Thank you for teaching us the Taino language. I always tell people I am Taino from my ancestor. All proud taínos should learn this language , and speak with each other this beautiful language
i watched the way of water the other day and today i started learning taino from you and the first thing i said was this sounds like the movie. Then i learned from you that tuk means she and Jake's daughter is named Tuk. This is great thank you, i've learned a lot so far.
Jan-jan (yes) I noticed that they used "tuk" (she) also. 🥰 I wasn't sure if that was pure coincidence or not, but it's pretty amazing! I am so glad you found the channel and this video. Feel free to write with any questions or suggestions, and I'd be happy to answer and/or make a video if I can. Bo-guatukán (many blessings)! 💜
When I went to Mexico and visited the Yucatán, the Maya people told the story of their sacred tree, also the ceiba, and the 3 worlds it connects. So the Maya have the same belief system as the Taino. And, it makes total sense to me because the Yucatán peninsula is Caribbean side of Mexico and is closest to the the islands.
Jan-jan (yes)! That is correct. The sacred ceiba tree is important to them as well. I was listening to a Taíno symbologist talk about the tree of life symbol that is used throughout the world. He mentioned that there are 2 words in Mayan for the Milky Way (our constellation): one word refers to tree and the other to snake, depending on the stars alignment during a particular time of year. I believe Mayan's use the metaphor of meeting by the ceiba tree when speaking about death. I think the ceiba was used as a tangible depiction of the stars but here on Earth, that connection to the great beyond. Such a beautiful metaphor! My apologies for not seeing your message earlier, but thank you for connecting. Bo-guatukán (Many blessings)!
We are taught that before you cut a part of a tree or cut down a tree you speak to the tree and ask Atabey for permission to have a part or the whole part of the tree.
Absolutely! 💜 Trees are so important to us; they connect us to our ancestors' spirits. Jajóm (thank you) for watching, spreading the word, and being another light in this world.
Wow, so cool! Yes, I've heard of Yaya meaning grandmother in some African languages too. I have a theory that Yáya and Gaia are related... Mother Earth, grandmother, eldest mother ancestor. 😎
Your channel means so much to me and I'm so grateful to you for doing this. Bringing our language and culture to life makes my soul dance. I saw the new Avatar and it resonated so much, I felt waves of goosebumps and butterflies the whole time. So rich. Thank you 🧡💜 💙
Jajóm (thank you)! It means the world to me to see that the message is having an impact. My apologies for not seeing your note earlier. I am honored to continue providing information. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. 💜
Tai karáya! Just to add a little more to the knowledge of our Taíno language…depending on who you ask and from which island in the Caribe they are from,I’m here to let you know that 100% the Taínos that are my direct ancestors in the area of Borikén that is known as “Jayuya” which is derived from the name of our last “Kasíke Hayuya” we have always called the Firefly “Kukúbano” which actually means “light of people from the sacred place” which is a way to say “enlightened spirit”of someone who past away and came back to visit in this form. Kukúbano was distorted by the Spaniards but not so much,now because of them the people in my town say and spell it like so…”Cucubano” Not so much of a change because the only difference is the way it’s pronounced with out an accent! Also my great grandma though that some other Taínos would pronounce it “Kukúbana” but not for sure…she passed away when I was about 8 or 10 years old,she lived until 115 years of age. “Da Boaracoel Nanichi”
Yeah, I had to look this up when I created the video because as a Boríkua, I grew up with "cucubano". From what I've researched, "kukubáno" probably refers to the "click beetle", while "kokúyo" refers to the "firefly". (FYI, the spelling and accent conventions I use in the videos follow those in the "Primario Básico" book, so they aren't necessarily going to follow Spanish conventions.) Oh, I love what your grandmother said about "kukubaná". She was probably correct. 🥰 ku - light kuku - light of lights baná - great Kukúbana - great, light of lights --> Makes sense because unlike the firefly, the click beetle doesn't flash its light; it's constant. And I love the idea that they are the souls of ancestors coming to us at night. 💜Jajóm for sharing your info.
