Food and Farming
What was the main crop grown by the Tainos, used to make flour for bammy and cassava bread?
Cassava (or yuca)
What was the name of the small boat the Tainos used for fishing in rivers and coastal waters?
Canoa (canoe)
What was the name of the ordinary rectangular house where most villagers lived?
Bohio
What stone tool did the Tainos carve to help them chop down trees and clear land?
Stone axe
What is a "need"?
Something essential for survival, like water, food, shelter, and basic clothing
What were the special raised mounds of earth called where the Tainos planted their crops?
Conucos
What is the name of the small, native mammal that the Tainos hunted in the forests for meat?
Hutia (or coney)
What was the name of the round house with a conical roof where the village chief (cacique) lived?
Caney
What material did they use to make sharp points for hunting arrows and spears?
Bone, shell, or hard wood
Was building a bohio (house) a need or a want for a Taino family?
A need
Besides cassava, name two other crops the Tainos cultivated.
Corn (maize), sweet potatoes, beans, squash, or pineapples
: Besides hooks, what methods did Taino fishermen use to catch fish?
Nets, bone-tipped spears, bows and arrows, or poisoning water to stun fish
What natural materials were used to build the frames and walls of Taino houses?
Wooden poles, branches, woven straw, or mud
How did the Tainos carve large canoes out of massive silk-cotton trees without modern saws?
Using controlled fire to burn the wood and stone chisels to scrape it out
Were cotton body paints and elaborate shell necklaces considered needs or wants?
Wants
Why did the Tainos plant their crops on conucos (raised mounds)?
To prevent soil erosion during heavy rains and protect roots from flooding
What large, slow-moving marine animal was hunted for its meat and oil?
Manatee
What material was traditionally used to thatch the roofs of these homes?
Palm Leaves or thatch grass
What is the name of the system the tainos used to trade?
The barter system
How did Tainos balance their primary needs and wants using their local environment?
By securing basic survival items (food, shelter) from nature first, before creating decorative luxury items
How did the Tainos make poisonous bitter cassava safe to eat?
By peeling, grating, and squeezing out the toxic juice before baking
How did Tainos use a remora (suckerfish) to catch sea turtles?
By tying a line around its tail, letting it attach to a turtle, and pulling them both in
Why were Taino houses built without solid walls and raised slightly off the ground?
To allow cool breezes to flow through and to help withstand tropical winds/hurricanes
What did the tainos use to move canoes in water?
Wooden paddles
Would playing a game of batos be a want or need?
Want