially Edna Ramos, for a mother's love, and for instilling in me the belief that I can accomplish any goal I set my mind to, Roxane Ramos Camparone, for the unconditional love and support only a big sister can give, Presley Hickman, whose path merged with mine to share in my journey of self-discovery as we grow in our lives together. Finally, a word of thanks for all the Creator has provided in this web of life... 4 Dedicado a la gente Puertorriquena: con la esperanza que, adentro de estas paginas, pueden ver su alma Boricua. Dedicated to the Puerto Rican People: with the hope that, within these pages, you will find a piece of yourself. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 7 Statement of Purpose 7 Literature Review 9 II. TAINO CULTURE 13 Origins 13 Physical Appearance 17 The Yucayeque 19 Subsistence 21 Technology 24 Social Organization 30 Spirituality 32 Ceremonies 38 III. CONTACT 4 5 IV. RESISTANCE 53 V. MAINTENANCE OF TAINO TRADITIONS 61 Dispelling the Myth of Extinction 61 Oral Tradition 64 Spiritual Syncretism 71 VI. CONCLUSION 82 VII. REFERENCES 84 6 ABSTRACT Puerto Rican people and culture are the result of the often violent contact between the colonizing forces of Spain, the African people they later enslaved and the indigenous population of the island. Over time, the blending of these three diverse peoples, each with their own unique culture and traditions, resulted in a new population currently known as Puerto Rican. Little information is available, however, regarding Taino culture and society prior to European contact, and even less is known about their ongoing contributions to Puerto Rican culture. This thesis brings together accurate information about the indigenous people of Boriquen. It attempts to correct distortions and untruths about Taino culture, providing alternative interpretations and giving recognition to the Taino legacy which remains a part of Puerto Rican culture today. 7 I. INTRODUCTION Statement of Purpose Puerto Rican people and culture are the result of the often violent contact between the colonizing forces of Spain, the African people they later enslaved and the indigenous population of the island. Over time, the blending of these three diverse peoples, each with their own unique culture and traditions, resulted in a new population currently known as Puerto Rican: "the people of the rich port." The formation of the Puerto Rican people can not be described as a peaceful process. On the contrary, it is rooted in the colonialist mentality of the Spaniards who came to Boriquen convinced of their divinely ordained right to conquer the land and its inhabitants. Although history recounts tales such as the loving relationship between Guanina and Sotomayor, most interactions between Spanish conquistadors and indigenous and African women were far from blissful unions. The rampant rape of these women resulted in many thousands of mestizo and mulatto children, respectively. Therefore when one reads over and over again about the "extinction" of the Taino people, one recurring question comes to mind: did the Spaniards kill all their indigenous wives and mistresses, as well as their own children? One 8 can only conclude that the answer is an unequivocal "no". It logically follows that, even if the Tainos eventually were so absorbed into other cultures as to no longer exist as a distinct nation, their unique traditions and customs would be passed down from generation to generation through their surviving mestizo progeny. Thus when discussing the indigenous roots of Puerto Rican people one can not, and perhaps should not, refer to "blood quantum". Rather, one can speak of a cultural legacy which has been in some cases so subtly absorbed into mainstream Puerto Rican culture as to be unrecognizable to those unfamiliar with Taino traditions and customs. It is this legacy of Taino traditions maintained within Puerto Rican culture today which I plan to explore more thoroughly in my thesis. How I have digested and interpreted the material researched has been influenced by many factors, not the least of which are my gender and ethnicity, as well as my spiritual and political perspectives. To put it simply, the content of this thesis is biased. It is my belief that, since no human being is devoid of experiences and opinions which color their outlook, the most one can do is attempt to present information in the most objective way possible. I have tried to do this to the best of my ability in my writing. My goal in writing this thesis is to make available 9 in English a work which brings together accurate information on the indigenous population of Boriquen. It attempts to correct distortions and untruths about Taino culture, providing alternative interpretations and giving recognition to the Taino legacy which remains a part of Puerto Rican culture today. Often Taino traditions are recognized as having only a slight influence on Puerto Rican culture, being vestiges of a now extinct population. My research is significant in that I challenge this rampant "extinction theory" and recognize Taino traditions as the very core of Puerto Rican culture.