@@CasaAreyto thank you 🙏 so much! My great grandma would have love to talk to someone so interested in the Taíno language such as you are…you probably would have been her best friend 🤗 At her age she still had all of her teeth and they were brown in color from chewing “Tabacu” Also she could still have a conversation with anyone and remember everything she talked about for months after. It’s been so long since she past away but I never forget her nor stop talking about her 😢😢😢 Everyone who knew her always tell me how much I remind them of her. Her name was “Milla Ramos” Everyone called her “Doña Milla”
@@willysoto8781 Bo-matúm, guaitiáo! I actually just created a video with the information from your great-grandmother "kukubána". She's still with us. I'm so glad you connected me to her wisdom. 🥰
@@CasaAreyto Awww! That’s sooo sweet of you! I appreciate it that you took your valuable time to do that…and Yessssss! She still with us and I feel her presence watching over me specially when I visit home in Jayuya. Thank you soooo much!🙏🙏🙏
Just like to thank you very much. I’m doing my own digging as well. I was born in Boston, but my parents are Dominican. First generation born here I know of Anacaona and other names and kasikes. I can trace back my Portuguese surname Cabral to 1510 in kiskeya. Speaking Spanish and believing in God which I’m not complaining, but we had a culture and a language before they came. We had our own healers etc. I feel very much Taino. Loving palos to the fullest.
Bo-matúm! (Thank you/You are very generous!) I was born and raised in the Boston area, too! 🥰 And yes, you are absolutely right. Our people had their own spirituality, astronomy-astrology-calendar system, base-20 number system, healers (including people who practiced chiropractic and bone-setting medicine, herbalists, midwives, etc.), artists and craftspeople, performance arts, poetry, and so much more. 🙌🏼💜 My goal is to bring that to light through language. And I'm thrilled that you are here. Jajóm. (Thank you.) Bo-guatukán! (Many blessings!)
I just wanted to stop in and say thank you for this. I was born in Puerto Rico and moved over to the states and had been feeling disconnected for a while. Finding these videos has helped me find my roots again. Taikaraya, guaitiao!
Bo-matúm! I'm so glad you are feeling connected again. That's why I started learning and creating, to connect back to my own Boríkua roots. I'm so glad we're making these connections as a community. 💜
Mapou that's the name in kreyol of Ceiba : very curious that's also the most important tree in vaudou, according to experts : so did they meet in Quisqueya during 1518 ?
Awesome question! You got me curious, so I did a little research. 😁 "Both Ancient Amerindians and West Africans worshiped the [mapou/ceiba] tree as an antenna to the Supreme Being in pre-historic times, long before the transatlantic middle passage"... "It is true that the tree is historically and contemporaneously sacred in many cultures of West Africa." But they also go on to say that this particular tree is also seen as a spirit tree in other places around the world, including India. So maybe there's some deep, ancient human-spirit connection here. 😎 This is where I found the discussion on sacred trees in Vodou: www.researchgate.net/publication/277075444_Trees_in_Vodou_An_Arbori-cultural_Exploration
OMG this video was great!!!!! The tree worlds are almost universal around the world in many different forms of shamanism. Lord of the Rings, based on nordic mythology talks about Middle Earth and Yggdrasil was the World tree.....
💜 Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, trees are spiritual beings in so many cultures around the world. And thank you for the connection with Lord of the Rings; so cool! Bo-matúm, Jan!
I remember an old memory back in PRE-School, yes that far where there was a girl named "Yaya" except it was pronounced "JaJa". I've noticed that some of my fellow Dominicans pronounce the "y" as a J so instead of 'yo" they would say "jo" so her name was likely spelled "Yaya." But anyways, I'm starting to realize she was named after the great spirit! It's crazy how Taino culture and language still seeps today in the modern world, even something as obscure as Taino Deities.
Jan-jan (yes)!!!! It's so true. I feel the same way; it's like Taíno is this subliminal message that seeps through everything: our names, what we call everyday things, etc. Dak'ro! 💜🥰
Dak'ro! Can we adopt the Na'vi phrase, "I see you/Te veo?" Buk dak'erá. Does that phrase have real roots in indigenous culture? I love the concept: I see you, I see all of you, I see that you are alive, you are loved and respected. 💚
I love this idea! My husband and I actually thought about using this. I haven't seen any documentation about Taínos having used "I see you" in that way, but I don't see why we couldn't use it now. We're reclaiming our language in every aspect. Jajóm! 🥰
@@sammyelwell4874 Oh, I just listened to a podcast with a psychologist who researches and writes about social justice issues. She talked about spending time with many different tribes in Africa where the initial greeting is "I see you." and how the original Latin meaning of "re" "spect", actually is "to see again". 🥰 So there's is definitely precedence for this. Just thought I would share.
Thank you for teaching us the Taino language. I always tell people I am Taino from my ancestor. All proud taínos should learn this language , and speak with each other this beautiful language
My pleasure, truly! I am so glad you found our channel and are learning along with us. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. 💜
i watched the way of water the other day and today i started learning taino from you and the first thing i said was this sounds like the movie. Then i learned from you that tuk means she and Jake's daughter is named Tuk. This is great thank you, i've learned a lot so far.
