SYMBOLS TAINO

n.83 cm.76x101

semi-gloss on canvas

The Taino were the first Amerindian population to populate the Caribbean.
In 1508, about 60,000 remained in the island Taino d 'Hispaniola. In 1531 the exploitation and disease and depression, had reduced the number to 600.
They came to commit suicide en masse and realize abortions, as the only way of salvation from slavery.
The origins of the Indians Taínos are not very clear, it is said that they came from South America.
Their mythology and their symbols lead to 'assumptions that are related with the most known Maya-
The term "Taino" in the indigenous language, means "the good", "noble".
The most characteristic aspect of Taino mythology is the ratio of the spirits, men, animals, plants and inanimate beings. This form of animism gave great powers to the shaman, considered the only one able to dominate the spirits.
The countries were in clearings in the forest, not on the coast and had two types of houses, built with palm leaves and wood: the bohio, circular building in which they lived more families and caney, building larger and rectangular in which he lived the cacique (village chief) and his family.
Used for sleeping hammocks, hammock is indeed the word of Taíno origin.
The clothes were very poor, the Spaniards, they found men who wore only the skins to cover their genitals and women whether married, a skirt of straw or leaves, called Nagua (about 100 km. From Las Galeras, on the north coast, there is a town called Nagua), or if they were not married, were bare.
It was the custom of both sexes paint their bodies with black, white, red or yellow to protect themselves from evil spirits.
They used to adorn the ears and lips with gold, silver, stones, bones or shells.
They were skilled in creating baskets, in making ceramic pots, in cutting wood, in making fishing nets and in jewelry
They had plenty of ways to have fun, dance, music, the game with the ball they called batu and played in a space called batey.
This game attracted the attention of the first Spaniards because the ball being made of rubber and resins bounced, yet unknown phenomenon in Europe.

There were also calls areytos sacred dances accompanied by different instruments, mainly drums.