Ways to Experience Taino Culture in Puerto Rico

The Taino people, a tribe indigenous to the Caribbean and present upon Columbus’ arrival, were known for their early construction of ceremonial ballparks, development of a universal language, and creation of a complex religious cosmology. From ancient history to modern Puerto Rican culture, here’s how to experience Taino culture on the island.
Explore El Yunque National Forest, the rain-forest dwelling place of the deity Yúcahu in Taino mythology.
Sample Puerto Rican foods made from ingredients like yucca root, guanabana, squash, papaya, yams, and corn—all staples of the Taino diet.
Visit the Cemi Museum (Museo el Cemi) in Jayuya to peruse the collection of Taino art and religious artifacts.
Just outside of Ponce, tour the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center (Centro Ceremonial Indigena), one of the largest archaeological sites in Puerto Rico, believed to be last inhabited by the Taino.
Take a day trip to the Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park (Parque Ceremonial Indigena de Caguana), an important Taino archaeological site with more than 20 petroglyphs, in Utuado.
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