Mabrika! (Welcome) The Arawak Taino Still Live! (1492 - Present) "The Tribe of First Contact"
Language Restoration
This landing page is dedicated to students of our ancestral indigenous language, aimed at building a solid foundation for speaking the Boricua dialect of Island Arawak, also known as the Taino language. Our language has endured thanks to the words of our families and the research conducted by our people’s scholars and linguists. We commend the efforts of all Yuceyekeno in their journey to relearn our ancestral tongue! It takes many voices to share one story, and we all carry the legacy of Taino survival within us.
Our online classes are primarily conducted in English, with Spanish also spoken, ensuring that language barriers do not hinder your learning experience. Classes are free, requiring only your time, love for your ancestors, and a commitment to reviving our language, one word at a time.
Language Restoration Officer Kacike Yukibo is a Retired Associate Professor from The University Puerto Rico, a Multi-lingual & Cultural Division Language Instructor, and a Retired US Army Colonel. He holds a Ph.D. and completed over 120 hours in Native American linguistics at the University of Oregon Kacike was formerly the President of the Native American and Alaskan Native Association and is currently the Tribal Chairman of the Arawak Taino Tribe of Puerto Rico.
The video below features the Northwest Indian Language (NILI) revitalization program at the University of Oregon, where Dr. Richard Morrow Porrata discusses the Taino language and sacramental records from the San German de Auxerre Church in Puerto Rico, which documents parishioners identified as Taino from the 1700s.
Learning Arawak-The Language of the Indigenous People of Puerto Rico
Arawak was the dominant indigenous language of many tribes in the Caribbean and the mainland from Bimini (Florida) to Sabanna (Georgia) and trade villages scattered throughout Amikekia (America).
Taino Language Studies & Learning Resources
As descendants of those who survived the Native American Holocaust, we, the Taino people of the Greater Antilles, hold a special responsibility to uphold the legacies of our indigenous language, rich culture, and ancient history passed down by our ancestors.
Coming Soon
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