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Taino Dictionary

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We are proud and excited about any opportunity to bring knowledge and awareness to the Arawak Taino tribe. One of the best ways to preserve a people is to preserve the language. This page is dedicated to sharing known words and terms used today by Hispanics with Taino ancestry. We hope you learn and enjoy some of the words and terms used by the Tainos. However, please be sure to click and read our disclaimer.

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DID YOU KNOW

The Arawak Taino language holds significant historical relevance, characterized by the following facts:

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  1. Originating from the Arawakan language group, spoken by indigenous communities in South America, the Arawak Taino language is a vital part of this linguistic heritage.

  2. The Taino people, a branch of the Arawak tribe, were the primary speakers of the Arawak Taino language, which was prevalent in the Caribbean region during the era of Spanish exploration and colonization.

  3. Despite its widespread usage, the Taino language faced extinction within a century of European contact, although remnants of its usage persisted in isolated pockets until the 19th century.

  4. Remarkably, the Taino language marked the initial linguistic encounter between Europeans and the indigenous peoples of the Americas, making it historically significant in intercultural communication.

  5. The influence of the Taino language transcended its immediate speakers, leaving an indelible mark on various European languages. Words like 'hammock,' 'canoe,' 'barbecue,' 'tobacco,' 'hurricane,' and even the name of the island 'Cuba' owe their etymology to Taino roots.

  6. Within its lexicon, the Taino language boasts terms that have permeated global languages, such as 'cacique' (chief), 'maize' (corn), and 'tobacco,' reflecting its enduring impact on cultural and linguistic spheres.

A:

Arawak: The larger linguistic and cultural group to which the Taino people belonged.

Ajicú: A Taino game similar to the modern game of baseball.

Areito: A Taino ceremonial dance or gathering.

Anacacuya: A Taino spiritual leader or shaman.

Atabey: A Taino mother goddess associated with fertility and water.

B:

Bohío: A traditional Taino dwelling made of wood and thatch.

Boina: A type of Taino cap or head covering.

Batey: A Taino ceremonial plaza or ball court.

Buhíos: Plural of Bohío, referring to multiple Taino dwellings.

Bejucos: Vines or creepers used by the Tainos for various purposes.

Boinayel: A Taino celebration or festival.

C:

Cacique: A chief or leader in Taino society.

Caney: A large Taino communal house.

Coa: A Taino wooden tool used for farming and digging.

Cemi: A Taino religious symbol or idol.

Ciba: A Taino hut or shelter.

Cuauhchique: Taino warriors or soldiers.

D:

Da: I or My.

Daca: I Am.

Daca-ababa: I am a Father.

Dajao: River fish.

Datiao: My Friend or I am a Friend.

Datijao: My Lord

Digo: Soap

Dita: Eating Bowl

Dujo: Chair, a Ceremonial Chieftain Chair.

Dujos: A type of grinding stone used by the Taino people for grinding corn or other grains

 

E:

Ector: Soft corn or sweet corn.

Eieri': Men

Eracra: House

Eyeri: Tooth

 

F:

Few: A Taino word for "stone" or "rock."

Fotuto: Sea shell trumpet

G:

Guaragua: A small boat or canoe made by the Tainos.

Guay: A small fishing net used by the Tainos.

Guabancex: The Taino goddess of storms and hurricanes.

Guanín: A Taino ceremonial metal object, possibly gold or copper.

Guaníní: A Taino leader or noble.

Guaypó: A Taino ceremonial dance.

H:

Hatuey: A Taino chief who resisted Spanish colonization in the Caribbean.

Haiti: the actual name of the island of Santo Domingo/Haiti.

Hamaca: Hanging Bed made of Cotton and hung with ropes at its ends.

Han: Yes.

Ham Han: Yes, this way.

Hekiti: One.

Hupia: Ghost, The Spirit of a dead person. (See the word Opia).

Hura: Wind.

Huracán: The Taino word for a hurricane, a powerful tropical storm.

Hutia: Rabbit, Caribbean Rabbit.

I:

Itiba Cahubaba: A Taino deity associated with creation and fertility.

J:

Jaguar: A large predatory cat native to the Americas, revered by the Taino people.

Jicaco: A Taino fruit similar to a squash or pumpkin.

K:

Kiba: A Taino word for "house" or "home."

 

L:

Loíza: A Taino word for a type of dance and musical genre originating in Puerto Rico.

M:

Maboya: A Taino evil spirit or deity associated with death and disease.

Maíz: The Taino word for corn, a staple crop in their diet.

N:

Nitaínos: The Taino word for ancestors or spirits of the dead.

O:

Opiyelguabirán: A Taino deity associated with creation and the sun.

 

P:

Pia: A Taino word for "fire" or "flame."

 

Q:

Quisqueya: The Taino name for the island of Hispaniola, meaning "mother of all lands."

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R:

Runa: A Taino word for "person" or "individual."

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S:

Siba: A Taino word for "house" or "hut."

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T:

Taíno: The name of the indigenous people of the Caribbean islands.

Tibes: A Taino archaeological site in Puerto Rico.

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U:

Urraca: A Taino word for "bird."

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V:

Vaiamanúa: A Taino word for "heaven" or "sky."

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W:

Winkí: A Taino word for "cotton."

Y:

Yucayeque: A Taino village or settlement.

 

Z:

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