Hatuey, Cacique of the Taino

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The Spanish Empire arrived in Quisqueya (Haiti/Dominican Republic) in search of gold for the Crown and souls for its God – and waiting to greet them were the peaceful and friendly Taino, who approached them bearing food and gifts.The soldiers later amused themselves by hacking off body parts from the unclothed bodies of their would-be benefactors.

The Taino of Quisqueya fought back against the Spanish, defending their families as best they could with the weapons at hand. But wooden clubs and spears and courage can do little against soldiers equipped with steel swords and guns, against cannon and cavalry and attack dogs. Surviving Indians were put to work in mines or forced to provide tribute – either gold or spun cotton – with failure to meet the quota punished by cutting off the offender’s hands.

Cacique (Chieftain) Hatuey escaped with 400 of his followers in canoes, taking the Windward Passage to Cuba with plans to mount a resistance.

Hatuey met with fellow Taino’s in Cuba, detailing the horrors the Spanish inflicted upon his people. He insisted the enemy were cowards, cowards hiding behind armor who would not fight like men.

Attempting to explain what drove the bearded White invaders, Hatuey said they worshiped a god who promised goodness and mercy, but they also worshiped another god-which he displayed by showing a basket filled with gold adornments.

Hatuey asked for their help in fighting an enemy who would soon be coming to their island as well, in search of one of their gods while forcing the Taino to worship their other god.

Only a few warriors chose to follow Hatuey; perhaps his tale of the terrifying strangers seemed too unbelievable.

Following the recommendation of his counterpart Cacique, Hatuey threw the gold into a nearby river; then hallucinogenics were ingested and dances were performed to implore the Taino god Yacayu (Spirit of cassava root and the sea) to intervene with the good Spanish God so that He would prevent the strangers from coming to seek their other god.

Later that year Diego Velasquez and Pedro Narvaez landed in Cuba, establishing a settlement and fort they named Baracoa. Setting out from Baracoa, Velasquez was attacked and driven back to the fort by Hatuey’s Taino warriors. For three months Hatuey fought a guerrilla war against an overwhelmingly powerful European army, confining the Spanish to their fort. Eventually betrayal led to his capture, and Velasquez sentenced Hatuey to be tied to a stake and burned alive.

Before the soldiers put him to the torch, a Spanish priest approached Hatuey and offered him eternal salvation if he accepted the Christian God. The priest explained he would be cleansed of his sins and he would go to his reward in Heaven. The priest further explained the alternative was to go to Hell, a place of misery and torment where those who do not accept the Christian God went upon their death. Hatuey took some time to consider this.

After some reflection Hatuey asked if the priest and the soldiers would go to Heaven when they die. The priest replied yes, those who accepted the Christian God went to Heaven.

Hatuey replied “Then I will go to Hell. I would rather be in Hell than in the same place as such cruel people as Christians“.

About Post Author

Carol Bell

Carol is a graduate of the University of Alabama. Her passion is journalism and it shows. Carol is our unpaid, but very efficient, administrative secretary.
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SJ
13 years ago

Great post Oso,
I had back surgery last Tuesday so I’m just catching up on my reading. I always love these history lessons you retell on here, always informative and illuminating.
Cheers,
-SJ

osori
Reply to  SJ
13 years ago

Thanks SJ!
I hope it’s a speedy recovery for you man. Back pain is an awful thing.

13 years ago

When Columbus first met the Taino he wrote…

“They traded with us and gave us everything they had, with good will..they took great delight in pleasing us..They are very gentle and without knowledge of what is evil; nor do they murder or steal..Your highness may believe that in all the world there can be no better people ..They love their neighbors as themselves, and they have the sweetest talk in the world, and are gentle and always laughing.”

What determines the greater civilization? One that appears to be in perfect harmony and coexistence or a civilization that demands gold tributes from strangers with punishment of amputation?

Another informative chapter in Oso’s “True World History” book. If I knew where to order, I would buy 3 copies sight unseen!

Put it right next to Oso’s economic book which I believe will be titled either…
“Economic Theory and Post Keynesian Applications”
or
“Fuck Greenspan and the Horse He Rode in on”

Bee
Reply to  Krell
13 years ago

LOL!!! I vote for “Fuck Greenspan and the horse he rode in on”

osori
Reply to  Krell
13 years ago

Thank you so much Krell! To coin a phrase “my heart soars like an eagle!”

Admin
13 years ago

I didn’t know they had attack dogs in those days. I guess I should have. Thanks O-Man for another great read.

13 years ago

Hatuey had it right. Big time.

13 years ago

I’m with Hatuey.

Bee
13 years ago

I looked into the Templar stuff. It’s mildly interesting.

Great post, Oso! So, been working on that book??

oso
13 years ago

Thanks Gwen, got to look into that Templar stuff.Lot of interesting history there as well.

13 years ago

Better to reign… eh?
Absofuckinglutely.
Christians / the first corporate raiders who actually discarded culture to ensure their profits. Templars instituted the first corporate banking (usurped by the ‘christians’ again), and the search for tea brought about the first insurers who have since served society with nothing but small recompence and buy outs.
Our Indigenous brothers and sisters blame European Whites … the anthropologist within me says they have a large point.

[Before you say it… yes, I know monotheism and religion before ‘christian’ is equally to blame.]

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