Native America Calling: Indigenous resistance to gentrification in Puerto Rico

 Today on Native America Calling, 1PM ET, Shawn Spruce speaks with Roberto Múkaro Borrero (Taino), president of United Confederation of Taino People; Gualterio Alomar (Taino), president of the Organization for Culture of Hispanic Origins; and Tai Pelli (Taino), International relations and Human Rights Officer for the United Confederation of Taino People. https://www.indianz.com/News/2022/06/22/native-america-calling-indigenous-resistance-to-gentrification-in-puerto-rico/

CADO Launches Relief Mission for Kalinago in Dominica

On foot, Chief Charles Williams surveys the
destruction iacross the 8 villages of
Kalinago Territory in Dominica

Barbados (UCTP Taíno News) – The Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization (CADO) recently launched an appeal for hurricane relief focusing on the indigenous Kalinago Nation of Dominica. In cooperation with the United Confederation of Taíno People (UCTP), the CADO office in Barbados will receive donations to ship by air for the Kalinago Territory. In a recent post on social media, a number of donation items needed included dry food light-weight items, large tarpaulins, building tools/equipment (hand saws, hammers etc), rain-proof tents and sleeping mats, lanterns, assorted nails and screws, coolers, water purifiers, and pampers for elderly and babies were among the request. 

The first shipment of relief donations to Kalinago Territory will depart today, Friday Oct. 6, 2017. An additional shipment is scheduled for the following week. Contact with the CADO office can be made by email to caribbeanamerindian@gmail.com or by sending a message to CADO's Facebook page. 

While no deaths have been reported in Kalinago Territory as a result of the storm, community members have affirmed that many homes were completely destroyed and communications are still difficult. Both CADO and the UCTP have pledged ongoing support and will issue updates on the situation as reliable information becomes available. 

UCTPTN 10.06.2017

Taíno Welcome Indigenous Relatives from Guyana

Taíno Community members Little Wolf and Kasike Múkaro Borrero welcome the Wapishana Cultural group Karao while the Hon. Sydney Allicock, Vice President of Guyana looks on

Brooklyn , NY (UCTP Taíno News) - The Karao Cultural Group is visiting New York from the South Rupununi, Guyana to take part in Guyana Folk Fest 2017. The group, made up of indigenous Wapishana tribal members, has captivated audiences with their cultural presentations since their arrival to the U.S. On Thursday, August 31st, the Karao Group gave a presentation at the "Desrey Fox Memorial Lecture" held in Brooklyn, NY and organized by the Guyana Cultural Association of New York (GCA-NY). Taíno community members, Kasike Roberto Múkaro Borrero and Little Wolf were invited to provide a welcome and spiritual opening at the event, which also included a presentation by Guyana’s Vice President and Minister of Indigenous People's Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock. The event also featured a lecture on Guyana’s indigenous languages presented by Dr. Walter Edwards and remarks from President of the Guyana Cultural Association of New York, Dr. Vibert Cambridge, and other executives of the body.

UCTPTN 08.31.2017

Caribbean Indigenous Peoples Condemn Trumps withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement: A Joint statement from the United Confederation of Taíno People and the Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization

The United Confederation of Taíno People and the Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization condemn the shameful June 1st, 2017 announcement made by the President of the United States that his government will withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Agreement. 

Indigenous Peoples around the world, including the Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean are on the frontlines of the global climate crises. Our communities contribute the least to global warming, yet we are and will continue to be affected the most by its negative impacts. 

In the Caribbean region, the effects of climate change are real. We are experiencing erratic and shifting weather patterns, rising sea levels, increased intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes, negative effects on local fauna, as well as the bleaching of coral refers, which are integral component of the Caribbean Sea and its ecosystem. All these biophysical impacts will continue to evoke significant economic, social and political consequences in the near and distant future in the region and beyond. 

While the Paris Agreement did not fulfill all our aspirations and by itself, will not solve the global climate crises, it is an important step forward that includes the “rights of indigenous peoples” in its framework. 

The U.S. government’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is an irresponsible act that not only supports an immoral anti-environmental agenda, but also it also threatens the well-being of our future generations. We therefore call upon the U.S. government to reconsider its current position and convert this injustice into an historic opportunity to ensure a safer future for our children’s children.

Signed: 

Roberto Múkaro Borrero, President 
United Confederation of Taíno People 

Damon Gerard Corrie, President 
Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization

UCTP President to Speak at Gaming Conference

A scene from Arrival: Village Kasike

Brooklyn, New York (UCTP Taino News) – The President of the United Confederation of Taino People, Roberto Borrero will join CEO of Raindrop Games, Josh Samuels on a panel focusing on Indigenous Peoples and video game development at the Different Games conference on Saturday, April 9^th, 2016.

