The Spanish and the Indians in Puerto Rico

The Taino Lives but No One Knows It!

The documentary We Are Still Here, the Taíno Lives! by Ermelinda Cortés explores the heritage of the Taíno people, who were the original inhabitants of the Caribbean, particularly in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Through interviews with experts, historians, and contemporary Taíno people, the film uncovers the resilience and survival of the Taíno culture, which had been dismissed as extinct due to the impact of colonization and the subsequent blending of cultures. The film emphasizes the importance of cultural preservation and endowment, highlighting the continuing influence of the Taíno people on modern-day Caribbean societies.

One aspect of the documentary that surprised me was the way in which the idea of total annihilation of the Indians (such as the Taino) was taught in Puerto Rico. For instance, one interviewee tells the story of being a young girl in school and the “teacher was teaching the history of Puerto Rico. Teaching us how all the Indians had been killed and were no longer alive.” The woman says that suddenly she was dying to speak up as a young girl: “I’m thinking I want to share the good news! They didn’t kill all of us, because my family is still alive.” But the teacher refused to hear it: The teacher said, “No! They were all eliminated.” This to me showed that there is a tendency even in the places themselves for people to refuse to acknowledge heritage and how things are passed down from generation to generation.

Ultimately, I would say "We Are Still Here, the Taíno Lives!" is an eye-opening documentary that uncovers the survival of the Taino people but also the hardship of maintaining one’s cultural identity. The film serves as a reminder of what it means to be forgotten. Even when one is still alive, one can be ignored. The documentary invites viewers to reflect on the significance of the Taíno legacy and its continuing influence on modern-day Caribbean societies, challenging us to reevaluate our understanding of history and embrace the richness of our cultural diversity.