Investiture Ceremony for Guainía Kasike

New York (UCTP Taíno News) - On Sunday June 24 2012, the President of the United Confederation of Taíno People (UCTP), Roberto "Mukaro Agueibaná" Borrero's title of Kasike (chief) was blessed by elders and medicine people of the Guainía Taíno Tribe and other Taíno communities from Borikén (Puerto Rico) and the diaspora.

The ceremony took place at the chief's home in New York and follows a previous, private blessing ceremony that took place in Borikén. Kasike Borrero was presented and accepted the title of Kasike by a group of elder community women in 2006 under the condition that community members would reaffirm the position via election at a later date.

A main impetus for the investiture ceremony was the presentation of a new gold guanin (chief medallion) to Kasike Borrero, which bears the official symbol of the Taíno iukaieke (community)  Guainía. Community members gathered the resources required and commissioned the making of the guainin for this historic presentation. 

After presentations by several bibino (grandmothers) such as Vanessa Pastrano and Mildred Karaira Gandia, Behike (ceremonial leader) Miguel Sobaoko Koromo Sague conducted part of the closing ceremonies in cooperation with Caney Indigenous Spiritual Circle Beike and Guainía member Domingo Turey Hernandez.  

A number of other prominent figures of the contemporary Taino Resurgence movement were also in attendance, including Kasike Roman Guaraguaorix of Yukayeke Maisiti and Guainía member Nani Morales, first runner-up for Miss Indian World. Supporting the ceremony were a number of Northern Native American dignitaries including Chief Osceola Townsend of the Matinecock Nation of New York, among others. 

UCTPTN 06/25/2012

Peace and Dignity Fundraiser

Saturday, July 07 2012, 6:30pm - 10:00pm

FROM AREYTO TO HIP HOP

Featuring Music, Poetry, & Dance of the

Indigenous People of the Caribbean

~ Saturday, July 7th, 2012 ~



featuring

- Chilo from El Grito de Poetas

- The Expressive Dance of Milteri Tucker

- The Taino Music of Roberto Mukaro Borrero with members of Kasibahagua

- Percussionist Anibal Collazo Jr.

- The Poetry of White Heron Woman

- Photography"Ancestral Footsteps" by Amy Majagua'naru Ponce

- Taino Indians Mini Museum

- DJ "MUSIC-BY-YOKO"

- Native Arts & Crafts, Prize Raffle Drawing, & More

Doors Open at 6:30pm

Tickets $12 in advance by July 2nd

$15 at the door

$10 with Student ID or UCTP affiliate ID


Venue: The Brecht Forum,
451 West Street New York, NY 10014

For more information contact:
718-549-5677 or 347-242-0516
http://brechtforum.org/directions

Arawak Art Work Presented to Tribal Link Executive Director

Tribal Link Director Pamela Kraft receives a sculpture from the Eagle Clan Arawaks and the United Confederation of Taino People. In photo from left to right: Pamela Kraft, Roberto Borrero, Damon Corrie and Tai AnaYuisa Pellicier

United Nations, NY (UCTP Taino News) – An exquisite work of contemporary Lokono Arawak art was presented to Tribal Link’s Executive Director, Pamela Kraft, during the 11^th Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in May. The piece, a wooden sculpture of a female leader, was carved by acclaimed Lokono artist Foster Simon.  The piece was presented to Kraft jointly by the Eagle Clan Arawaks and the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP). 

“Pamela Kraft has selflessly given of her time and effort to promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples,” stated UCTP President Roberto Mukaro Borrero. “She has continuously worked hard to provide a space for Indigenous Peoples to speak for themselves at the United Nations and other forums, presenting this special gift is a way for us to acknowledge her important work, and to say thank you.” 

The presentation of the sculpture was made during Tribal Link’s Project Access 2012 Training Session.  Project Access supports indigenous peoples’ participation in international meetings and conferences where decisions are being made that affect their rights, cultures and livelihoods.  Project Access is designed to provide support for the effective participation of 15-20 indigenous peoples from around the world at the UNPFII. Their participation begins with a three-day training session prior to the Forum's opening. 

“Simon’s sculpture represents a female leader, a chief,” noted Damon Corrie, the leader of the Eagle Clan Arawaks and the Pan Tribal Confederacy of Indigenous Tribal Nations. “To us Pamela is a leader and a chief of this session, we are very grateful to her, and all the Tribal Link staff for their commitment to Indigenous Peoples and to the Project Access students in particular.” 

Additional sculptures created by Foster Simon are featured in the Presidential collections of Guyana, Bolivia and Venezuela, and have been exhibited at the United Nations

UCTPTN 06.08.2012

IAIA Valedictorian to Appear on NBC’s Dateline

Santa Fe, New Mexico (UCTP Taino News) - Jamie Figueroa (Taino), a recent valedictorian graduate from the Institute ofAmerican Indian Arts (IAIA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico will be one of the featured interviews on ‘Dateline NBC’ Friday, June 1, 2012. A part of the program, will showcase various colleges and graduates from around the United States.  The segment, airing at 9pm est. (8pm central), will include a Tribal College, IAIA, for the first time.  The Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development (IAIA), is one of 36 tribal colleges located in the United States.

