I was really happy to be assigned the Taíno group for unit 6, as I had a close relationship with Puerto Rico and its culture growing up. Grey, Emma and Roberto put together an amazing podcast and blog lecture that was super insightful and felt very personal and authentic.
Admittedly, up until now I had passively accepted the narrative that Taínos and their culture became extinct due to the atrocities of colonization. Even while having family living in Puerto Rico for years, and having visited the island on numerous occasions, it never even crossed my mind that these people must have an existing legacy. You hear the name in Calle 13 lyrics, and you know of their widespread presence in the Caribbean, but the image that always comes to mind is that of a mystical tribe in the 1500s that–ostensibly–never saw the light of the day again. This is a clear example of why accurate representation truly matters, and why I’m really happy that Grey included pictures of their family. Now it seems so clear how ridiculous it is to believe that an entire ethnic group–including their bloodlines and cultural traditions–were obliterated without leaving any kind of legacy.
What I loved the most about the post is how it takes commonplace, Puerto Rican elements that are usually categorized as latino (for instance the sancocho), and traces its origins to the Taíno tradition. In a way, the sharing of these stories and connections through our blog is a form of cultural reclamation. After reading the lecture, I can picture Grey’s Taíno ancestors exclaiming “we’re alive and more resilient than ever,” and for that I feel very proud of my classmates.
I’d like to end my last blog post with a quote back from unit 3, as it seems very relevant to this reflection:
“It is during the long journey that we rearrange our burden.”
I hope everyone stays safe through the journey and arrives at their destination with new knowledge about their burdens.