Sounds of the Taino

The Taino are the indigenous people of Puerto Rico, which they call the island of Boriken. They were the predominant inhabitants of Puerto Rico when Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean Islands in 1492.

The people and culture of the Taino are still alive today. Recently, a group of Taino visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to perform ceremonial music on instruments made from natural materials. Scholastic News Online recorded their performances, including a piece that sounds like a day in a rain forest.

For more information about Taino people today, check out the United Confederation of Taino People Web site.

Featured Articles

Dance of the Medicine Person
In this song, drums are used to honor the medicine people of the Taino.

Thanking the Turtle
This song shows gratitude to the turtle, a sacred animal in Taino culture.

Giving Thanks
This is a song of thanks to all the living plants and animals that are used to provide food and materials to the Taino.

Puerto Rico
Background material from The New Book of Knowledge on Grolier Online.