Taino Talk
Christopher Columbus arrived here in 1494. He and his crew were welcomed by a gentle race of people. Our history books have passed a name for them down to us. They were called the Arawaks. I don't know if that really was their name, because they all died under Spanish rule. I learned that the entire Arawak peoples died out in fifty or so years after the Spanish seized control of the island...
But wait! I read an article by Peter Espeut recently. In it, he suggests several things which are contrary to what I learned in Preparatory school, and indeed, in high school... He suggests that these people were not Arawaks. They called themselves the 'Taino'. He further suggests that their language was called Arawak. He goes on to suggest that some words from their language and some of their customs live on in the present day! I feel that he is probably right, as I have heard of this Arawak/Taino mixup before, but unfortunately, he doesn't give any proof of what he says in this article.
Anyway, he gave a couple of examples of words the Tainos left us. One of these words is tobacco... There is more, click the link below.
Columbus and his men were the first white men to ever see anyone smoke! They tried it themselves, and they carried the tobacco plant back to Spain with them and the practice caught on. Given that the Spaniards were said to have wiped out the Taino people, I have often heard it said that the Taino got more than their own back, in that their gift to the world, tobacco, has killed so many people of the race which is supposed to have wiped them out. But anyway...
Another word left to us by the Taino was the word 'hammock'. The Europeans were introduced to these beds by the Taino, and they started using them themselves. They were also distributed by the European invaders, they became popular, and they have since been distributed worldwide!
He also suggests that the word canoe is a Taino word. I had heard of the tobacco and the hammock ones before but not the canoe! That one surprised me.
Also, he pointed out that the main methods of fishing used by our current day fishermen (the 'arrowhead' and 'Z-Trap' fishpots) were left to us by the Taino! Can you believe it? The Taino used these methods when Columbus came here in 1494 and these methds are in use by the majority of our fishermen today! 
I found that awesome! Anyone else agree with me that its time for a technological advance though?
Finally, Espeut suggested that the Taino may not have died out, as we learned, but may have intermarried with the Maroons! Very interesting stuff!
Peter Espeut suggests many other words that they left to us, but I leave you a link to his article to read about those... The article is an interesting read, do give it a look-see. I will have to investigate the source of his information though...
Posted by Mad Bull at October 20, 2003 11:30 PM
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Interesting.
Regarding the use of arrowheads and z trap fishpots, if it works, why change it? It seems far more friendly to the marine environment than blasting does! (Though I hope that the bastards who use to do that have stopped).
Our heritage is indeed a real melting pot. I can't add too much as history really was not my thing at all.
Decent post! Big up!
Posted by: Dr. D. on October 21, 2003 08:24 AM
I AM WRITING A FICTION STORY AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE WORD FOR BEAUTY (BELLA) IN TAINO.
PLEASE E-MAIL IT TO ME IF U KNOW
MICAELA
Posted by: MICAELA on January 10, 2004 12:49 AM
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Interesting.
Regarding the use of arrowheads and z trap fishpots, if it works, why change it? It seems far more friendly to the marine environment than blasting does! (Though I hope that the bastards who use to do that have stopped).
Our heritage is indeed a real melting pot. I can't add too much as history really was not my thing at all.
Decent post! Big up!
Posted by: Dr. D. on October 21, 2003 08:24 AM