Jan-jan (yes) I noticed that they used "tuk" (she) also. 🥰 I wasn't sure if that was pure coincidence or not, but it's pretty amazing! I am so glad you found the channel and this video. Feel free to write with any questions or suggestions, and I'd be happy to answer and/or make a video if I can. Bo-guatukán (many blessings)! 💜
When I went to Mexico and visited the Yucatán, the Maya people told the story of their sacred tree, also the ceiba, and the 3 worlds it connects. So the Maya have the same belief system as the Taino. And, it makes total sense to me because the Yucatán peninsula is Caribbean side of Mexico and is closest to the the islands.
Jan-jan (yes)! That is correct. The sacred ceiba tree is important to them as well. I was listening to a Taíno symbologist talk about the tree of life symbol that is used throughout the world. He mentioned that there are 2 words in Mayan for the Milky Way (our constellation): one word refers to tree and the other to snake, depending on the stars alignment during a particular time of year. I believe Mayan's use the metaphor of meeting by the ceiba tree when speaking about death. I think the ceiba was used as a tangible depiction of the stars but here on Earth, that connection to the great beyond. Such a beautiful metaphor! My apologies for not seeing your message earlier, but thank you for connecting. Bo-guatukán (Many blessings)!
We are taught that before you cut a part of a tree or cut down a tree you speak to the tree and ask Atabey for permission to have a part or the whole part of the tree.
Absolutely! 💜 Trees are so important to us; they connect us to our ancestors' spirits. Jajóm (thank you) for watching, spreading the word, and being another light in this world.
Yáya so intersting!!! Yiayia/Γιαγιά means grandmother in Greek. 🇬🇷
Wow, so cool! Yes, I've heard of Yaya meaning grandmother in some African languages too. I have a theory that Yáya and Gaia are related... Mother Earth, grandmother, eldest mother ancestor. 😎
Jajom nitu for this channel to teach and learn for each other.
Dak'toká naboría. (I'm at your service.) 💜
Your channel means so much to me and I'm so grateful to you for doing this. Bringing our language and culture to life makes my soul dance. I saw the new Avatar and it resonated so much, I felt waves of goosebumps and butterflies the whole time. So rich. Thank you 🧡💜 💙
Jajóm (thank you)! It means the world to me to see that the message is having an impact. My apologies for not seeing your note earlier. I am honored to continue providing information. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. 💜
Kokúyo and yabisí and also my mother had a cotton tree in la finca n el barrio espinal de Aguada
❤
Tai karáya!
Just to add a little more to the knowledge of our Taíno language…depending on who you ask and from which island in the Caribe they are from,I’m here to let you know that 100% the Taínos that are my direct ancestors in the area of Borikén that is known as “Jayuya” which is derived from the name of our last “Kasíke Hayuya” we have always called the Firefly
“Kukúbano” which actually means “light of people from the sacred place” which is a way to say “enlightened spirit”of someone who past away and came back to visit in this form.
Kukúbano was distorted by the Spaniards but not so much,now because of them the people in my town say and spell it like so…”Cucubano”
Not so much of a change because the only difference is the way it’s pronounced with out an accent!
Also my great grandma though that some other Taínos would pronounce it “Kukúbana” but not for sure…she passed away when I was about 8 or 10 years old,she lived until 115 years of age.
“Da Boaracoel Nanichi”
Yeah, I had to look this up when I created the video because as a Boríkua, I grew up with "cucubano". From what I've researched, "kukubáno" probably refers to the "click beetle", while "kokúyo" refers to the "firefly". (FYI, the spelling and accent conventions I use in the videos follow those in the "Primario Básico" book, so they aren't necessarily going to follow Spanish conventions.) Oh, I love what your grandmother said about "kukubaná". She was probably correct. 🥰
ku - light
kuku - light of lights
baná - great
Kukúbana - great, light of lights --> Makes sense because unlike the firefly, the click beetle doesn't flash its light; it's constant. And I love the idea that they are the souls of ancestors coming to us at night. 💜Jajóm for sharing your info.
@@CasaAreyto thank you 🙏 so much!
My great grandma would have love to talk to someone so interested in the Taíno language such as you are…you probably would have been her best friend 🤗
At her age she still had all of her teeth and they were brown in color from chewing “Tabacu”
Also she could still have a conversation with anyone and remember everything she talked about for months after.
It’s been so long since she past away but I never forget her nor stop talking about her 😢😢😢
Everyone who knew her always tell me how much I remind them of her.
