THE TAÍNO PEOPLE
Overview of the Taíno
The Taíno were a historic group of indigenous people located in the Caribbean. They were settled in Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, The Virgin Islands, and Hispaniola which is an island made up of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The first settlement of the Taíno was in 400 B.C. The Taíno people spoke Arawak.
The Diet and Animals
The staple crops for the Taíno was cassava and yams. They also grew maize (corn), beans, tobacco, potatos, peanuts and peppers.
Dogs were mainly the only domesticated animals. Birds, lizards and other small animals were hunted as food. Fish and shellfish also were important, and used as an important source of food.
The Culture
The Taíno lived in compounds that held a range from a small family to almost 3000 people. Houses were built of logs and poles.
On special occasions, both men and woman would paint themselves. Men usually wore loincloths and women would wear aprons made of cotton or palm fibers. The Taíno also wore earrings, necklaces and nose rings made out of gold. The Taíno were also very talented and made baskets, pottery and tools made of stone and wood.
The Spanish Conquering of The Taíno
