List of Taínos

This is a list of known Taínos, some of which were caciques (male and female tribal chiefs). Their names are in alphabetical order.

The Taínos were the Columbian indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and some of the Lesser Antilles – especially in Guadeloupe, Dominica and Martinique. The Taínos ("Taíno" means "good" "people"), unlike the Caribs', who practiced regular raids on other groups, were peaceful seafaring people and distant relatives of the Arawak people of South America.^[1]

Taíno society was divided into two classes: Nitainos (nobles) and the Naborias (commoners). Both were governed by chiefs known as caciques, who were the maximum authority in a Yucayeque (village). The chiefs were advised by priest-healers known as Bohiques and the Nitaynos, which is how the elders and warriors were known.^[2]

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. Anyone can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Portrait	Name	Remarks
	Abey	Cacique (Chief) of yucayeque-(village) in the area of Abeyno Salinas, Puerto Rico.[3]
	Acanorex	Cacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya (Kiskeya) (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Agüeybaná (The Great Sun)	Cacique whose name means "The Great Sun" was "Supreme Cacique" in Puerto Rico who welcomed Juan Ponce de León and the conquistadors. His yucayeque was on the Guayanilla Bay area. He was also known as Guaybana[5]
	Agüeybaná II (The Brave)	Cacique Agüeybaná's brother. Agüeybaná II, who was also known as Güeybaná and Guaybana II, led the Taíno rebellion of 1511 in Puerto Rico against the Spanish settlers.[6]
	Alonso	Minor Cacique of (Otoao) Utuado, Puerto Rico.[7]
	Amanex	Cacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya (Kiskeya) (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Ameyro	Cacique of Jamaica, who lived on the eastern extremity of the island. He and Diego Mendez became great friends, exchanged names, which is a kind of token of brotherhood (Guatiao). Mendez engaged him to furnish provisions to his ships. He then bought an excellent canoe from the cacique, for which he gave a splendid brass basin, a short frock or cassock, and one of the two shirts which formed his stock of linen. The cacique furnished him with six Indians to navigate his bark, and they parted mutually well pleased.[8]
	Anacaona	Cacica of Ayiti or Quisqueya (Kiskeya). Wife of Caonabo, the Cacique of Maguana and sister of Cacique Bohechío, when his brother died, she became the Cacica of Jaragua. Reported to have had friendly encounters with escaped slaves.[9]
	Aramaná	Cacique around Coa (Toa) river in Puerto Rico.[7]
	Aramoca	Cacique Ayiti or Quisqueya (Kiskeya) (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Arasibo	Cacique of yucayeque in the area of Río Abacoa (Río Grande de Arecibo) Arecibo, Puerto Rico.[10]
	Aymamón	Cacique of yucayeque around Culebrinas river in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican anthropologist Ricardo Alegría suggests that the proper pronunciation and name of the cacique was Aymaco, with Aymamón being a way of designating the cacique that ruled over the region called Aymamio, or possibly just a misunderstanding of the name's adequate pronunciation. However, historical documents have traditionally used the name Aymamón. He is known for having ordered the kidnapping of the son of Spaniard Pedro Xuarez. He called for a game at the batey among his subjects and offered as prize the honor of burning the Spaniard alive and hence proving their mortality and vincibility. However, the Spanish found out about the plan and Captain Salazar was sent to rescue the young Spaniard. In the subsequent battle, the son of Pedro Xuarez was rescued and Aymaco wounded. While healing, Aymaco called on Salazar to exchange names and offer peace. Despite his peace offering, he later participated in the Taíno Rebellion of 1511 which was also crushed.[7]
	Ayraguay	Cacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya (Kiskeya) (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Ayamuynuex	Cacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya (Kiskeya) (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Bagnamanay	Cacique of the Caguas, Puerto Rico area.[11]
	Baguanao	Cacique of Matanzas, Cuba Father of Cibayara[12]
