Indigenous Taíno fight Puerto Rico for visibility and rights 

Numerous federally recognized tribes in the US have members with less % than most Puerto Rican yet are full citizens in their tribal nation. The desicion of who is Indian is really about power and who gets to wield it. In some places just one drop makes you Black no matter how you present, yet to be indigenous more than half is demanded. While the average Taino is 15% there are many who range in the 20 to 30%.and even higher has been found in a minority of cases. The point is that there is a double standard at play and that shows the racist element. The 62% of indigenous marker is totally through the maternal side and women carry and pass down the culture and life ways. Having African ancestry certainly does not lessen indigenous identities, this argument was used to erase the indigenous peoples east of the Mississippi especially in Virginia, and the Carolinas. The Lumbee tribe is a prime example of this type of abuse similar to what Taino are dealing with today.

My great grandmother was Taína. I was raised by her and she shared many stories and the language with me. I tested my dna and I am 33% indigenous Puerto Rican (45% Colombian indigenous) & 41% identical alleles to Atunwa Inaru. We are still here 🦜

I hope all the Native Americans of Peurto Rico,and other First Nation people of the world gets what they all want . I want those thing also for you all .🎉🇵🇷

Supporting Taino from 🇭🇹! We with you

The Tainos were not wiped out. There's a reason why many of us Puerto Ricans are tri-racial. Spanish/ African/ and Taino blood flows through our veins. I did an ancestry test via 23andMe and I have 15.2% Indigenous (Taino) ancestry. I am very proud to represent not only my Taino heritage but also my Spanish and my African heritage because at the end of the day I wouldn't be here otherwise.

Grown up I hearing stories, but as someone who grew up in Puerto Rico, we where told that it was impossible. We are very spiritual people and when I saw my indigenous blood come out in the DNA test I got so emotional. I don't think it's necessary to have a DNA test to claim you Taino identity, but it was truly beautiful for me to see.

My great grandmothers mother was pure Taino . Only the female lineage survived but Taino ancestry is absolutely existent and alive . When I drew a DNA sample turned out my quantum was 1/5 Taino (exactly 20%) and couldn’t be more proud to be ! 🇵🇷

I’m coming back here after discovering nearly 20% of my DNA is traced back to the Taino People. My desire to learn comes from my desire to keep my people alive.

The original indigenous communities are not just still here.. they are our teachers.. they will always be here. They are.. the land.🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

My grandmother, who lived high in the mountains of Jamaica and passed away in 1989, was a Taino they called her 'Sister Tain'i, and she looked just like the two women in this presentation!❤😮

I read the whole story of the Puerto Rican somewhere. The Puerto Ricans got their respect because we fought and won many times… proud to be a Puerto Rican

Thank you John for a facinating series!

Historians, like scientists, always make bold statements, only to find out years later that those statements would not accurate. To say completely wiped out is simply hyperbole.

This was amazing! I got chills. ❤

We are still here taino and proud

Most governments will find a way to take your land, if P.R. Becomes a State then the government can take the land when the poor can’t pay property taxes, or when someone dies inheritance tax will make the family sell their land if they can’t pay.

Solidarity with the Taino people. You don’t need anyone else to recognise your identity for it to be real but it would be good if the Anglo Americans and the Latinx would be confident and generous enough to see that mutual respect benefits all. Love and best wishes from anglophone Ireland, sadly I can’t speak my native tongue fluently. A legacy of colonialism and the attempt to sublimate our culture and identity into theirs. ✊🏼

This is why it's important to do your research first before making assumptions

If you haven't read the first-hand accounts of what happened to the Taíno people... I don't know. I think it was a priest who documented what happened. It was extreme.

This was an amazing episode!

This is an unpopular opinion: As Boricuas, we have a large triad of cultures with some nuances interspersed throughout. It is largely Taino, African, and Spanish. We are at a pivotal point in history; we can decide to either continue placing prominence upon our Spanish ancestry and continue the status quo. Haven’t we done that enough? We speak Spanish. In some parts of the island we even want to SEEM Spanish. I say it’s time we begin prioritizing our Taino and African ancestry. Being that our Taino history is disjointed and hard to piece together at times (due to the injustices we’ve suffered), it seems like we have to attempt to keep our history, culture, and traditions alive. However, we also have to bring this into the future. We have to be the ones that decide what being Taino means to us NOW. The closest I can think of is Afro-Taino Futurism. It begs the question: what does it mean to be descendants of Africans and Tainos in 2023? What do we do with this? I think it’s important to love both of these cultures because they both suffered in unimaginable ways, and could use the front seat. Spanish has been in the forefront for far too long. Time to start teaching these languages in schools. And this blood quantum stuff is insane. If anything the fact that all of us have even 1% of indigenous blood is a testament to our ancestors. They are still, and will always be with us.

