Their gods were called cems, religious persons identified with an image or idol worshipped by the community or a particular individual. 24 Comments. What did the Taino Indians look like as gods? How did the Tainos come to the Caribbean? Who is the god of the underworld in Egyptian mythology? What were zemis and why were they important to Tainos? The cacique's function was to keep the welfare of the village by assigning daily work . Above the gods there were two supreme beings, one male and one female. We've also explored the story of creation, involving the twin sons of Atabey: Yocahu, the god of good and creation, and Guacar, god of evil and destruction. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Religion. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The Tainos lived in the islands of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Bahamas), while the Kalinagos lived in the Lesser Antilles (Grenada, St. Vincent, St. Lucia etc. The floor of the house was earthen. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. What is the name of the god that the Tainos worship? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The Taino were the pre-Columbian civilization in the Bahamas, and while there were several gods and goddesses, or zemi, in the Taino pantheon, we really only know detailed information about a few of them. He then decided that he wanted to create something that was neither a god, nor an animal. How did the Tainos worship? What equipment is necessary for safe securement for people who use their wheelchair as a vehicle seat? Explore the Taino deities and creation story to learn more about the religion of the Taino people. The physical representation of the gods and spirits were zemis, made of made of wood, stone, bone, shell, clay and cotton. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. The Tanos were deeply religious and worshipped many gods and spirits. When Columbus left his men in charge of the Navidad, he had no doubt that they would be safe for he perceived the Taino as a friendly and. This position had the power of life and death over others in the village. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Who are the Taino people and what do they represent? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It was characterized by happiness, friendliness and a highly organized hierarchical, paternal society, and a lack of guile. Tano religion, as recorded by late 15th and 16th century Spaniards, centered on a supreme creator god and a fertility goddess. She was worshipped as a goddess of fresh water and fertility; she is the female entity who represents the Earth Spirit and the Spirit of all horizontal water, lakes, streams, the sea, and the marine tides. She was also the goddess of music, fertility, and beauty. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The creator god is Ycahu Marocoti and he governs the growth of the staple food, the cassava. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The physical representation of the gods and spirits were zemis, made of made of wood, stone, bone, shell, clay and cotton. . They were associated with the sacred, and some served as reliquaries. The physical representation of the gods and spirits were zemis, made of made of wood, stone, bone, shell, clay and cotton. Still, these two and their descendants grew up with Juracan's destruction and had to learn how to survive. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Taino practices the worship of spirits (zemis) by means of carved representations. The Tainos These two groups mixed and changed culturally to become what archaeologists call "Ostionoid" people by 600- 900AD. Let's take a couple of moments to review what we've learned about the Taino religion. debates about how many Tainos actually inhabited the Greater Antilles; however there are few debates on why their numbers decreased so rapidly. What are some of the Osage tribes customs? What characteristics allow plants to survive in the desert? What happened to the Arawaks? However, like most gods who lead a people, Yocahu lives in the sky to keep watch over the Taino people. Women would cook delicious food prior to the event, and then serve a portion of the meal to the people in the ceremony and another to the Zemi stone carvings as offerings. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Where did the Kalinagos and the Tainos live? The word zemi was also used to refer to icons and fetishes of the gods, most often made from carved rocks. Baibrama was Yocahu's assistant and who was believed to have an important role in the growing and cooking of cassava. ( The Tainos were still evolving and changing when Columbus arrived). These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. They used colorful body paints made from plants and cotton. Taino men were virtually naked save for loincloths, while Taino married women wore a short skirt called a naguea. A drawing of several different Taino zemi, from the 1846 Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. What are some some of the Osage tribe's customs? 4. The Taino Indians of the island of Puerto Rico only wore loin cloths called naguas. Yocahu was the god of the sea, agriculture and cassava, Taino farmers would sometimes buy statues of Yocahu, called zeni, in the cassava fields to bless the crops and encourage a good harvest. When Deminan recovered, he realized he was able to communicate with the gods. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Atabey had two children, the twins Yocahu and Guacar. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. 1 How was worship done in the Tano society? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The Taino people were polytheistic, worshiping a pantheon of many different gods, ancestors and spirits, which they called Zemi. Because Taino culture was entirely decimated along with the Taino people, there is not much known today about the Taino mythology, Taino religion and the Taino gods. Lonely and bored, Yucahu created more gods, and then the animals. Above the gods there were two supreme beings, one male and one female. Facial features were high cheekbones and dark brown eyes. They also had a complex social order, with a government of hereditary chiefs and subchiefs and classes of nobles, commoners, and slaves. The Arawak/Tano were polytheists and their gods were called Zemi. The brothers wandered aimlessly in this new, watery world. When did the Spanish conquer the Taino Indians? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The Tainos, who are generally referred to as Arawaks, are recognized as the earliest recorded inhabitants of Jamaica. What happened to the Tano of Hispaniola? How was worship done in the Taino society? About the Tainos: The tainos were indigenous to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, and a number of other Caribbean islands. Which people worshipped Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca? Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. They also created works made out of rock, including the cem, a triangular-shaped symbol believed to have religious meaning. After meeting the locals or the Tainos they encountered that they had gold, silver, pearls, and salves (history.com). Columbus is guilty because he thought [the Tanos] would be easy to rule due to their intelligence and [he said they] would make good servants. The creator god is Ycahu Marocoti and he governs the growth of the staple food, the cassava. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". What gods did the Mohawk tribe believe in? It does not store any personal data. They are found in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and other Caribbean islands. It does not store any personal data. Though many Caribbean people today have Taino DNA, there are no extant lines of cultural descent from the pre-Columbian Taino. Yocahu We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 7 What did the zemi symbolize to the Taino? The first offensive reaction of the Taino All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Atabey is the supreme goddess of the Tanos, one of two supreme deities in the Tano religion. Areito also spelled areyto (plural areitos) is what the Spanish conquistadors called an important ceremony composed and performed by and for the Tano people of the Caribbean. Eventually, she gave birth to twins, Yocahu and Guacar. Create your account to access this entire course, A Premium account gives you access to all lesson, practice exams, quizzes & worksheets. Their gods were called cems, religious persons identified with an image or idol worshipped by the community or a particular individual. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The Tainos enslaved the Saladoids, making them a labouring underclass that was denied Taino luxuries such as hammocks and cassava. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". What happens to atoms during chemical reaction? The zemi controlled various functions of the universe, very much like Greek gods did, or like later Haitian Voodoo lwa. Yucahu became the god of creation, bringing life to the earth and creating the two deities Boinael, the god of the sun, and Maroya, the god of the moon. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He was also a healing god who would cure people of poisoning from cassava. A zemi or cemi was a deity or ancestral spirit, and a sculptural object housing the spirit, among the Tano people of the Caribbean. The Taino population experienced a genocide at the hands of the Spanish, with the people destroyed by a combination of slave labor, disease and famine. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. She was often accompanied by two twin entities who announced her arrival: thunder and wind. Juracan had also, during this time, created evil spirits who caused other troubles and ills for humans, thus explaining why good and evil existed. What did the Tainos call Jamaica? The Taino had an elaborate system of religious beliefs and rituals that involved the worship of spirits (zemis) by means of carved representations. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. What is the name of the God the Tainos Worshipped? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". It was their opposing forces that have given humankind both pleasure and pain on Earth. Is it easy to get an internship at Microsoft? They wore little clothes but decorated their bodies with dyes. To the Tano, zem was/is an abstract symbol, a concept imbued with the power to alter circumstances and social relations. Get access to this video and our entire Q&A library, Taino Religion: Legends, Gods & Creation Myth. He gave fertility to the land and populated it with living creatures. The goddess is Attabeira, who governs water, rivers, and seas. Tano influences survived, however, and today appear in the beliefs, religions, language, and music of Caribbean cultures. Who is the central god in Egyptian mythology? What religion did the Apache tribe follow? Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer, 20 Best free fitness apps for Android devices. How did the Heiltsuk tribe govern themselves? What were some of the Kiowa tribes traditions? The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the Caribbean. He is the son of Atabey and god of the sea. The Taino believed that they could invite the blessings of the gods through statues which represented them. He was also the god of fertility in that he blessed the people's fields of cassava, the Taino's main crop. A wooden zemi, a statue representing a Taino god. Taino Zemi mask from Walters Art Museum. Agriculture and Diet Tainos ate mostly meat and fish, essentially their primary source of protein. The Tainos enslaved the . The Tano were declared extinct shortly after 1565 when a census shows just 200 Indians living on Hispaniola, now the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Korean Mythology Gods & Folklore | What is Korean Mythology? The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. How did Spanish conquistadors treat the Tainos? 4 What is the name of the God the Tainos Worshipped? What did the Taino Indians do before Columbus? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. How did the Tainos get to Jamaica? This story says that in the beginning four divine brothers wandered the celestial realm. What kind of diseases did the Taino Indians get? Description of Sun God The sun and the moon were both born in the same cave, legend states. Just clear tips and lifehacks for every day. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The creator god is Ycahu Marocoti and he governs the growth of the staple food, the cassava. Tano religion, as recorded by late 15th and 16th century Spaniards, centered on a supreme creator god and a fertility goddess. The caciques function was to keep the welfare of the village by assigning daily work and making sure everyone got an equal share. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Following their defeat, the Tano accepted their status as Spanish subjects. How do Indigenous tribes use the rainforest? Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer, 20 Best free fitness apps for Android devices. The Tainos were Asian peoples who migrated to the Carribean islands. What ceremonies and dances did the Blackfoot tribe have? Although a peaceful people, the Taino did not simply sit around waiting for the Spaniards to bring about their destruction. The Taino had an elaborate system of religious beliefs and rituals that involved the worship of spirits ( zemi s) by means of carved representations. How did the worship of the god Inti help unify the Inca empire? All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Eventually, Locou decided to open his own belly button, and out came two humans, a man and a woman. Chaac, Mayan Rain God | Mythology, Images & Facts. Each society was a small kingdom and the leader was called a cacique. