The Three Names of The Sacred Hummingbird "Guani*Guacariga Guaracacigaba"

The Colibri (hummingbird) is a sacred symbol for the Taino Indians of the Tribe of Jatibonicu', and its image is displayed in the logo on the main tribal Home Page. It is sacred because the Colibri or hummingbird is recognized in Taino tribal lore as the sacred pollinator and therefore disseminator of all new life. It also symbolizes the rebirth of the Taino Indigenous people in the Caribbean diaspora. The only Caribbean Island that has it still as its national symbol, is the Caribbean island of Jamaica.

This bird is found on many Caribbean islands, but the most sacred species is the Guani, which 500 years ago inhabited all the Caribbean islands, but today is confined to only Cuba. Although the smallest of the Caribbean hummingbirds, only about the size of a penny, it is known by the mountain people as the most noble warrior of the valiant Colibris. In the Caribbean the Colibri is also called Zoom Zoom, Zumbador, Pajaro Mosca and Guacariga. The Guani it is greenish blue in color.

The Guani hummingbird is a teacher in the animal spirit world. It is the main totem of the Jatibonicu' tribe. The tribe has as part of its Taino spirituality, four ancient stone Cemis within its tribal Caneycu (Sacred Longhouse). The main tribal Hummingbird Cemi sits in the center of the Caneycu and holds the cardinal point of the southern position or direction within the tribal Kecu' (Earth Alter). This sacred Cemi is the three pointed stone totem of the Guani (Bee hummingbird).

JATIBONICU TAINO TRIBAL LORE: The ancient Jatibonicu' tribal Areitos, stories call him the Guaracacigaba or Guacariga, which means the "Rays of the Sun." They say that the Colibris at one time were little black flies that were one day converted into little green birds by the Sun Father.

A WARNING FROM OUR TRIBAL CANEY LONGHOUSE: Our sacred Tribal object and traditional ceremonies are the sovereign cultural property of the tribe of Jatibonicu' and its registered tribal members. Thus these sacred objects and our traditions are not in anyway the public property or domain of any of the so-called Taino Wantabe groups, that always seem to be in the habit of claiming or stealing the cultural property of other tribes.


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