	Biautex	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Bojékio or Bohechio	Cacique elder in Hispaniola brother of Anacaonacacica of Xaragua(In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Brizuela	Cacique of Baitiquirí, Cuba.[13]
	Cacicaná	Cacique of Cueybá Cuba Provided food and shelter to Alonso de Ojeda who was shipwrecked on the Island of Cuba he was accompanied by seventy men and was seeking help. The pirate Bernardino de Talavera took Ojeda prisoner. A hurricane struck Talaveras ship and Talavera made amends and helped each other, despite their efforts the ship was shipwrecked at Jagua, Sancti Spíritus, on the south coast of Cuba. Ojeda decided to travel along the coast on foot with Talavera and his men in order to reach Maisí Point from where they would be able to get to Hispaniola. However, the party faced a number of difficulties on route and half of the men died of hunger, illness or other hardships that they met along the way. The sole possession remaining to Ojeda was an image of the Virgin Mary, which he had carried with him since he left Spain. He made a promise on this image that he would build a church dedicated to her in the first village that he reached where he was given hospitality. A little later, and with only a dozen men and the pirate Talavera still surviving, he arrived in the district of Cueybá where the chief Cacicaná provided food and shelter. Ojeda was true to his word and he built a small hermitage to the Virgin in the village, which was venerated by the local people. The party was rescued by Pánfilo de Narváez and taken to Jamaica, where Talavera was imprisoned for piracy. From Jamaica Ojeda returned to Hispaniola where he learned that Fernández de Enciso had been able to relieve the colonists who had stayed in San Sebastián modern day Municipality of Necoclí in the subregion Urabá in the department Antioquia, Colombia.[14]
	Cacimar	Cacique of Caribe ancestry, his yucayeque was in the "Isla de Bieque" (currently known as Vieques, Puerto Rico).[15]
	Caguax	Cacique of yucayeque by the Turabo River of Caguas, Puerto Rico.[16]
	Caguax II	Cacique who Reigned over the territory of Sabaneque Çaguax Sagua La Grande, Cuba.[13]
	Camagüebax	Cacique Of Camagüey, and Father of Tínima Executed by Pánfilo de Narváez was killed and his body thrown from the highest elevation in Camagüey, the Tuabaquey hill in the Sierra de Cubitas mountains, (330 meters /1,083 ft.) above sea level.[17]
	Canimao	Cacique of Matanzas, Cuba Husband of Cibayara father of Guacumao.[18]
	Canóbana	Cacique of yucayeque around Cayniabón river (Río Grande de Loíza), Canóvanas, Puerto Rico.[19]
	Caonabo	Cacique of Hispaniola who ruled the province of Ciguayos (Cayabo or Maguana). Married cacica Anacaona, from the neighboring Jaragua cacicazgo. He and Maynerí destroyed La Navidad.[20]
	Caracamisa	Cacique of Cuba[21]
	Casiguaya	Wife of Guamá Captured in 1521 Hanged herself, Cuba.[22]
	Cayacoa	Cacique of Higüey, Hispanola. After his death his wife the Cacica, baptized as Dona Ines (no relation to Agueybana's mother) married the Spaniard Miguel Díaza.[4]
	Comerío	Cacique who ruled the region in the area Comerío, Puerto Rico. Son of the Cacique Caguax.[23]
	Cotubanamá	Cacique of Higuey, Hispaniola. Fought against the Spanish. He rebelled after a Cacique from Saona Island was assassinated. He was captured and taken to Santo Domingo, where he was hanged.[24]
	Dagüao	Cacique of yucayeque at Santiago river, Naguabo, Puerto Rico.[25]
	Doña Ines	Cacica, mother of Caciques Agueybaná and Agüeybaná II of Puerto Rico. Baptised by Juan Ponce de León in the year 1507.[26]
	Doña María	Cacica, daughter of Cacique Bagnamanay. Her Taíno name is unknown.[11]
	Enriquillo	Also known as Guarocuya. Cacique from the Barahona region of Hispaniola, leader of a rebellion against the Spanish.[27]
	Guababo	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Guacabo	Cacique of Boriqueñ, who governed the area close to the Cibuco River[4]
	Guacanagaríx	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti), he was the first Cacique to befriend Columbus and helped save the men aboard the sinking Spanish vessel "Santa Maria" in Hispaniola. He also helped build the Fort Navidad.[4][28]
	Guacumao	Cacique of Matanzas, Cuba son of Canimao and Cibayara.[29]
	Guaicaba	Cacique of Cuba who governed the area of Baní[30]
	Guamá	Cacique of Cuba fought the Spaniards at Baracoa Guamá was betrayed and murdered by his brother Guamayry also known as Oliguama.
