Kiskeia/Dom. Republic (UCTP Taino News) – A local Dominican newspaper reported the discovery of a possible ancient pyramid in the Puerto Plata district of the Dominican Republic on Friday. The so-called pyramid is in the form of a large pile of stones that was found by the property owner who is deciding to remain anonymous at this time. The owner also claims to have alerted local authorities who he feels are ignoring an important archeological find.Reactions from the Taino community have been mixed as there is caution over the report which could turn out to be a hoax.
Taino community member Miguel “Sobaoko Koromo” Sague states “I am skeptical concerning the possibility that our ancestors were so influenced by Maya and other Mesoamerican cultures that they would have begun to build pyramids". Sague continued stating that in spite of the doubts “it is a little exciting to allow myself to imagine that maybe... this man is really saying the truth.”
Another community member, Vanessa Inarunikia said that “As Taino, we know exchanges took place with Mesoamerica but [if this claim is true] this would confirm our oral tradition as fact for the academics and others who usually tend doubt everything unless they say it was so.”
In addition to local Taino oral tradition contacts between Mesoamerica and the Caribbean have been sporadically documented over the years. In his journal Columbus identified a group of Maya traveling from the Yucatan to the Caribbean islands by canoe. Recent archeological finds in Cuba have also confirmed some trade interaction. Several anthropologists and linguists have also noted some Mesoamerican influence in Taino culture and language.
Roger Guayacan Hernandez, a representative of the United Confederation of Taino People in Boriken (Puerto Rico) states that “we have heard about some mound type structures from a few elders here on the island. They say that many of these were destroyed with the building of modern roads. Unfortunately, we have not been able to physically verify these claims so it will be interesting to see what the find in Kiskeia is really about.”
Reports from internet archeology groups indicate that an archeology reporter, Mairobi Herrera from the newspaper Listin Diario will follow-up on this story. According to these sources Herrera has so far contacted Dominican archeologist Adolfo Lopez to investigate the claim and he has pledged to provide an update soon.
UCTPTN 10.05.10