My family is from Puerto Rico, specifically Ponce area and I have indigenous ancestry as well Spanish, Portuguese and west African. Its important to reserved the history, stories, and culture of the Taino people. For many of us Puerto Ricans all we know and told is history and names of those who colonized the island. We don't know about the stories of natives as well the various African enslaved people and their orginal language and culture.What little we do know, is woven into Puerto Rican culture but it diluted. I very much support those Tainos who live today who haven't forgotten and are fighting to keep it alive.

Such a beautiful ceremony. I'm boricua and i honestly say i would love to join in that ritual because I want to feel closer to my ancestors and closer to my roots. May God bless and be on the side of of them all in their fight for justice and rights over the taino land.

I fight this ignorance constantly. Mi abuelita taught me who I was and where we are from. Even the DNA test even says over 20% Taino but people will still look at me and tell me I don't exist ...it makes me weep

I have 21% Taino (DNA tested )

Daka Taino, let our voices be heard!

My great grandfather is Taíno and still alive 104.

I visited this location and it was breathtaking. Totally recommend.

as a born and raised Puerto Rican NOPE they are not full Taino so no. we all have Taino blood but a not full taino.

I got tested and found I have 21% indigenous Puerto Rico (Boriken) and my husband is 26% and we are very proud of it ❤❤❤❤

Just found out I am 30% Indigenous Puerto Rican. This is pretty fascinating. Thank you for the video!

Why is it so important for other people to label who we are? Really, why?

Wow that brought tears to my eyes.~~~

I learned today that 14.6% of my DNA is traced back to Taino. I’m mixed, so I know my dad’s DNA would have shown higher if he was still alive. I’m proud to be here and learn about this part of me.

In unity, love, harmony and respect with our Taino family. It's time to unify us all as the guardians of these lands belonging to mother nature and take ones again ownership of our duty on this Earth. Receive the greetings from my sacred heart, my soul and oness with all, a sister a descendant from the Mayan, Olmec Aztec lineages. Hugs 💕

Only a DNA test will prove or disprove whether anyone has Taino in them.

We are a people and proud.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤.

Arawak Boricuas have always been in our blood as Puerto Ricans.

I remember finding out that Assyrians still existed.

I’m Taino n still here on Earth n I have kids for the next generation to come 💪🏽🇵🇷🤙🏽

I am half Puerto Rican 🇵🇷 and according to two different DNA tests, I am only 3 generations from a full blooded taino ancestor. I keep feeling a call within me to learn my heritage, learn my culture. I grew up with some of the PR culture but I feel drawn to the taino side as well. I hope to learn it and teach it to my children!

I really cherish all the things that these people and other Puerto Rican communities are doing to rescue the taino culture or heritage, and at the same time I wish my dominican brothers and sisters put the same passion as well. *Aplauso para los boris!!* 👏💙🤍❤

The odd thing is that in the mainland USA people with less Native American DNA ,basically white or black are recognized as Native American tribes .Being that 60% of Puerto Rico has Taino ancestry. They would have to acknowledge many people as Native Americans

Support taino from 🇩🇴

🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹im Taino....my mom hair her eyes was different . Taino lived in all the Caribbean, they made boat so they traveled to different islands that's why we love the ocean..... Haiti -Cuba Puerto Rico - and the rest of the Caribbean are Taino

I’m 28% Puerto Rican Indigenous! And proud!

After doing one of those DNA tests it shows I am 30% Spain 25% Portugal 20% native Puerto Rican (Taino) and the other 25% majority from Africa and some traces from all over Europe. On my my mom's side everyone has blond hair with blue or green eyes and white skin on my dads side they are truly natives!

Have these people had DNA tests. What is their percentage of Taino.

I am gifted and here to serve !!! I am Indigenous apart from many things. I also speak Taino when calling on spirit my birthmark is the the shape of Puerto Rico . I am currently holding ceremony here in the California the name of The name of my sacred space is Manifested Lab Here in Corona, California. How can I help.

I’m a Jamaican Taino my great great great grandfather was a maroon and he mixed with a Taino woman.🇯🇲🇯🇲

I met John at a book club in Berkeley he is such a great man bro. And one of my favorite actors.

I have been looking at comments from so many different types of cultures on different identity videos. This is what i know. 1. Those who claim their indigenous identity, connect with the tribes of PR ( and there are tribes) and belong to that nation are infact Indigenous 2. People in the comments no matter if its irish identity , Native Identity , African so on always differ in oppinion. DONT LET THAT DISCOURAGE YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOUR HEART SAYS> IF YOUR INDIGENOUS ANCESTORS CALL YOU GO FIND THE ELDERS AND THE COMMUNITY!

Pedro Albizu Campos spoke on the hypocrisy of the US of A...if only he were alive today.

Same argument for all native Americans. I hope for all the best for these people.