After community consultation, the Confederation entered into a collaboration with Raindrop Games, which resulted in the production and release of the game “Arrival: Village Kasike” in 2012. The game is currently available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and iTouch. According to Raindrop Games, plans are now being made to release Arrival: Village Kasike on other platforms, possibly as early as next year. A recent UNESCO report highlights Arrival: Village Kasike as a best practice initiative with regard to Indigenous Peoples and Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs).  

Different Games is New York City’s first conference on diversity and inclusivity in games culture, drawing more than 700 attendees to NYU’s Downtown Brooklyn campus, in addition to more than 100 arcade games and 150 presenters and speakers! The fourth annual Different Games Conference will be held over 2 days, April 8-9, 2016 at NYU MAGNET in Brooklyn.

See more information at the Different Games website: http://2016.differentgames.org/

UCTPTN 02.14.2015

Indigenous Peoples Corn Conference Begins

Berenice Sanchez (Otomi) and Tai Pellicier (Taino) at the 

2nd International Indigenous Peoples Corn Conference

Okmulgee, Oklahoma (UCTP Taino News) - The 2nd International Indigenous Peoples Corn Conference entitled "Vce Ohfvnkv en Heromkv, “Corn is a Gift from the Creator” kicked off this morning at the Mvskoke Dome located on the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Claude Cox Omniplex in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. The event is co-sponsored by the International Indian Treaty Conference (IITC) and the Mvskoke Food Sovereignty Initiative (MFSI). This two-day event brings together Indigenous traditional farmers, knowledge holders, food sovereignty activists, Tribal leaders, youth and elders together to share information, seeds, traditional knowledge and strategies to defend corn and other traditional foods vital to our ways of life as Indigenous Peoples. Among the distinguished delegates attending from throughout the hemisphere and beyond, Tai AnaYuisa Pellicier is participating in the conference as a representative of the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP) and the Caribbean Amerindian Development Association (CADO).

UCTPTN 09.08.2014

St. Thomas Taino Welcome Registry Collaboration

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.

The St. Thomas Taino registry will connect directly with the UCTP’s Taino Population Census and Inter-Tribal Registry. These programs are independent of State government census or similar programs. Both registries are open to Taino, Carib, and Arawak descendants. UCTP president, R. Mukaro Borrero and Opia Taino president Maekiaphan Phillips finalized the agreement in a meeting last week in New York.

UCTPTN 11.08.2013

Annual United Nations Indigenous Peoples Forum begins

 

Some of the Caribbean Indigenous representatives at the United Nations Permanent Forum in 2013. From left Damon Corrie (Lokono), R. Mukaro Borrero (Taino), Tai AnaYuisa Pelli (Taino), Hatuey Corrie (Lokono)

United Nations (UCTP Taino News) - Over 2000 representatives of Indigenous Peoples have registered and are expected to attend the 12^th session of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The Forum opened on 20 May and will close on May 2012. Some of the themes to be discussed include culture, education and health, as well as youth, Indigenous Peoples of Africa and international financial institutions. The session opened with a welcome blessing by Todadaho Sid Hill, a traditional Chief of the Onondaga Nation, part of the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy. 

A message from the Secretary General Ban Ki Moon was delivered by  Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. The message stressed that “We must have a better understanding of the views and values of indigenous peoples by engaging them in decision-making and providing a platform for issues affecting their lives and livelihoods.”

The Forum also elected a new chairperson, Paul Kanyinke Sena, who will facilitate the two-week session. A Maasai from Kenya, Sena stated in his opening address that  Indigenous concepts of health and healing includes not only access without discrimination to social and health services, but also includes connections with family, land and language, as well as access to traditional plants, animals and minerals. 

Other opening remarks were presented by the Vice-President of the UN General Assembly, Abulkalam Abdul Momen and the President of the UN Economic, Social and Economic Council (ECOSOC), Néstor Osorio.

Among the diverse participants of this year’s session representatives of Caribbean Indigenous Peoples such as the Lokono Arawak, Carib, and Taino are in attendance. The United Confederation of Taino People, for example, has accredited a number of delegates from throughout the Caribbean region including Borikén (Puerto Rico), Barbados, and Guyana. 

Along with the various discussions and debates taking place during the week, a number of side-events on related-issues will take place in and around United Nations Headquarters. 

 UCTP Taino News 05.21.2013