List of Taínos


This is a list of known Taínos, some of which were caciques. Their names are in ascending alphabetical order and the table may be re-sorted by clicking on the arrows in the column header cells.
The Taínos were the indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and some of the Lesser Antilles – especially in Guadeloupe, Dominica and Martinique. The Taínos, unlike the Caribs, were peaceful seafaring people and distant relatives of the Arawak people of South America.
Taíno society was divided into two classes: Nitainos and the Naborias. Both were governed by chiefs known as caciques, who were the maximum authority in a Yucayeque. The chiefs were advised by priest-healers known as Bohiques and the Nitaynos, which is how the elders and warriors were known.
This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. Anyone can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
PortraitNameRemarks
AbeyCacique of yucayeque- in the area of Abeyno Salinas, Puerto Rico. He fled to Hispaniola after the 1511-16 Taino rebellion.
AcanorexCacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya
Agüeybaná Cacique whose name means "The Great Sun" was "Supreme Cacique" in Puerto Rico who welcomed Juan Ponce de León and the conquistadors. His yucayeque was on the Guayanilla Bay area. He was also known as Guaybana
Agüeybaná II Cacique Agüeybaná's brother. Agüeybaná II, who was also known as Güeybaná and Guaybana II, led the Taíno rebellion of 1511 in Puerto Rico against the Spanish settlers.
AlonsoMinor Cacique of Utuado, Puerto Rico.
AmanexCacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya
AmeyroCacique of Jamaica, who lived on the eastern extremity of the island. He and Diego Mendez became great friends, exchanged names, which is a kind of token of brotherhood. Mendez engaged him to furnish provisions to his ships. He then bought an excellent canoe from the cacique, for which he gave a splendid brass basin, a short frock or cassock, and one of the two shirts which formed his stock of linen. The cacique furnished him with six Indians to navigate his bark, and they parted mutually well pleased.
AnacaonaCacica of Ayiti or Quisqueya. Wife of Caonabo, the Cacique of Maguana and sister of Cacique Bohechío, when his brother died, she became the Cacica of Jaragua. Reported to have had friendly encounters with escaped slaves.
AramanáCacique around Coa river in Puerto Rico.
AramocaCacique Ayiti or Quisqueya
ArasiboCacique of yucayeque in the area of Río Abacoa Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
AyamuynuexCacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya
AymamónCacique of yucayeque around Culebrinas river in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican anthropologist Ricardo Alegría suggests that the proper pronunciation and name of the cacique was Aymaco, with Aymamón being a way of designating the cacique that ruled over the region called Aymamio, or possibly just a misunderstanding of the name's adequate pronunciation. However, historical documents have traditionally used the name Aymamón. He is known for having ordered the kidnapping of the son of Spaniard Pedro Xuarez. He called for a game at the batey among his subjects and offered as prize the honor of burning the Spaniard alive and hence proving their mortality and vincibility. However, the Spanish found out about the plan and Captain Salazar was sent to rescue the young Spaniard. In the subsequent battle, the son of Pedro Xuarez was rescued and Aymaco wounded. While healing, Aymaco called on Salazar to exchange names and offer peace. Despite his peace offering, he later participated in the Taíno Rebellion of 1511 which was also crushed.
AyraguayCacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya
BagnamanayCacique of the Caguas, Puerto Rico area.
BaguanaoCacique of Matanzas, Cuba Father of Cibayara
BiautexCacique of Hispaniola
Bojékio or BohechioCacique elder in Hispaniola brother of Anacaonacacica of Xaragua
BrizuelaCacique of Baitiquirí, Cuba.
CacicanáCacique of Cueybá Cuba Provided food and shelter to Alonso de Ojeda who was shipwrecked on the Island of Cuba he was accompanied by seventy men and was seeking help. The pirate Bernardino de Talavera took Ojeda prisoner. A hurricane struck Talaveras ship and Talavera made amends and helped each other, despite their efforts the ship was shipwrecked at Jagua, Sancti Spíritus, on the south coast of Cuba. Ojeda decided to travel along the coast on foot with Talavera and his men in order to reach Maisí Point from where they would be able to get to Hispaniola. However, the party faced a number of difficulties en route and half of the men died of hunger, illness or other hardships that they met along the way. The sole possession remaining to Ojeda was an image of the Virgin Mary, which he had carried with him since he left Spain. He made a promise on this image that he would build a church dedicated to her in the first village that he reached where he was given hospitality. A little later, and with only a dozen men and the pirate Talavera still surviving, he arrived in the district of Cueybá where the chief Cacicaná provided food and shelter. Ojeda was true to his word and he built a small hermitage to the Virgin in the village, which was venerated by the local people. The party was rescued by Pánfilo de Narváez and taken to Jamaica, where Talavera was imprisoned for piracy. From Jamaica Ojeda returned to Hispaniola where he learned that Fernández de Enciso had been able to relieve the colonists who had stayed in San Sebastián modern day Municipality of Necoclí in the subregion Urabá in the department Antioquia, Colombia.
CacimarCacique of Caribe ancestry, his yucayeque was in the "Isla de Bieque".