Im a Puertorican woman from new york. The tiano indian bloodline is very much alive. As unfortunate it can be the government is suppressive. Keep the general public aware of what is going on. God bless the island of puertorico.

Sii, algunos escaparon a las montañas!!

We were conquered and we had to pretend that 'we no longer exist' in order to survive. We were assimilated to a certain point that the real lyrics of the PUR National Anthem had to be purged because it sounded too 'revolutionary'. And still today, it is sung.

Indigenous Taino From Cuba 🇨🇺 we dont confine to colonial view points and we don’t do blood percentage! We are still here!

What percent does the government want? How much is enough?

Taino is on the verge of extinction. The pride in everyone claiming to be “full blood” Puerto Rican but in the same breath say Puerto Rican/ Boricua isn’t a race is the exact reason why on average everyone is 20% indigenous or less.

WE are still here!

They are described as hairless, broad face, with very pronounced cheekbones, lips a little thick and very good teeth

I’m from Puerto Rico and have 31% taino ancestry. 👋

Gracia mi hermano!!

The Royal census of Puerto Rico in 1834 established that the island's population as 42,000 enslaved Africans, 25,000 colored freemen, 189,000 people who identified themselves as whites and 101,000 who were described as being of mixed ethnicity.

May this culture flourish and thrive once more ❤

That’s the American history. Spanish history, first 8 years of colonization all the atrocities were made. Until queen Isabella prohibited slavery and the bad treatment of indigenous people. Also there are still taino people in the oriental part of Cuba. The Taino mostly blended with the Spanish.

What a oxymoron. The Puerto Rican Government denying the existence of the Taino Population. Entre mas conozco a los humanos, mas amo a mi perro!

I’m 24% Tahino 🇵🇷

This is amazing we need to do all is possible for our culture. Greetings from cusco. Inca

As a child of Puerto Rican parents... We learned from them how Puerto Ricans are of three Culturas... Taino, African and Spaniard... We always called ourselves as the "Rainbow People" Unfortunately, the Tainos of the1600's were almost wiped out by Columbus and other Spainard's travelers of the 1600's and beyond... Throughout all of the Caribbeans....

I found it to be amazing in took the ancestry DNA. I'm actually native indigenous Puerto Rican !!

El video es más opinión que hechos. Todos los lugares como centros ceremoniales y bateyes tuvieron que ser rescatados y excavados y declarados lugares arqueológicos. El planteamiento de pertenencia no aplica aquí pues implicaría que cualquiera puede reclamar cualquier lugar arqueológico.

Leguizano: los puertoriqueños con origen o sangre taina tienen los mismos derechos y son tan visibles como el resto de sus compatriotas

Me and my father's beautiful town of "Otoau" Utuado. I pass that place many times and the most beautiful thing is to see the mountain "El Cemí" as a background. And while you drive on 111 road towards Angeles and Lares, you actually go right in front of those mountains and it's just beautiful. I might have been born at the states which I'm grateful, but genetically I am puertorican and that Taino blood runs through my veins, especially from my mother's side. My abuela is a glimpse of the past ❤. Her features are 100% Taina, just beautiful ❤.

Yea just let them live

They were not wiped out. They mixed with the Spanish immigrants.

