Taíno

The Taíno were an Indigenous people of the Caribbean, primarily inhabiting present-day Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, and parts of Jamaica and the Bahamas before European contact. Known for their sophisticated societies, craftsmanship, agriculture, and navigation skills, they cultivated crops like cassava and sweet potatoes and built impressive villages with wooden homes. The Taíno played a significant role in the history of the Caribbean, and their culture and descendants still influence the region today. Their encounters with Europeans in the late 15th century led to profound changes, including population decline due to disease, colonization, and cultural disruption.