CaguaxCacique of yucayeque by the Turabo River of Caguas, Puerto Rico.
Caguax IICacique who Reigned over the territory of Sabaneque Çaguax Sagua La Grande, Cuba.
CamagüebaxCacique Of Camagüey, and Father of Tínima Executed by Pánfilo de Narváez was killed and his body thrown from the highest elevation in Camagüey, the Tuabaquey hill in the Sierra de Cubitas mountains, above sea level.
CanimaoCacique of Matanzas, Cuba Husband of Cibayara father of Guacumao.
CanóbanaCacique of yucayeque around Cayniabón river, Canóvanas, Puerto Rico.
CaonaboCacique of Hispaniola who ruled the province of Ciguayos. Married cacica Anacaona, from the neighboring Jaragua cacicazgo. He and Maynerí destroyed La Navidad.
CaracamisaCacique of Cuba
CaretaCacique of Peru or Nicaragua
CasiguayaWife of Guamá Captured in 1521 Hanged herself, Cuba.
CayacoaCacique of Higüey, Hispanola. After his death his wife the Cacica, baptized as Dona Ines married the Spaniard Miguel Díaza.
ComeríoCacique who ruled the region in the area Comerío, Puerto Rico. Son of the Cacique Caguax.
CotubanamáCacique of Higuey, Hispaniola. Fought against the Spanish. He rebelled after a Cacique from Saona Island was assassinated. He was captured and taken to Santo Domingo, where he was hanged.
DagüaoCacique of yucayeque at Santiago river, Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
Doña InesCacica, mother of Caciques Agueybaná and Agüeybaná II of Puerto Rico. Baptised by Juan Ponce de León in the year 1507.
Doña MaríaCacica, daughter of Cacique Bagnamanay. Her Taíno name is unknown.
EnriquilloAlso known as Guarocuya. Cacique from the Barahona region of Hispaniola, leader of a rebellion against the Spanish.
GuababoCacique of Hispaniola
GuacaboCacique of Boriqueñ, who governed the area close to the Cibuco River
GuacanagaríxCacique of Hispaniola, he was the first Cacique to befriend Columbus and helped save the men aboard the sinking Spanish vessel "Santa Maria" in Hispaniola. He also helped build the Fort Navidad.
GuacumaoCacique of Matanzas, Cuba son of Canimao and Cibayara.
GuaicabaCacique of Cuba who governed the area of Baní
GuamayryCacique of Baracoa, Cuba also known as Oliguama. brother of Guamá. took over Chieftainship after he murdered his brother, as stated by Alexo a Taino warrior.
GuamáCacique of Cuba fought the Spaniards at Baracoa Guamá was betrayed and murdered by his brother Guamayry also known as Oliguama.
Guamá IICacique of Hispaniola.
GuaoconelCacique of Hispaniola
GuaoraCacique of Hispaniola
GuarionexCacique from the cacicazgo of Maguá on the island of Hispaniola, Ayiti/Quisqueya. The subsequent Spanish colonization of the island forced thousands of Indians to other neighboring islands such as Borikén to where he fled. Guarionex, meaning "The Brave Noble Lord", became the cacique of the village of Otoao or Utuado in Puerto Rico in 1493 Cacique of yucayeque in Utuado, Puerto Rico.
GuatiguanáCacique of Hispaniola, He was the first Cacique to organize a rebellion in his land against the Spaniards
Guayacayex"Supreme" Cacique of Havana, Cuba He starred in one of the first Aboriginal rebellions in the region of Guanima. name given by the ancient inhabitants Present day Matanzas province. in 1510 When a Spanish ship from the mainland made landfall in Guanima Bay, the chief Guayacayex hatched a plan for revenge against the abuses that had been committed on his neighbors in the sister island of Ayiti/Quisqueya, he had information on the cruelty exercised by the colonizers on populations in that territory since Christopher Columbus's first voyage in 1492. Guanima's name was changed to Matanzas, meaning "Massacre" to commemorate the events of 1510.
GuayaneyCacique of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, he was also known as Guaraca and Guaraca del Guayaney
GüamaníCacique of yucayeque around Guayama, Puerto Rico or Manatí, Puerto Rico.
GüaracaCacique of yucayeque in Guayaney in Puerto Rico.
HabaguanexCacique of La Habana, Cuba.
Hatuey"Supreme" Cacique of Baracoa. Came from Hispaniola to fight the Spanish in Cuba.
HayuyaCacique of Jayuya, Puerto Rico
HaübeyCacique of Guahaba, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He organized a protest against Spanish rule in Cuba, was jailed and burned alive.
HuareaCacique in Western Jamaica, his village was located in what is now Montego Bay, Jamaica.
IguanamáCacica of Hispaniola also known as Isabel de Iguanamá
ImotonexCacique of Hispaniola
InamocaCacique of Hispaniola
JacaguaxCacique who historian José Toro Sugrañes believed ruled the region of current Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico. The Jacaguas River was named in his honor.