At around the 4:30 mark you make such a great point; & get this: • For being considered Black, the States used to use the 1-Drop Rule (1 drop of Black African blood makes one Black) • In the 1960s the USSC overturned the 1-Drop Rule; BUT then, Louisiana simply substituted "ancestry" for "blood" & in the 1980s the USSC subsequently refused to hear a case where someone had challenged this word trick being used after being denied a change in racial status under the new wording - so essentially the 1-Drop Rule is still defacto though unlawful (!!!) And yet the U.S. gov't allows AmerIndian Tribes to set their own requirements for acceptance in their respective tribes, but in the case of reportly extinct tribes the U.S. gov't wants to set their own standard(s) of tribal acceptance when it's discovered that some Indians actually survived what was thought to have been various extinction events. IMO, the remnant of a botched/mis-reported extinction event ought to be able to re-assemble or connect in some manner as the tribe(s) they once were beforehand - & they can decide matters of acceptance (& as a member of such a People I for one would welcome all regardless of how little - else we'll have to wait until YHWH our God wipes away all tears). Note: God is on record & remains on record that He shall cause the return of the remnant of the Hebrew Tribes to the Promised Land - & He doesn't say, only those not of any AdMix, for AdMix is permissible in the Hebrew Tribes. Now I ask, Can the U.S. Gov't prove that the Taino Tribe of old rejected Taino-AdMix folk from tribal participation, that such AdMix folk weren't accepted as part of the tribe, that AdMixing was impermissible in Taino culture? 🤔 If not, then it's only reasonable to assume that just as God recognizes AdMix among both scattered & unscattered Hebrew Tribes as being from a respective Hebrew Tribe, then the U.S. Gov't ought to do likewise for the various scattered & unscattered Indigenous Peoples whose ancestors suffered so greatly as to be declared extinct! In otherwords - words for U.S. Congress - Remove the respective callous covering your hearts, you government reps, & do what's righteous in God's eyes (then you'll be well esteemed & make many folk happy). Meanwhile, keep on praying, Folks. ✝️😎👍 P.S.: Near the end of this video you brought up another decent point: that of bringing into a tribe folk initially from without: a quite common practice among various American Indian Tribes that shows acceptance of AdMix into the tribe; so, unless the U.S. Gov't could PROVE that Taino refused to do this, then the amount of DNA doesn't matter - &... I just remembered that among full syblings of AdMix there's a chance that a DNA test could show one sybling not inheriting some ethnic marker that another sybling did inherit. My 1st Coz & I each tested with MyHeritageDNA to discover our respective recent ancestry. Now, even though we share a Grandmother whose Parents were born in Norway & Sweden, MyHeritage didn't directly mention Norway or Sweden on my Cousin's results (& we're DNA-Matched as 1st Cousins & her daughter is properly DNA-Matched with me at AncestryDNA), but for me both Norway & Sweden were highlighted as a large chunk of my DNA - the largest chunk; so, a positive DNA test can be proof of inclusion, but a negative DNA test isn't proof of exclusion. We musn't accept a U.S. Gov't policy of determining a tribe extinct based upon DNA test results, else some American-Indian-hating types could worm into positions where they could re-locate, scatter, & essentialy dilute any targeted tribe until the tribe could be declared "extinct" by the whims of those in gov't - & with the respective treaty(-ies) made void, what the tribe still had up 'til then could be confiscated by the U.S. Gov't. And then they could target the next tribe & the next & so on 'til the U.S. Gov't unilaterally declares all tribes as "extinct," all treaties void, & all past AmerIndian possessions now U.S. Gov't property. Give them an inch & they'll think themselves rulers. - Robin Williams (approx) Give in an inch & they'll take a mile. - Unknown (approx) We just can't leave some important matters up to gov't folk, because many are like ravenous wolves - always hungry - never satisfied (always wanting more, more, & still more as they give back to the People less, less, & you guessed it: less). Our Nation's system of gov't is decent, yet could use a little amending here & there; however, it needs to be administered by decent folk & not the ravenous criminals that have been running much of it for a long time now. End of rant - for now.

My mom is taino and my grandmother was most likely 95% taino

Sorry, but the Spaniards couldn't keep their hands off those beautiful Tainas. We needed to make more beautiful babies with them. Best stock around. That's why Puerto Rico is overwhelmingly mestizo (Spanish/Indigenous). They're already recognized in the current Puerto Rican genetic makeup.

All Tainos in Puerto Rico are mixed that's why they're light skinned

I’m 36% taína.

In 1933 with the death of Tommy Soloman the NZ government declared that the Moriori people of Rekohu / Chattam islands had gone extinct , as he was rhe last full blooded Moriori . But he and others had decedents and they are still alive today . Today these decedents are recognized as Moriori officially by the one drop of blood rule .

What interesting is i've read 17% Taino dad and 10% taino mom passed to children obtained 27% according to new ancestry's 2 parent's dna splits revealed.

Sorry, we r very much alive... We r everywhere.. I'm in NYC with my family...

Im half Puerto Rican and Portuguese

Great job big fan of lenguazamo ,after watching his acting in empire ,tainos are a beautiful people

The gov needs to keep these sacred lands ..sacred

25% taino here, and I'm proud of it.

Those two women have substantial Spanish heritage.

4:20 this hurts a lot, being of similar ancestry.

This lady is a wannabe Indian I know her very well in fact she lived in New York City for most of her life she participated in many of our celebrations but used North America Indian regalia not taino, My name is Mayowakanel Mayowakanel

You’re wrong if you think the Taino aren’t still around. My mama was one so are you saying our blood isn’t real?

I’m t last of t mohegans. I’m still around w a big heart.

How can I get in contact with them? I want to learn more about my heritage.

Lo cierto en la actualidad , es que en las Antillas incluyendo a Puerto Rico, no quedaron grupos indígenas..... que haya personas con descendencia de pueblos autotonos ,es posible, pero solo son grupos mestizos y no originarios ,puros, como si los podemos encontrar en el continente americano.....

No I did DNA I have indigenous from Puerto Rico Taína daka 🇵🇷🏝️

Tainos exist, I have come face 2 face talking to them.😊😊😊😊♥️🌺

My husband is full bred PR but still doesn’t know his taino indians roots. They are the first and for most tribe and deserve that land! My husband’s last name is Andino that’s a Italian last name but mom family comes from Caitlina

There are lines of indigenous people living in Trinidad