Columbus Circle New York City.
Remembering Our Ancestors Memorial – Gathering
October 12th,2008
The circle was small for there was a No show from many of the Tainos who go to Pow wows and colonial flag waving parades.
Many of the members of several of the Taino non for profit tribal bands based in the city of New York that live a hop skip and a jump away from Columbus Circle did not attend Oops's I should of said "inc"tribes.
There was no attendance from any of the Native American Indian communities or persons that live in or close to the city of New York ...
Mind you 59th street and Columbus Circle is easier to get to for most of
New York City's urban natives' population then the Queens Farm Pow Wow.
There were no Taino spiritual leaders who live only a short subway ride away from 59th Street and Columbus Circle. There were no lights,
There was no stage with cameras rolling.
There were no microphones waiting for the new wave of native or otherwise cultural celebrities doing presentations around the town.
There were no native Taino story tellers or speakers out of Brooklyn, Queens the Bronx or Manhattan….did I forget Staten island…sorry about that.
There were no table spaces to sell seeds, beads or T-shirts decorated with pictures of petroglyphs.
CNN news was not there so maybe that's why neither were the You Tube, my space Taino, read my blog crews there.
Come to think about it neither were any of the under cover native Taino and other wise Internet posting surveillance patrols…You know the guys that have a lot to say with their counter attacks at what ever people post on the native web .Heck they even write about people they have never met,while making sure they hide like snakes.
Not that anyone would recognize them anyway.
Heck to my dismay even a two person native film production company made a brief stop and an even quicker exit.
None the less a few Taino and relatives of kindred spirit where there.
They thought it important enough so they were there.
They were determined,to stand in quiet and respectful meditation remembering the ancestors.
They arrived ready to stand in peaceful protest against the celebration of Columbus Day. A celebration that was taking place that Sunday October 12th 2008 in New York City with a parade down fifth avenue.
Undaunted by the very real possibility of the NY PD yielding its power to STOP the event or arrest anyone of the participants.
The small group led by
Warrior Louis Iukibuel Ramos Borinke Taino and founder of "The Taino Earth Prayer Lodge Society "dared to defy the odds."
Giving little attention to the unwelcoming stares, from the picture taking tourist and marchers filtering out of the Columbus Day parade.
The Wamo (counch) was sounded and respectfully the group acknowledged the
spirits of the relatives from all the great indigenous nations that once lived, hunted and prayed on this land. The people of the great Eagle who today continue to fight for their rights as the indigenous people's of Turtle island.
To these the ancestral spirits of their Northern relatives they said "Omabahari (with respect) Bomatum Thank you for allowing us to be here."The Wamo was sounded again as they turned to the four directions.
Calling with their hearts upon the spirits of their ancestors.
In this way these Tainos and relatives of kindred spirit wearing red and black arm bands that symbolized a day of sorrow began what was for them an Areito of remembrance of the ancestors.
The ancestors who were the victims of the vicious and inhumane conquest of the Indies.
A Conquest that was led and steered by the Hitler!! Of the Americas Christopher Columbus!
An Areito of remembrance, for this day marked the beginning of an unprecedented reign of terror and genocide that began in 1492 with the arrival of Christopher Columbus and his squads of death to the Caribbean homelands of their people
A reign of terror that today is being celebrated as a journey of discovery,
A journey that in fact was really a crusade of savage violence carried out against the indigenous peoples of the Americas...
Countless numbers of Indigenous peoples and nations were in the most vicious of ways affected by Christopher Columbus and his battalion of terrorist.
In this thought Taino warrior Iukibuel placed a black cloth at the base of the Columbus statue located on the site. This was done for all to see this was a day of
mourning.
This was a day to remind the world that Columbus is not an icon of any historic discovery but is an initiator of death and destruction.
Columbus was a man who in his relentless quest for gold indulged in the slave trade,
Selling human beings like merchandise, with no respect what so ever for human life.
A red cloth was also placed at the base of the Columbus statue .This was done to symbolize and remember the blood of the ancestors.
Blood that was spilled in their brave attempts to defend the Bohio's and conucos of their families. Blood that was spilled defending themselves from the murdering raids of the Spanish crown.
Two cloths, two simple cloths with a powerful message.Columbus's was not a man of honor .Columbus was a man responsible for the wrongful and barbaric slaughter of over 40 million Caribbean indigenous peoples and their relatives across all of the Americas. In executing the murder of entire families of Caribbean indigenous peoples Columbus and his henchmen made sure that those who did not die by the sword were hanged or burned alive, one village at a time.
In this silent thought the small band of Tainos and relatives of kindred spirit were there to protest. There to remind all of Humanity that they should not continue to render honor to a man who was responsible for the greatest human holocaust on earth.
These quiet thoughts motivated the courage of their spirits
And reminded them of the stories passed on by their elders.
The stories that were the oral history of the dark days experienced by their people.
Stories that have become the painful memory that is written in the DNA of all of Indigenous America.
A memory that has been reawakened by the spirits of the ancestors so we could feel and understand the pain and suffering of our people.
A memory that recounts the truth about the unfortunate past of indigenous America.
A past that must never be repeated.
In that moment of memory and out of respect for their ancestors, and all of indigenous America, each one of the Tainos and friends present held in their hands the sacred Zemi. Each one then expressed in their own words what was in their heart.
Kiskeya Taino...Kacike of Iukaieke Maisti Roman Guaraguarix Perez noted that he was able to detect in the eyes of one woman an uneasy look of shame while she was posing for a picture in front of the Statue. He stated "She felt so uneasy she quickly stepped away removing her colorful sash of celebration when she saw the group".Kacike Guaraguarix also spoke of how his grandmother Kacika Malin taught him in secret about their indigenous heritage. So terrible was Columbus's reign of terror that even after 500 years, some of the elders taught by their elders continued to live in fearful silence…Yet the love and respect they had for their cultural heritage and their people was far greater. In that love they found ways to teach and pass on the ancestral knowledge and wisdom that has kept the people grounded unto today.
