Mucaro

Didn’t you Mucaro

That is why you came

You guided them to my door

A mission of remembering

Rejoining the future to the past

Walking through the present

Mucaro you brought them

So we could see each other

Hear each other…reunite

A long short distance a memory wide

You brought them

Mothers meet daughters

Mothers meet sons

Fathers meet sons

Father meet daughters

Sons and daughters greet knowledge

Daughters and sons meet wisdom

Patoo says……….I have come

To teach you of yourself

To connect the knowing without

With the knowing within

The First Jamaicans

It is widely documented that the Taíno people had been living in Xamaika/Yamayeka, presently called Jamaica, for over 800 years before they found Columbus in the waters of the Caribbean Sea.  Having arrived in the Island from as early as about 650 AD the Taíno people brought with them social practices, values and beliefs that promoted respect and helpful actions to sustain and replicate the conditions of life, to provide for positive growth and development of family and community.  The also brought various crops, plants, agricultural and fishing techniques, many of which remain a part of our present day life.  In fact, they had a wholesome and complete world view that promoted harmonious relationships to govern every aspect of life with a focus on conserving/preserving the earth and all life forms for the benefit of future generations. 

They understood and utilized decision making perspectives that favored long term communal benefits. 

The Taínos and their culture flourished until it was irrevocably interrupted by the arrival of Europeans on a mission of conquest.   The ‘goodness’ of Taíno peoples was no deterrent to the ill-intent of the ‘lost and found,’ Italian led, Spanish delegation.   Even as they described the Taínos as gentle, good, living as God would want us to, to serve their God, whom the Taínos realized was ‘Gold’, they disrupted this way of life with cruelty and hardships for their economic gain and social pleasures.    As a final act they wrote a eulogy of the first Jamaicans.  

And even as we focused on this eulogy they initiated the story of Taíno extinction, which we, in our grief and ignorance, accepted and promulgated.  The impacts have been that Jamaicans have not grown up with a strong knowledge of our prehistory.  Many of us are not aware that a population of good and noble people was living on this Island before 1494 when Columbus arrived.  We do not engage in any consistent way with the fact that these first peoples, who were first introduced to us as Arawaks, had a fulsome culture that gave them the responsibility to live in harmony with nature and the very important job of protecting the earth and all natural resources. 

Many indigenous groups of people have among their teachings, prophecies that speak to disruptions of their lives.  For the Taíno People prophecies and stories had predicted the coming of the men who wore clothes who would dominate and kill.   Later prophesies foretold that there would come a time when balance would be restored and relationships would be mended leading to the reunification and restoration of harmony among them and their relatives. We are in that time.  

As new and more information becomes available, our Arawaks have become identified as Taínos, and the lies of their extinction continues to ‘mashed down’ i. e. successfully challenged.  More and more Jamaicans are beginning to see that Taíno is a living, essential and legitimate part of our identity as a Jamaican people.  Much work has been done by organizations such as the Institute of Jamaica, Jamaican National Heritage Trust, The Archaeological Society of Jamaica, Natural History Society and many noted academics to bring truth and knowledge to this aspect of our past and present.

In 2013 Sankofie initiated efforts to help to improve awareness of the Taíno People of Jamaica.  As we engaged with increasing numbers of Jamaicans the questions,  “Are there Taíno people in Jamaica?” “Where in Jamaica are they located?” or “Didn't they all die out?” were frequently raised.  It became increasingly easier to answer these questions as we:

• established an altar to honour and seek guidance from the Taíno ancestors 
• recognized and were reminded of place names that originated among or were associated with the Taínos e. g. Wag Water (Guayguata) River (St. Andrew), Liguanea (iguana) Plains (St. Andrew), Arawak (St. Ann), Guanaboa Vale (St. Catherine), Mammee Bay (St. Ann), Annotto Bay (St. Mary), Canoe Valley (St. Elizabeth) and many more.
• met more and more Jamaicans who knew they have and proudly claimed Taíno ancestry
•  became more cognizant of agricultural (mound planting, inter-cropping, etc) and other practices, foods (yam, cassava from which bammy is made, corn, etc) that were introduced to the Island by the Taínos 
• acquainted ourselves with the scholarship, archaeology and experts in the field of Jamaican prehistory. 
• established relationships with and received teachings from Taíno elders of the wider Caribbean 

As we continued we assured many that the history of Yamayeka (Jamaica) preceded the coming of the Spanish and that there was a vibrant culture on the island prior to the disaster of European arrival.  We also shared that The Taínos lived all over the Island,  with the information to date showing that Parishes of St. Elizabeth, St. Mary and St. Ann were the most more densely populated.  We continue to share that the Taínos had and still have a robust spiritual culture and that Taíno is part of the Jamaican identity.