About the name of Jatibonicu
and the Spanish confusion

Tau Natiao, Hello Brothers,

After studying the word Jatibonico, it has been found through Taino linguistic study that the word Jatibonico and its end letter "o" was incorrect. it should be the "U" sound, as in our Taino language cu means sacred or sacred Place. It's grammaticaly correct in our language to say Jatibonicu' . It seems those so-call Spanish Historians of the 1400's have used an incorrect sound in our language by ending or misspelling the word.

Many people have argued over this for many years, and that is why you will find this word spelled in many so-called dictionaries of the Taino language as Jatibonicu, Hatibonico and Jatibonico. The city of Aibonito on the Island of Boriken (or Puerto Rico) furthermore carries a corruption of the word Ja'tibonicu due to the Spanish historians' misspelling of Taino vocal sounds.

Please Note The Following

Usage of accent marks on the "a" sound, as in Ja' for "admiration"

"Sacred High Place of the Great Waters" or as we officially refer to ourselves
by the Taino tribal name Jatibonicu' "Great People of the Sacred High Waters"

You will find this word on other Taino islands. For example:

In Santo Domingo in the old Region of Bainoa you find two areas called Atibonico and another called Hatibonico and a river called Aibonito. The forementioned word is also found on the island of Cuba as the name of two major rivers bearing the correct name of Jatibonicu.

Don Bartolomeo de las Casas claims in his writings, as he did live in Cuba back in the 1500's, that it is spelled "Hatibonico."

Notice is hereby given

From this day of Febuary 17, 1997, all documents related to the Taino Inter-Tribal Council Inc., The Southern Jersey Taino Band of Jatibonicu and El Consejo Taino de Jatibonicu, aka the Taino Council of Jatibonicu, El Comite del Festival de Jatibonicu, aka The Jatibonicu Festival Committee, will no longer use the letter "o" sound as in the past.

All known documents will be "amended" by Taino leaders and members associated with these Taino Tribal Organizations of the Taino Indigenous People of the Caribbean & Florida.

Comment on the NJ Taino Tribal Band

The Southern Jersey Jatibonicu Taino tribal band name and its tribe name in Puerto Rico is hereby corrected from Jatibonuco to Jatibonicu' and as a tribal group will remain as was constitutionally established on November 18, 1970 and that was further ratified in New Jersey on November 24, 1993 by its Taino Tribal Council of Elders of Jatibonicu'. We will further maintain an official office of Taino Tribal Affairs within New Jersey and its regional council. The United States regional council office will serve to conduct all official tribal council business between the Jatibonicu' tribe and the state Governments of Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Florida, the United States Federal Government and the United Nations NGO on Indigenous Affairs.

This Tribal Archive was revised and updated by TTCJ on September 25, 1998

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