Photo: Victor Vassallo, Roger Guayakan Hernandez, and Virginia Pastrana. Ponce, Boriken/Puerto Rico (UCTP Taino News) – Last week Victor Vassallo, a representative of Puerto Rico’s House of Representatives, commended the Boriken Liaison Office of the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP) for their work promoting the 2010 U.S. Census. In an official partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, the Confederation organized events, produced literature, and developed an online campaign to promote Taino participation in the 2010 Census.
The United States conducts an official census every 10 years. While the UCTP was an official partner with the U.S. Census Bureau for its campaign in 2000, this year’s activities included a major event at the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center in Ponce. The activity featured local Taino cultural presenters Wakia Arawaka Taina and was attended by the general public as well as U.S. Census Bureau officials from Washington D.C. and Boston, Massachusetts.
Vassallo not only praised the Confederation’s work increasing the visibility of Taino descendants but its work promoting the protection of indigenous sacred sites in Boriken. In particular, Vassalllo thanked the UCTP for bringing the issue of the Jacanas ceremonial site to his attention. Vassallo has since introduced formal legislation to protect the Jacanas cultural area.
Expecting more than 15,000 households to identify themselves as Taino in the Census, UCTP Boriken Liaison Director Roger Guayakan Hernandez stated "The U.S. Census is a mechanism for Boriken’s indigenous families to be recognized officially.”
He continued stating that in his opinion "Tainos must be responsible to make themselves count because nobody else will."
The UCTP also administers an alternate Taino Census Registry not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau.
UCTPTN 10.28.2010
The United States conducts an official census every 10 years. While the UCTP was an official partner with the U.S. Census Bureau for its campaign in 2000, this year’s activities included a major event at the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center in Ponce. The activity featured local Taino cultural presenters Wakia Arawaka Taina and was attended by the general public as well as U.S. Census Bureau officials from Washington D.C. and Boston, Massachusetts.
Vassallo not only praised the Confederation’s work increasing the visibility of Taino descendants but its work promoting the protection of indigenous sacred sites in Boriken. In particular, Vassalllo thanked the UCTP for bringing the issue of the Jacanas ceremonial site to his attention. Vassallo has since introduced formal legislation to protect the Jacanas cultural area.
Expecting more than 15,000 households to identify themselves as Taino in the Census, UCTP Boriken Liaison Director Roger Guayakan Hernandez stated "The U.S. Census is a mechanism for Boriken’s indigenous families to be recognized officially.”
He continued stating that in his opinion "Tainos must be responsible to make themselves count because nobody else will."
The UCTP also administers an alternate Taino Census Registry not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau.
UCTPTN 10.28.2010
I am very excited to hear about this news!! I am Lakota and Boricua, and it hasn't been until this last census that I have been able to claim both.
ReplyDeleteSusana Geliga