St. Thomas, USVI (UCTP
Taino News) - St. Thomas, Virgin Islands residents recently experienced
an exciting, full day of Taino-related
activities organized by local indigenous organization Opia Taíno International, Inc. Activities took place adjacent
to the well-known historic building, Fort Christian, and
at the nearby Emancipation Garden from 10am – 5pm, Saturday, December 1, 2012. The program featured an
impressive list of speakers as well as an interactive, educational
exhibition entitled “A Walk in My Moccasins.”
The daylong program was free to the public and supported by the Virgin
Islands Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
"We are here to dispel the myth of Taino extinction in the Caribbean" stated Maekiaphan Phillips, President of Opia Taino.
Some of the interactive features of the program included a Taino-inspired
village with a batey (ceremonial plaza), Taíno artifacts and crafts,
photographs, native foods, and results from Maekiaphan Phillips’s family
genealogical exploration.
Members of Opia Taino and other special guests were
on hand throughout the day to answer questions concerning Taino and Carib
heritage. Featured speakers
included Phillips, Roberto Mukaro Borrero of the United Confederation of Taino
People, and Senator-elect, the honorable Myron Jackson. Discussion topics ranged from family
genealogy to DNA testing; Taino history past and present; the United
Confederation of Taino Peoples’ Inter-Tribal Registry; and the importance of
honoring the Indigenous legacies of the Virgin Islands.
UCTPTN 12.12.2012
St. Thomas
(UCTP Taino News) – Opia Taino and the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP)
finalized a collaborative agreement linking their respective local and international
tribal registries. An indigenous organization
based in St. Thomas, Opia Taino will now commence its registry on the island
and other nearby islands such as St. Croix and Tortola.