Figueroa graduated earlier this month with a B.F.A. in Creative Writing. She is of Taino heritage from Boriken (Puerto Rico), and enrolled with the United Confederation of Taino People.  Among her many accomplishments, Figueroa has been published in various literary journals, including Split Oak Press, ekleksographia, the Tribal College Journal and the Santa Fe Literary Review. She also created an internship for herself at the Santa Fe Reporter writing an online blog, “With This Pen,” which explores race, identity and relationships. Figueroa has also taught creative writing in elementary, middle and high schools, and in the Honors Program at the University of New Mexico. She believes story–the act of telling story and listening to story–is the most powerful tool we have as human beings to enact compassion and change.

'Dateline NBC,’ is the signature broadcast for NBC News in primetime.

UCTPTN05.31.2012

Alvarez Family Returns to Boriken

The Alvarez family returns to Boriken to reconnect with their roots.

Ponce, Boriken/Puerto Rico (UCTP Taino News) - The Alvarez Family returned to their old stomping grounds in Utuado, Boriken after half a century away. During their recent family reunion trip, they visited indigenous ceremonial sites on the island to further connect to, and reaffirm their roots. The trip was organized by Susan Alvarez, who contacted the United Confederation of Taino People for assistance. Alvarez is enrolled with the Confederation.

The family delegation included Susan Alvarez, along with her two children, Kathleen and Charles, and her sisters Judith and Carmen Pagano, and Carmen’s two daughters Hyacinth and Heather. They started their journey on a Friday morning, visiting ceremonial centers between Ponce and Utuado crossing thru “Las Indierras” and the Cordillera Central mountain range.  “The mountains always call me, I never felt more at home as when I was passing our beautiful, majestic mountains” said Carmen (Mita), the family matriarch.

With trip itinerary prepared by “Mountain Tours”, proprietor Roger Guayakan Hernandez was the official guide for the family. Hernandez is also a Liaison Officer for the United Confederation of Taíno People on the island. Their first stop was to Ponce's Tibes Ceremonial Center.  At the Center’s museum, the many artifacts and informative dioramas complimented the orientation presented by Taíno community member Luis Santiago of Wakia Arawaka.  This Center features a film explaining what researcher call the Igneri (Saladoid) culture to the so-called Pre-Taino who settled the site along the “Valley of Tibes” from around 300AD to 1000. The grounds feature seven "batei” and two large ceremonial "plazas".

Kathleen, Susan, and Charles Alvarez at Caguana

“This educational tour was so interesting and it explained a great deal” stated Judith.

After a tasty roast “pernil”, pollo and “costillas “luncheon at Adjuntas family restaurant - "El Boriqua", the tour proceeded to Utuado's Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Center thru the winding mountain road along the Adjuntas/Dos Bocas River Valley.  The Caguana Ceremonial Center features 22 large stone petroglyphs lining the numerous, and large “batu (ballgame)” courts along the Tanama Valley hillside facing the spectacular “Semi” mountain peak.  This Taino site has been occupied since 900AD indicative thru “Ostiones” artifacts found along with Capa style highly decorated ceramics (1280AD- 1500AD).

The renowned petroglyph known as "mujer de Caguana" shows her elaborate “crown” with large ear rings representing an advanced age woman of a respected social position. Her eyes are closed and her bony thorax with her lower extremities similar to a frog's legs are said to denote vitality. The circular figure on her abdomen with a dot in the middle represents her navel and her evident reproductive organ implies her as a fertility figure giving birth to many children.  Her squatting position is a sign of power and commands respect.

Commenting on the petroglyph Carmen stated “How wonderful we as women were treated with the highest of respect and honor. My grandparents were so loving and respectful to each other so we as Taino-Boricua women had a great base as how we should be treated.”

After passing thru the half century improvements (since the family’s time in the Diaspora) made to the Utuado area, the tour returned thru the old Camino Reale (King's Road Route 123), which is awaiting the last stage of the $20 million dollar connection between Adjuntas and Utuado to complete a new expressway Route 10 between Ponce and Arecibo.  The 3,000 ft elevated rural central mountain range has kept this region relatively isolated. This continues as it has for the past 500 years holding the ancestral secrets of the many villagers who have settled along the many rivers and tributaries for the past few thousand years.

“WOW!” exclaimed Carmen. “The trip thru the mountains was hair-raising in many ways, from the winding roads to the majestic views. We all knew we were home”. She continued stating “It feels so good to be home.  We will be back.  We will continue to study and learn about our people’s ways.  We will teach our children.  I was so happy my daughters, sisters, nephew and niece were here to experience this wonderful beautiful experience.”

With great pride she added “We came home to the land of enchantment, we Taino came home to the beauty of Boriken.”

UCTPTN 05.31.2012