The night was so warm and humid that I'd left my family's bohío in the middle of the night to go and sleep in a hamaca down by the beach. It had been for naught because the tropical breezes were still, offering me no relief from the airless heat. I'd lain awake for hours listening for the sounds of the coki' and counting the cucubanos that lit the night sky as they flitted by. Now as the great yellow guey rose over the horizon, I felt the weariness that accompanied my lack of slumber and thought of the long day ahead. There was much to do to prepare for this evening. There was to be a ceremony, an areito to celebrate my brother, Guarionex's union with Ine'es, rahe of the Cacique Agüeybana, the great Chief of the Village of Guaynia. Their union would strengthen the ties of our people and ensure that Guarionex would have allies as he assumed leadership of Jaymanio. With our father's passing into the land of the Coaybay just three moons before, our mother Higuamota had urged my brother to take a wife now. Agüeybana had honored Jaymanio's strong ties with theirs by offering his eldest daughter to be my brother's liani.
As I enter the village, I see a group of naboria men preparing the barbacoa for the meat they will roast. I am reminded that it is my turn to check the conu'cos for the cassava, batata, and other root vegetables we will need for tonight's feast.
Approaching my bohío, I see my friend, Anani and greet her. "Tau, Anani." I say, "Come and help me with my task." Anani is the daughter of ni-taíno, Caiçiju. He is our village sub-chief. I know she is sad of heart over tonight's ceremony. You see, for many years, my brother has been her nanichi, her greatest love, but he has never returned her affection. As Cacique, Guarionex must put the well-being of our people first. For him, love offers little to his role as Chief in Taíno tribal life.
"Taiguey, Yuiza. Yes, I will come with you."
We walk together silently towards the mound where the vegetables are planted and begin to pick the ones we will need for the feast.
"Anani, what is the matter? You are not speaking much. Is it about tonight?"
"Yuiza, my heart is very heavy this day, but it is not about tonight. I have other news, and it frightens me."
"What is it Anani? Tell me, what terrifies you so? Is it the Kwaib? Are you afraid of those mean-spirited heart-eaters? They do not scare me."
Anani sighs. "No, Yuiza. It's not Caniba I fear. We know them. Our eieri, such brave warriors that they are, can defeat them. No, it is arijua. There is news of strange men walking among our people, foreigners, my father says. He says they are ari', invaders to our land. He says they have sailed here from a strange land inside giant gulls. He does not trust them, because he says other yucayekes have welcomed them and have been treated badly in return."
"What Anani? What do you mean? What has happened to them?" I ask.
"I do not know Yuiza. I do not know. Father would not tell me, but I fear they are jeiticacu', men of black hearts. What if they come here Yuiza? What if they are bad arijua? What will we do then?"
"Do not fear, Anani. I will speak to my brother, and we will prepare to welcome these arijua and show them who we are. We will show them that we are Taíno, a peaceful, good people. We must trust that they will treat us as we treat them. Do not fear, my sister, do not fear."
YOU ARE READING
Yuiza, A Taino Story
Short StoryA short story that weaves a narrative of a courageous Taino young woman and what happens to her and her people at Columbus' arrival. Her name is Yuiza and this is how I imagined her story went.
