The day started at 8:30 when the bus arrived at Aquatika (where we’re staying in Loiza, PR) to commence our journey to Utuado. From Loiza, it took roughly two hours to get to Utuado, which called for a universal class nap on the bus. After a couple hours of driving, I woke up from my nap to my ears popping in the beautiful, mountainous region of Utuado, which was one of the most inhabited regions of the Taíno people. The Taíno people were:
A subgroup of the Arawakan Indians (a group of American Indians in northeastern South America) inhabited the Greater Antilles (comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola [Haiti and the Dominican Republic], and Puerto Rico) in the Caribbean Sea at the time when Christopher Columbus' arrived to the New World (Rivera).
Our first stop in the city of Utuado was the restaurant, La Familia, where we received a warm, Puerto Rican welcome. The pizza was delicious and many “buen provecho” comments were shared. Our last, and most important stop was at the Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park. Our guide Michael described the park as, “…one of the most important archeological sites in the Caribbean that dates back to 1100 AD.” My class and I had the opportunity to witness ancient, Taíno ceremonial parks where sacred “powwows” or community gatherings took place such as singing, dancing, trading, playing sports, etc. To me, the most interesting comment of the day came from Michael after I asked what form of ritual brought the Taíno community together most. He believed that “Batey, a Taíno ball game, brought the community together most because all walks of life were able to participate in the ritual.”
After reflecting on his comment, I pondered how sports impact our culture today. I believe they have roughly the same effect as they once did with the Taíno people. For example, I believe the Gopher vs. Badger games confirm the close ties in community between our culture at the University of Minnesota with sports, and the Taínos. Whenever there is a Gopher vs. Badger game, whether it is hockey, football, etc. the University of Minnesota student body comes together as a community to participate in the event in various forms. Not all members of the community are able to participate in playing the actual sport, like the Taínos. However, everyone is able to get involved in some form of a community during these events by tailgating, cheering with colleagues in the crowd, volunteering during the event, or participating in the event.
The Taíno culture as a whole was so fascinating to learn about, and to learn from. Not only did it fascinate my classmates and I, but the “Taíno culture also impressed both the Spanish (who observed it) and modern sociologists” (Rivera). To anyone who plans on visiting Puerto Rico in the near future, I highly recommend visiting this site in Utuado; it provides a rare and incomparable experience.