the indigenous peoples of the americas: the tainos
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The Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: The Tainos. Migratory Patterns of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. Crossed the Bering Strait around 18, 000 years ago This was during the last Ice Age An “ice bridge” was created across the strait - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: The Tainos
• Crossed the Bering Strait around 18, 000 years ago• This was during the last Ice Age• An “ice bridge” was created
across the strait• Earlier groups were pushed
further south by later groups• The first of these groups
followed herds of caribou, buffalo, and seals as the animals move from one feeding ground to the next
Migratory Patterns of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
• Located in the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Trinidad• Migrated from South America • Generally on the run from the Kalinagos
The Tainos: Location
Lived in temporary houses Houses were round with steep thatched
roofs The chief’s house was rectangular and held
several rooms Villages had separate dwellings for the gods Some villages had a ball court where the
game batos was played
The Tainos: Social Organization
• Religion involved nature worship, ancestor worship and protective magic
• Believed in male sky-god and a female earth-god
• Many other nature gods and ancestral spirits• Gods represented by zemis• Tainos also believed in life after death
The Tainos: Religious Organization
Village was the home of related people Property, land, food, canoes and tools wee
owned in common There was division of work between men
and women Women plant crops, and did the cooking Men prepared the fields, hunted, and fished
The Tainos: Social Organization
The cacique was the leader of the Taino The position was hereditary The cacique was:
◦ a religious leader◦ A judge
The cacique was helped by nobles or nitayanos
He was honoured with the best food and several wives
The Tainos: Political Organization
• Tainos were subsistence farmers• Engaged in “slash and burn” agriculture• Produced a variety of crops that included:–Maize–Cassava– Sweet potatoes–Cotton– Tobacco
• Fishing and hunting was also important
The Tainos: Economic Organization
Pottery was made from local red and gray clay
Tools and weapons were made from wood, stone and shell
Excellent at basket weaving Skillful at building dugout canoes
The Tainos: Technology