In this episode, we have a look at some of the characteristics of Taino societies, including their divisions, important roles, and celebrations, and how these varied among different communities.

If you want more information on the topic, please see the main references for the episode below:

• Caciques y aldeas, población taína de Boriquén. Puerto Rico 1492 - 1582 por Francisco Moscoso, https://www.abebooks.com/9781934461242/Caciques-aldeas-población-taína-Boriquén-1934461245/plp.


• The Taíno: Phenomena, Concepts, and Terms: https://tiboko.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Taino_Phenomena_Concepts_and_Terms-1.pdf,


• Contested Places and Places of Contest: The Evolution of Social Power and Ceremonial Space in Prehistoric Puerto Rico: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271814335;


• Caciques and Cemí Idols: The Web Spun by Taíno Rulers Between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico por José Oliver: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261948975_Caciques_and_Cemi_Idols_The_Web_Spun_by_Taino_Rulers_Bteween_Hispaniola_and_Puerto_Rico, 


• Caribe Taíno: Ensayos Históricos Sobre El Siglo XVI por Jalil Sued Badillo: https://archive.org/details/sued-badillo-j.-caribe-taino-ensayos-historicos-sobre-el-siglo-xvi-2020;


• El Juego de Pelota Taino y su Importancia Comercial: https://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/AA/00/06/19/61/00339/11-17.pdf,


• Historia general y natural de las Indias por Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés https://ems.kcl.ac.uk/content/etext/e026.html 

If you prefer to listen in Spanish, don’t forget that this episode is also available in Spanish on this same feed. If you’d like to support this educational initiative, you can visit our Patreon page here:patreon.com/HistoriaBoricua

The photo for this episode was taken by me on my first visit to the Caguana Ceremonial Center in 2004.