The Taino, meaning “men of good,” are the indigenous people who inhabit many areas of the Caribbean islands. The Taino have origins dating back to the Arawak tribe of the Orinoco Delta. The Taino people are said to have begun settling the Caribbean around 400 BC. They established communities on the island of Hispaniola. Today, Hispaniola is known as Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Taino also settled in Jamaica, eastern Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands as well as the Bahamas. It is estimated that the Taino population may have reached over three million people, with smaller settlements throughout the Caribbean. As a whole, the Taino people were an extremely creative and inventive culture. They learned to make a multitude of different substances and objects with the earthly materials available to them. For example, they learned to filter the Yuca plant to obtain cyanide; they also developed a pepper spray that would have been used in battles with the Carib tribe. They also had a vast supply of medicines, as they learned to make holistic medicines from plants and fruits. Not only were they masters of pharmacology for their time, but they were also excellent craftsmen. They would build enormous ocean-going canoes, large enough to accommodate 100 people. Many talk about their beautiful pottery, woven clothing and impressive carvings. The Taino spoke the Arawakon language, also known as Maipurean. This linguistic family developed among the ancient peoples of South America; it quickly spread to most of the Caribbean islands. Taino was one of the most important sources of Native American vocabulary, in Spanish. Their language involved hundreds of words for plants, animals and their ass...... middle of paper ...... ing refuge. It is estimated that nearly three million people, or 85 percent of the Taino population, were wiped out in the early 1550s. I say this topic is still up for debate because, according to experts, a recent genetic study concluded that 15 18 percent of Dominicans had DNA confirming their ancestral presence of Taíno genes. I found this to be a fascinating discovery.Sources1. http://oconnoranthropology.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-taino-indians-an-examination-of-politics-and-belief-systems/2. http://oconnoranthropology.wordpress.com/2012/06/26/the-taino-indians-an-examination-of-politics-and-belief-systems/3. http://www.lehman.edu/vpadvance/artgallery/gallery/taino_treasures/mendez_essay_a.html4. Photos, compliments of Google Images.