Her name was “Milla Ramos”
Everyone called her
“Doña Milla”
@@willysoto8781 Bo-matúm, guaitiáo! I actually just created a video with the information from your great-grandmother "kukubána". She's still with us. I'm so glad you connected me to her wisdom. 🥰
@@CasaAreyto Awww!
That’s sooo sweet of you!
I appreciate it that you took your valuable time to do that…and Yessssss! She still with us and I feel her presence watching over me specially when I visit home in Jayuya.
Thank you soooo much!🙏🙏🙏
Just like to thank you very much. I’m doing my own digging as well. I was born in Boston, but my parents are Dominican. First generation born here I know of Anacaona and other names and kasikes. I can trace back my Portuguese surname Cabral to 1510 in kiskeya. Speaking Spanish and believing in God which I’m not complaining, but we had a culture and a language before they came. We had our own healers etc. I feel very much Taino. Loving palos to the fullest.
Bo-matúm! (Thank you/You are very generous!) I was born and raised in the Boston area, too! 🥰 And yes, you are absolutely right. Our people had their own spirituality, astronomy-astrology-calendar system, base-20 number system, healers (including people who practiced chiropractic and bone-setting medicine, herbalists, midwives, etc.), artists and craftspeople, performance arts, poetry, and so much more. 🙌🏼💜 My goal is to bring that to light through language. And I'm thrilled that you are here. Jajóm. (Thank you.) Bo-guatukán! (Many blessings!)
It’s crazy because when avatar first came out I was OBESSED … and I knew that they were using taino culture as inspiration
Your work is so beautiful and amazing ! Hahom !!!
I just wanted to stop in and say thank you for this. I was born in Puerto Rico and moved over to the states and had been feeling disconnected for a while. Finding these videos has helped me find my roots again. Taikaraya, guaitiao!
Bo-matúm! I'm so glad you are feeling connected again. That's why I started learning and creating, to connect back to my own Boríkua roots. I'm so glad we're making these connections as a community. 💜
omg que me encanta lo mucho que ha crecido este canal ❤❤
¡Gracias a todos ustedes! 🙌
Mapou that's the name in kreyol of Ceiba : very curious that's also the most important tree in vaudou, according to experts : so did they meet in Quisqueya during 1518 ?
Awesome question! You got me curious, so I did a little research. 😁 "Both Ancient Amerindians and West Africans worshiped the [mapou/ceiba] tree as an antenna to the Supreme Being in pre-historic times, long before the transatlantic middle passage"... "It is true that the tree is historically and contemporaneously sacred in many cultures of West Africa." But they also go on to say that this particular tree is also seen as a spirit tree in other places around the world, including India. So maybe there's some deep, ancient human-spirit connection here. 😎 This is where I found the discussion on sacred trees in Vodou: www.researchgate.net/publication/277075444_Trees_in_Vodou_An_Arbori-cultural_Exploration
OMG this video was great!!!!! The tree worlds are almost universal around the world in many different forms of shamanism. Lord of the Rings, based on nordic mythology talks about Middle Earth and Yggdrasil was the World tree.....
💜 Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, trees are spiritual beings in so many cultures around the world. And thank you for the connection with Lord of the Rings; so cool! Bo-matúm, Jan!
Dinoflagellates
I remember an old memory back in PRE-School, yes that far where there was a girl named
"Yaya" except it was pronounced "JaJa". I've noticed that some of my fellow Dominicans pronounce the "y" as a J so instead of 'yo" they would say "jo" so her name was likely spelled "Yaya." But anyways, I'm starting to realize she was named after the great spirit! It's crazy how Taino culture and language still seeps today in the modern world, even something as obscure as Taino Deities.
Jan-jan (yes)!!!! It's so true. I feel the same way; it's like Taíno is this subliminal message that seeps through everything: our names, what we call everyday things, etc. Dak'ro! 💜🥰
Dak'ro! Can we adopt the Na'vi phrase, "I see you/Te veo?" Buk dak'erá.
Does that phrase have real roots in indigenous culture? I love the concept: I see you, I see all of you, I see that you are alive, you are loved and respected. 💚
I love this idea! My husband and I actually thought about using this. I haven't seen any documentation about Taínos having used "I see you" in that way, but I don't see why we couldn't use it now. We're reclaiming our language in every aspect. Jajóm! 🥰
@@CasaAreyto guajotík dak'erá!
@@sammyelwell4874 Oh, I just listened to a podcast with a psychologist who researches and writes about social justice issues. She talked about spending time with many different tribes in Africa where the initial greeting is "I see you." and how the original Latin meaning of "re" "spect", actually is "to see again". 🥰 So there's is definitely precedence for this. Just thought I would share.