Language of the Voiceless: Traces of Taino Language, Food, and Culture in the Americas From 1492 to the Present

P a g e | 75
important element is its description of a gold emblem leaf, the size of a hand palm,
which according to Columbus, the cacique would break into smaller pieces and bring
one to him each time they met. This symbolism regarding the size and shape, the
sharing, and the fact that only the cacique was wearing such item, could hint to a
possible culture of exchange initiated by the Taino leader with strangers. Moreover, this
emblem worn by the cacique which Columbus is referring to would later be known as
guanin 118 , which was the emblem worn by the cacique in areyto dances and special
ceremonies.
b)— In Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas’ Historia de Indias:
acompañáronles gran número de indios, llevándoles á cuestas todas las cosas quel Rey y
los demas les habian dado, hasta las barcas, que estaban en la boca de un rio. Hasta aquí,
no habia podido entender el Almirante, si este nombre Cacique significaba Rey ó
Gobernador, y otro nombre que llamaban Nitayno, si queria decir Grande, ó por
hidalgo ó Gobernador; y la verdad es, que Cacique era nombre de Rey, y Nitayno era
nombre de caballero y señor principal, como despues se verá, placiendo á Dios. 119
However, it is de Las Casas in the quote above that makes the first European
definition of the term per se. In his descriptions, de Las Casas states that Columbus was
not sure whether cacique meant king or governor. This confusion by Columbus is of
extreme importance, because up to that point, Columbus’ linguistic registry of kingdoms
was the European monarchy and its structure. Therefore, based on the size of the
crowds that greeted them as describe in the chronicles, Columbus could have been
making a comparison based on his own experience. It is also important to note that in
subsequent narratives of the event de Las Casas then goes so far as to make a
118
(García Bidó, 2010)
119
(de Las Casas, Historia de las Indias (vol 1 de 5), 2015, p. 211)