	Guamá II	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti) .[31]
	Güamaní	Cacique of yucayeque around Guayama, Puerto Rico or Manatí, Puerto Rico.[32]
	Guamayry	Cacique of Baracoa, Cuba also known as Oliguama. brother of Guamá. took over Chieftainship after he murdered his brother, as stated by Alexo a Taino warrior.[33]
	Guaoconel	Cacique of Hispaniola (in the area of Macorix de Abajo)[34]
	Guaora	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Güaraca	Cacique of yucayeque in Guayaney in Puerto Rico.[32]
	Guarionex	Cacique from the cacicazgo of Maguá on the island of Hispaniola, Ayiti/Quisqueya (Kiskeya). The subsequent Spanish colonization of the island forced thousands of Indians to other neighboring islands such as Borikén (Taíno name for Puerto Rico) to where he fled. Guarionex, meaning "The Brave Noble Lord", became the cacique of the village of Otoao or Utuado in Puerto Rico in 1493 Cacique of yucayeque in Utuado, Puerto Rico.[35]
	Guatiguaná	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti), He was the first Cacique to organize a rebellion in his land against the Spaniards[4]
	Guayacayex	Cacique "Supreme" of Havana, Cuba He starred in one of the first Aboriginal rebellions in the region of Guanima. name given by the ancient inhabitants Present day Matanzas province. in 1510 When a Spanish ship from the mainland made landfall in Guanima Bay, the chief Guayacayex hatched a plan for revenge against the abuses that had been committed on his neighbors in the sister island of Ayiti/Quisqueya, he had information on the cruelty exercised by the colonizers on populations in that territory since Christopher Columbus's first voyage in 1492. Guanima's name was changed to Matanzas, meaning "Massacre" to commemorate the events of 1510.[36]
	Guayaney	Cacique of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, he was also known as Guaraca and Guaraca del Guayaney[4]
	Habaguanex	Cacique of La Habana, Cuba.[37]
	Hatuey	Cacique "Supreme" of Baracoa.Came from Hispaniola to fight the Spanish in Cuba.[13]
	Haübey	Cacique of Guahaba, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He organized a protest against Spanish rule in Cuba, was jailed and burned alive.[4]
	Hayuya	Cacique of Jayuya, Puerto Rico[38]
	Huarea	Cacique in Western Jamaica, his village was located in what is now present day Montego Bay, Jamaica.[39]
	Imotonex	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	lguanamá	Cacica of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti) also known as Isabel de Iguanamá[4]
	Inamoca	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Jacaguax	Cacique who historian José Toro Sugrañes believed ruled the region of current Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico. The Jacaguas River was named in his honor.[40]
	Jibacoa	Cacique of the area Majibacoa present day Las Tunas,Cuba[41] Retrieved February 10, 2008
	Jumacao	Cacique of the area which includes the current city of Humacao, Puerto Rico, named in his honor.[42]
	Loquillo	Cacique of the area of Luquillo (named after him) located in the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico. One of the last Cacique to fight against the Spanish invadors of the island.[43]
	Mabey	Cacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya (Kiskeya), had arrived with Cacique Hatuey fleeing the Spanish on the neighboring island of La Hispaniola, pursued by the Spanish arrived at the Güinía Gold mines, of what is now the province of Villa Clara, Cuba in the municipality of Manicaragua stirring up a rebellion, the Spanish to prevent the rebellion intensified the search of Mabey. The center of operations of Cacique Mabey against the Spanish were at the foot of a hill called La Degollada. In the battle through the mountains, Taino rebels Baconao & Abama (Husband and wife) were killed. Mabey was surrounded and cornered at the edge of a cliff where he and Gálvez fought hand-to-hand the battle lasted various minutes, Gálvez's servant, an ambitious and cruel man saw the possibility of running away with treasure and pretending that he was helping Gálvez pushed both of them down the cliff where they fell to their death. The Spanish arrived with a group of captured Indians found out through Bacanao small daughter who was embracing the body of her dead mother (Abama), the truth about the crime. Gálvez's servant was taken prisoner as so were the Taino rebels and Baconao's Daughter. The Spanish buried Gálvez and left Mabey's cadaver to rot and be eaten by vultures. They then led the procession of indigenous prisoners to the presence of Capitan Vasco de Porcallo, which he ordered to the gallows. There, in the Loma de la Cruz, which bisects the town Güinía neighborhoods, the 12 Indians were hanged, the traitor (Gálvez's servant) was hung by his feet and shot in that position. There is an old legend of the town that on certain occasions people see a blue light on the scene where these events took place, preceded by a woman's scream.[44]