Such an elder was Kacika Malin who recently at the age of 106 years passed on into the world of the beloved ancestors of the Taino people...Borinke Taino Kacike of Iukaieke Guainia... Roberto Mucaro Aweibana Borerro came with his family. His wife Jocelyn who is Canadian first nation's native , his son Nakota,
Kayani his new born baby girl and little Maina his two year old daughter who stood by his side. This little two year wearing her black armband stood silently as if she understood completely the solemn ritual taking place.Kacike Mucaro Aweibana reminded the group that on this day they were not alone for many of our indigenous relatives were also doing the same exact thing across Turtle Island, protesting the celebration of Columbus Day and remembering the ancestors.
Kacike Mucaro Aweibana spoke about how important it is for native families to participate in events such as this. In his words he stated "We must teach our children the truth about our history as the future of our people will one day be in their hands".
He spoke on how the colonization of all indigenous homelands of the Americas saw extreme expressions of racism ,massacres, forced relocation's, the "Indian wars", death by starvation and disease. All these practices that today would be called ethnic cleansing and genocide. He spoke about the "Laws" of "discovery", "conquest" and "Terra nullius " better known as the doctrines of Discovery, Doctrines that are still being employed today.
Masiti elder and grandmother Kolibri Carib Taino and an adopted member of the Crow nation carried the red flag of tears and read words of her own inspiration. Her words spoke of how lost many Tainos often feel in the maze of lies and deceit Caribbean indigenous peoples, historically have been victims of.
She spoke of
how Caribbean Indigenous women were raped and impregnated by the invaders of their lands. Yet in spite of this the children born of this forced and undesirable mixture of blood were received in a good way. Received into the arms of Indigenous mothers whose respect for life was so great, that they embraced with love the off springs of their violators.
Such is the noble spirit of Indigenous women.Elder Kolibri's husband a relative of kindred spirit and native of Ethiopia reminded the group of the importance of unity. He stated as an example his own people. In our history he said the Ethiopian nation has had to fight off various attempts by outside peoples seeking to colonize our homelands. He then asserted the people of Ethiopia in a united force kicked out any and all invaders. These battles he said were fought not to long ago. We know as a people that no matter how big the giant of power maybe…the giant of injustice can be defeated.
Indigenous people need to stand united he said, in that unity is their strength.Young Huluca Inaru Kacike Guaraguarix's daughter and great grand daughter of kacika Malin was an inspiration to not only the circle but to a non native woman who stood by to listen to the words spoken by this young native girl sitting in a wheelchair.
Taino warrior Maxmivs who recently participated in the Peace and Dignity Run recited parts of the Taino Creation story. Juan another Taino brother spoke of the pain and anger he felt, yet he was forgiving in his choice of words.
Taino warrior Rodney Washina kaniraha, always present for his people,
Tainas Angie Nanichi Kolibri, Lourdes Kalichi Inaru as well as relatives in the circle all shared their thoughts on the importance and sadness of the day.
The sacred Wamo was once again held high and its sound echoed over the noise of the busy city streets. Every one then proudly walked with respect in loving remembrance and morning for their people their nations and their ancestors around the statue of Columbus.
They held a sacred bundle filled with their hopes and dreams for their present and future generations. They walked in silence. They walked in single file four times around the statue. They walked as if in that gesture the dark and empty soul of the monster Columbus himself where ever it resides could see and hear, that
The people of the Indigenous Caribbean were still here!
They walked in silence reclaiming out of respect and on behalf of their
relatives,The people of Turtle island.this land as Indigenous land.
They walked in silence knowing in their hearts that they
will not cease to protest injustice, discrimination and the doctrines of hate until these are all eradicated.They will not cease to protest the violation of their human rights as Indigenous peoples until those rights are respected.
They will not cease to protest the celebration of Columbus Day, the erection of statues and or any sign of honorable mention to the Hitler of the Americas, until every statue is taken down and the whole world rejects the demonology of the conquest and the doctrines of discovery.
The circle came to a close with a symbolic burning of the Papal Bull degree and all yelled out load their sound of native pride and of respect for their cultural heritage, earth mother and the spirit of truth and justice.
Yet thru it all I could not help but wonder why was the circle so samll?
I know Tainos and other natives who live out of the NYC area cannot be expected to participate in events that are hundreds of miles away…After all gasoline and travel tickets can be very expensive…
I also thought there really is nothing wrong with having cultrual fundraisers.They sure are darn right needed at times.Nothing is also out of place with honoring your culture via the arts...but it takes more then a feather head dress to be an indian ....
But truth be said at Columbus Circle on Sunday October 12Th, 2008 there should have been as many New York city Tainos and native relatives present as there were marchers in the Columbus day parade…..For what it's worth
We as indigenous peoples of the Americas must keep in mind...
That we all continue to live under the shadow of the conquest.Bomatum Iukibuel for organizing a truly meaningful event.You truly honored the ancestors.
Lastly I wish to say
Omabahari Bomatum Taita Aracoel Karaira for sharing your words of wisdom...Tou are the grandmother the women of the Bohio have been waiting for.You are the true loving and noble example of a native Taino woman...May we all be so lucky to follow in your footsteps....The women of the Bohio Thank you for being our Aracoel...Love yeahhhhhhhhhh:)
Elder Yuyaboa-aru. You are not free if your mind is in jail.