JibacoaCacique of the area Majibacoa present day Las Tunas, Cuba
JumacaoCacique of the area which includes the current city of Humacao, Puerto Rico, named in his honor.
LoquilloCacique of the area of Luquillo located in the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico. One of the last Cacique to fight against the Spanish invadors of the island.
LuysaFemale cacique of Loíza, who converted to Christianity and was killed by the Carib Indians.
MabeyCacique of Ayiti or Quisqueya, had arrived with Cacique Hatuey fleeing the Spanish on the neighboring island of La Hispaniola, pursued by the Spanish arrived at the Güinía Gold mines, of what is now the province of Villa Clara, Cuba in the municipality of Manicaragua stirring up a rebellion, the Spanish to prevent the rebellion intensified the search of Mabey. The center of operations of Cacique Mabey against the Spanish were at the foot of a hill called La Degollada. In the battle through the mountains, Taino rebels Baconao & Abama were killed. Mabey was surrounded and cornered at the edge of a cliff where he and Gálvez fought hand-to-hand the battle lasted various minutes, Gálvez's servant, an ambitious and cruel man saw the possibility of running away with treasure and pretending that he was helping Gálvez pushed both of them down the cliff where they fell to their death. The Spanish arrived with a group of captured Indians found out through Bacanao small daughter who was embracing the body of her dead mother, the truth about the crime. Gálvez's servant was taken prisoner as so were the Taino rebels and Baconao's Daughter. The Spanish buried Gálvez and left Mabey's cadaver to rot and be eaten by vultures. They then led the procession of indigenous prisoners to the presence of Capitan Vasco de Porcallo, which he ordered to the gallows. There, in the Loma de la Cruz, which bisects the town Güinía neighborhoods, the 12 Indians were hanged, the traitor was hung by his feet and shot in that position. There is an old legend of the town that on certain occasions people see a blue light on the scene where these events took place, preceded by a woman's scream.
MabodomacaCacique in the north west region near Guajataca. Also known as Mabodamaca
MabóCacique of Boriquen, from the area of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
MacacaCacique between Camagüey and Bayamo ruler of the Cacicazgo of Cueyba. This Cacique introduced himself to Martín Fernández de Enciso as he liked and appropriated this Spanish title which he had heard in reference to the former governor of Santo Domingo Nicolás de Ovando. another source states that in 1510 Sebastián de Ocampo was ordered by the governor of La Hispaniola Don Nicolás de Ovando to Coast and navigate the island of Cuba, there he was welcomed by Cacique Macaca, he founded a chapel and thereby Naming him.
MacuyaCacique of the area of Coamo, Puerto Rico
MajaguaCacique of Boriquen, area of Bayamon, Puerto Rico
MajúbiatibiríCacique of Hispaniola
ManatiguahuraguanaCacique of Cuba from the area of Trinidad, Cuba
ManiabónCacique of Cuba, reigned over what is now Puerto Padre and Las Minas in the Municipality of Majibacoa in Las Tunas Province, Cuba.
ManicatoexThere were two Caciques in Hispaniola with this name, one was the brother of Coanabó, who led a prison uprising.
ManiquatexCacique of Hispaniola
MaragüayCacique of Costa Firme in Aruaca
MayneríCacique of Haiti, whom the Indians confessed to Christopher Columbus on his second voyage of killing the Spaniards that he had left on the first colony and European settlement in the New World La Navidad in 1492. on landing on November 27, 1493 he expected to see a bustling village. When he landed, however, he saw eleven corpses of his men on the beach and discovered that La Navidad had been destroyed.
MayobanexCacique of Hispaniola of the Ciguayo region.
NaguaboCacique near the municipality of Naguabo, Puerto Rico.
NibaguaCacique of Hispaniola
OrnofayCacique of the Jaragueyal region what today now is known as Ciego de Ávila, Cuba.
OrocobixCacique of the Jatibonicu region that covering the municipalities of Orocovis, Aibonito, Barranquitas, Morovis and Corozal in Puerto Rico.
TínimaCacique Princess of Camagüey, Cuba and Daughter of Cacique Camagüebax, Married to Captain Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa
founder of the villa Sancti Spíritus y de Sabaneque.
UrayoánCacique of "Yucayeque del Yagüeka or Yagueca", who ordered the drowning of Diego Salcedo.
YacagüexCacique of Cuba
YacahüeyCacique from Yucayo reigned over Havana and Matanzas, Cuba. Also Known as: Yaguacayo, Yaguacayex, Yacayeo, Yucayonex
YahímaDaughter of the Cacique Jibacoa of Cuba
YaureiboCacique and brother of Cacique Cacimar on the island of Bieques. He died in 1514, during a surprise attack by the Spaniards as he readied his men to attack the mainland to avenge his brother Cacimar's death.
Yuisa Cacica in the region near Loíza, Puerto Rico who was baptized by the Spaniards. She died in 1515, during a Carib raid on her land. She married a Spanish man called Pedro Mexias.
YuquiboCacique who ruled in the region of Luquillo. Known as Loquillo by the Spaniards due to his constant attacks on the Conquistadors. The town of Luquillo, Puerto Rico is named for him.