	Mabó	Cacique of Boriquen, from the area of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico[4]
	Mabodomaca	Cacique in the north west region near Guajataca.[45] Also known as Mabodamaca[46]
	Macaca	Cacique between Camagüey and Bayamo ruler of the Cacicazgo of Cueyba. This Cacique introduced himself to Martín Fernández de Enciso as (Comendador) he liked and appropriated this Spanish title which he had heard in reference to the former governor of Santo Domingo (Comendador Mayor Nicolás de Ovando) Nicolás de Ovando. another source states that in 1510 Sebastián de Ocampo was ordered by the governor of La Hispaniola Don Nicolás de Ovando to Coast and navigate the island of Cuba, there he was welcomed by Cacique Macaca, he founded a chapel and thereby Naming him (Comendador).[47][48]
	Macuya	Cacique of the area of Coamo, Puerto Rico[49]
	Majagua	Cacique of Boriquen, area of Bayamon, Puerto Rico[4]
	Majúbiatibirí	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Manatiguahuraguana	Cacique of Cuba from the area of Trinidad, Cuba[50]
	Maniabón	Cacique of Cuba, reigned over what is now Puerto Padre and Las Minas in the Municipality of Majibacoa in Las Tunas Province, Cuba.[51]
	Maniquatex	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Manicatoex	There were two Caciques in Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti) with this name, one was the brother of Coanabó,who led a prison uprising.[4]
	Maragüay	Cacique of Costa Firme in Aruaca (Venezuela)[4]
	Maynerí	Cacique of Haiti, whom the Indians confessed to Christopher Columbus on his second voyage of killing the Spaniards that he had left on the first colony and European settlement in the New World La Navidad in 1492. on landing on November 27, 1493 he expected to see a bustling village. When he landed, however, he saw eleven corpses of his men on the beach and discovered that La Navidad had been destroyed.[34]
	Mayobanex	Cacique of Hispaniola of the Ciguayo region.[52]
	Naguabo	Cacique near the municipality of Naguabo, Puerto Rico.[53]
	Nibagua	Cacique of Hispaniola (In the area now called Haiti)[4]
	Orocobix	Cacique of the Jatibonicu region that covering the municipalities of Orocovis, Aibonito, Barranquitas, Morovis and Corozal in Puerto Rico.[54] For Further details on the tribe please see: <http://www.facebook.com/Jatibonicu.Taino>
	Ornofay	Cacique of the Jaragueyal region what today now is known as Ciego de Ávila, Cuba.[55]
	Tínima	Cacique Princess of Camagüey, Cuba and Daughter of Cacique Camagüebax, Married to Captain Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa founder of the villa Sancti Spíritus y de Sabaneque.[56]
	Urayoán	Cacique of "Yucayeque del Yagüeka or Yagueca", who ordered the drowning of Diego Salcedo.[57]
	Yacagüex	Cacique of Cuba[58]
	Yacahüey	Cacique from Yucayo reigned over Havana and Matanzas, Cuba. Also Known as: Yaguacayo, Yaguacayex, Yacayeo, Yucayonex[32]
	Yahíma	Daughter of the Cacique Jibacoa of Cuba[59]
	Yaureibo	Cacique and brother of Cacique Cacimar on the island of Bieques (Vieques). He died in 1514, during a surprise attack by the Spaniards as he readied his men to attack the mainland to avenge his brother Cacimar's death.[15]
	Yuisa (Luisa)	Cacica in the region near Loíza, Puerto Rico who was baptized by the Spaniards. She died in 1515, during a Carib raid on her land. She married a Spanish man called Pedro Mexias.[60]
	Yuquibo	Cacique who ruled in the region of Luquillo. Known as Loquillo (Crazy One) by the Spaniards due to his constant attacks on the Conquistadors. The town of Luquillo, Puerto Rico is named for him.[61]

See also

• List of Notable Puerto Ricans
• List of Notable Cubans
• List of Notable Dominicans (Dominican Republic)
• List of Notable Haitians
• List of Notable Bahamians
• List of Notable Jamaicans
• Taínos
• Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center

References