The Tainos form one tribe of the Caribbean group.

The Tainos: A Brief History

The Tainos are one of the Caribbean tribes. In 650 AD, they arrived in the Caribbean Islands. The Island Caribs and the Guanahatabey are two other indigenous tribes in this region. Although these two are regarded as early settlers in Cuba and Puerto Rico, the Tainos are associated with Jamaica. An analysis of the Tainos’ history, society, and colonialism is important and exciting because many facets of their lives have an influence on the modern world. Words, goods, and technological advances developed by the Tainos, for example, are still in use today. It is crucial to have a brief insight into the history of the Tainos who are considered the earliest group to settle in Jamaica. The group was also among the first inhabitants of some other Caribbean nations such as Puerto Rico and Cuba. The Tainos spoke a language called the Arawakan which also used by the Kalinago. The two were the majority of among the subtribes under the Arawakan Indians group (Atkinson 2). The Tainos were a select group because they were the first to have an experience with the Spaniards. It is this contact with the Spaniards that later led to the demise of the Tainos. Note that at one point the group had a population of thousands with densely populated villages in Jamaica. After colonization and various uprisings, their population went down (Rouse 7). Today, very few people talk about the Tainos. However, Jamaicans have them as symbols on the country’s Coat of Arms. Unfortunately, that could be the only point where this group gets recognized openly yet several features came to pass due to the Tainos.

The Lifestyle of the Tainos

The lifestyle of the Tainos is another interesting aspect of this group. The Taino society was organized hierarchically with small kingdoms led by a cacique. The key role of these leaders was to assign duties and allocate resources to ensure equity among the members of their societies. The core objective of this organization was to ensure there is an improvement of the people’s welfare. The caciques with their families lived in big houses that were situated at the center of the villages they led (Oliver 11). The other members of the community lived in wider constructions made of poles, straws, and leaves. One unique feature of these people’s lifestyle was their type of houses. They used mud, straws, and leaves to construct their homes. It is worth noting that the thatch-roofed housing is a technology that the rest of the world adopted from the Tainos. In their homes, these people used hammocks and mats made of banana leaves to sleep. The hammocks later became common among the Spaniards as they used them in their ships. That represents another item borrowed from the lifestyle of this Caribbean Tribe.

The Food and Agricultural System of the Tainos

The food and agricultural system of the Tainos represent another interesting aspect of their culture. Meat and fish were the community’s primary source of protein. However, the area occupied by these people did not have a lot of wild animals thus posing a challenge. Therefore, these people resorted to eating snakes, rodents, birds, and other small animals that they could find around them. Farming was a common activity among the Tainos. Other than providing food, cultivation brought the community together. Cassava is one of the major crops that members of this Caribbean tribe cultivated. They used cassava to make flatbread which was a staple food for them. Today, the same technique employed by the Tainos to make flatbread out of cassava gets utilized in Haiti. They also cultivated corn beans, pepper, yams, tobacco, cotton, and peanuts. The land of the Tainos gets recognized as the origin of these useful farm products. With its origin from the Caribbean, maize is a staple food in the East African region. Yam is also a common food in West Africa. Cassava, a rich source of starch, is today forms part of many meals across the world.

The Impact of the Tainos on the Modern World

The colonization of the Tainos saw the spread of hardwoods from this Caribbean end to the rest of the world. For example, the mahogany tree is a favorite source of hard and durable timber used across the globe today. The Spaniards also facilitated the spread of dyes from the local woods into Europe. The Tainos also utilized the traditional plants for medicinal use. A good example is the Lignum flower among other herbs were medications for various infections (Atkinson 3). Some of these herbs are still in use in the manufacturing of herbal drugs in modern laboratories.

Conclusion

The Taino is one of the indigenous tribes among the Caribbean groups. A study of this subgroup is crucial since there are a lot of factors, products, and technology that got adopted from the operations of these people. For example, various crops originated from this society. Cassava, yams, peanuts, and Tobacco are some of the farm produces that originated from the Tainos. Technology and ways of life have also been passed from the Tainos to other parts of the world. The Spanish colonialists adopted the use of hammocks from the Tainos before it reached other nations. It is clear that one important thing about the Tainos is the fact that various aspects of their culture have impacts on the modern world.

Works Cited

Atkinson, Lesley-Gail. “Taíno influence on Jamaican folk traditions.” Jamaican National Heritage Trust (2010): 2-4.

Oliver, Jose R. Caciques and Cemi idols: The web spun by Taino rulers between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. University of Alabama Press, 2009.

Rouse, Irving. The Tainos: rise and decline of the people who greeted Columbus. Yale University Press, 1993.