Key Indigenous Terms
This term refers to the circular ceremonial ball game played by the Taínos.
What is batey?
The leader or chief of a Taíno village was called this.
What is a cacique?
Name three technological advancements developed by the Mayans
What are the Mayan calendar, mathematics, astronomy, and pyramid construction?
The Kalinagos were more skillful than the Taínos in these two areas.
What are warfare and canoe building?
The Taínos typically built their settlements near this geographical feature.
What are rivers or coastal areas?
This carved ceremonial seat, often made of wood or stone, was used by Taíno caciques during important meetings and rituals, symbolizing their authority.
What is a duho?
The Taínos practised this type of agricultural practice.
What is slash-and-burn agriculture?
The Mayans' belief in many gods, each responsible for aspects of nature, agriculture, and life, is referred to by this term.
What is polytheism?
Boy warrior training among the Kalinagos involved rigorous preparation, including these two activities to ensure strength, endurance, and skill in battle.
What is pain endurance, combat training and long-distance swimming?
The Kalinagos preferred to establish their villages here as a natural defense against attack.
What are cliffs or hills?
This large rectangular building, used as a communal meeting place by the Taínos, was where important village decisions and ceremonies took place.
What is a caneye?
The Taínos had zemis in their homes for the mainly to?
What is to communicate with and worship their gods and ancestors?
This beautification practice, commonly performed on Mayan babies, involved reshaping the skull to achieve a preferred appearance in society.
What is cranial deformation/ flattening of babies; heads?
As the leader of the Kalinago people, the ubutu had these primary duties.
What are leading war expeditions, making key decisions about the community's defence and survival, and maintaining defense strategies?
Mayan cities, such as Tikal and Palenque, were often built in this region.
What are dense tropical rainforests?
This was the title given to the Taíno chief's assistant or noble class, responsible for overseeing labor and acting as intermediaries between the cacique and the people.
What is a mitayano?
This is the region where the majority of the Taíno population lived before European contact.
What is the Greater Antilles?
The Mayans were said to have built "temple cities" for this reason
What is because their urban centers were organized around these structures, which served as both religious and political hubs?
The Kalinagos believed in coyoba, a place where only_____ could enter.
What is brave warriors?
Upon their arrival in the Caribbean, Europeans would have encountered Mayan civilizations primarily in these three present-day countries.
What are Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize?
This word refers to the priestly class or spiritual leaders in the Mayan civilization.
What is an ah k'in?
This is the basis of their religious practices: ______ and _____ worship
What is Nature and Ancestor?
Provide three social classes in Mayan society that ranked higher than the ppolms, or merchants.
What are the nobles (batabs), priests (ahkin), and Halach Uinich?
The Kalinagos believed in using this method, to appease or ward off the maboya
What is performing rituals or making offerings, or wearing a maboya necklace?
These two Caribbean countries were home to both the Taínos and the Kalinagos, who coexisted before European contact.
What are Puerto Rico and Trinidad?