In the days of the Conquest, many of our Taino Ancestors (like mine!) fled to the interior mountains of Boriken. There they lived and continued celebrating their Taino traditions in secret for own their survival. Many families kept "the secret" so well, that over the generations they "lost" the realization they were Taino, and became what would be known as the "Jibaro".
I recently read an interesting research paper by Dr. Lynne Guitar that spoke of a similar history in the Dominican Republic:
"Documenting the Myth of Taino Extinction."
Were your grandparents "Jibaros"? Likely many of the old traditions they kept -- from language to food to medicinal plants to spirituality and more -- are actually traditions that are TAINO!
Or maybe your Abuelos fully recognized themselves as TAINO!
What do you remember of your grandparents and their old traditions?
(OK....now for the spanish ;)
----------------------------
(Voy a traducir como una Taina -- "por ideas" ;)
En la epoca de la conquista, muchos de nuestros antepsados (como el mio!) escaparon por las montañas buscando refugio. Alli' ellos vivieron y continuaron celebrando sus tradiciones Tainos en secreto para sobrevivir. Con tanto secretos, atras de las generaciones, eventualmente muchos familias olvidaron completamente su identidad como "Taino" y convertieron en ser "Jibaro".
Hay un reporte de investigacion muy interesante de Dr. Lynne Guitar que habla de un historia parecido en la Dominica Rupublica:
"Documenting the Myth of Taino Extinction."
Si tu viene de una familia "Jibara", es bien posible que muchos de los tradiciones de su abuelos -- de lenguaje, comida, plantas medicinal y espiritualidad -- en realidad son tradiciones TAINOS!
O quizas su Abuelos tenia conocimento de su ser como TAINO!
Que recuerda de su Abuelos y sus tradiciones?
-- Tekina-eiru'