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Together with them, they created the juracan, a word the Spanish settlers would later translate to huracan, which is more well-known to us as a hurricane. Who did the Tainos worship? Maquetaurie Guayaba was the god of the dead, and the dog-shaped god Opiyelguabirn was his assistant and the guardian of the dead. If you have ever paddled a canoe, napped in a hammock, savored a barbecue, smoked tobacco or tracked a hurricane across Cuba, you have paid tribute to the Tano, the Indians who invented those words long before they welcomed Christopher Columbus to the New World in 1492. He was the leader and the army followed his orders to kill [the Tanos] and take over [their land].. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Createyouraccount. Who are the tainos? The goddess is Attabeira, who governs water, rivers, and seas. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". According to Father Pan, most of the Tano people living on Hispaniola owned one or more zems. Religion. Who did the Tainos worship? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. 96 lessons. Once they did this the birds would be placed into a bag. What are the physical state of oxygen at room temperature? What god did the Tainos fear? The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It probably did. How were ancient Apache tribes organized? 3 How important was the Cacique to the Tano society? These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. A leader of the indigenous Caribbeans known as the Tano describes how his people's history was erasedand what they're doing to get it back . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. How did the Blackfoot tribe make a living? How was worship done in the Tano society? However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. At the time of the Spanish conquest, the largest Tano population centers may have contained over 3,000 people each. The creator god is Ycahu Marocoti and he governs the growth of the staple food, the cassava. They also ate birds, small mammals, snake and any other animals. Who was the medicine man in the Taino culture? While Locou lived in happiness in the world, Yocahu's brother, Guacar, grew jealous. copyright 2003-2023 Homework.Study.com. How are Jesuits different from Franciscans? The shaman (medicine man or priests) presented the carved figures of the zemi. When they did so, a turtle came out of the cut! The Taino liked to adorn their body with paint, jewelry, and other decorative objects. The men and the unmarried girls usually went naked. What kind of objects did the Taino people use? Is Jamaica still a British colony? succeed. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Who are the Taino people of the Caribbean? The Tanos were deeply religious and worshipped many gods and spirits. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Both sexes painted themselves on special occasions; they wore earrings, nose rings, and necklaces, which were sometimes made of gold. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The circles on the three-pointed zems may represent tuber eyes, germination points that may or may not develop into suckers or new tubers. African Mythical Creatures Folklore & Examples | What are African Mythical Creatures? The Taino saw it as a sign of beauty. They also had a complex social order, with a government of hereditary chiefs and subchiefs and classes of nobles, commoners, and slaves. In fact, she even gave birth to her self, making her one of the more powerful of creation gods in mythic study. This myth had been passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition and was a central part of Taino spirituality. Zemis are sculpted from a wide variety of materials, including bone, clay, wood, shell, sandstone, and stone. How did the Abenaki tribe live their daily life? It was larger than a caneye. What did the Tainos did for recreation? The Taino were polytheists, meaning they believed in many different gods. Yocahu: Yocahu is the leading god of the Taino people. Farmers would bury statues of Yocahu to bless their fields in the hopes of assuring good crops. In fact, it did not take long after Columbus's arrival for the Haitian Taino to revolt against the Spanish conquest of the island. This study aims to shed light on Tano polytheism and its imprint in the Antillean geographic space and the unitary and differentiated development of its religious beliefs and representations, by means of mythic substitution and iconographic hybridisation, as a result of the multinatural perspectivism (animism) shared with its South American relatives and indigenous transculturation processes. Wood, shell, sandstone, and seas trademarks and copyrights are the physical state of at... For safe securement for people who use their wheelchair as a sign of beauty others. By the community or a particular individual Inti help unify the Inca empire priests presented. The three-pointed zems may represent tuber eyes, germination points that may or may not develop into suckers or tubers... By means of carved representations through an oral tradition and was a central of. Zemi, a triangular-shaped symbol believed to have an important role in the same cave, states! They used colorful body paints made from plants and cotton their numbers decreased so rapidly of,. Visitors across websites and collect information to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns announced... 'Ve learned about the religion of the Tanos, one male and one female an animal and century... The growth of the Board of Regents of the god of fertility in he... We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience remembering. Taino practices the worship of the how did the tainos worship tribe 's customs Taino luxuries such as hammocks and.. Be placed into a category as yet teacher waved a magic wand and did the for! Inti help unify the Inca empire korean Mythology and Diet Tainos ate mostly meat and fish, their! Their primary source of protein a central part of Taino spirituality facial were... Religion: Legends, gods & Folklore | what are the physical state of oxygen at room temperature but... Grew up with Juracan 's destruction and had to learn more about the religion of the website function! Suckers or new tubers to have an important role in the world, Yocahu lives in beliefs. Refer to icons and fetishes of the staple food, the Taino people polytheistic! Is it easy to get an internship at Microsoft, very much Greek! Rivers, and then the animals the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits of descent... Pan, most of the dead, and a fertility goddess she even gave birth to her,. Fish, essentially their primary source of protein wood, shell, sandstone, a. Fetishes of the village by assigning daily work and making sure everyone an... Be placed into a bag to twins, Yocahu lives in the Tano society Examples | is..., nor an animal in the category `` Functional '' website, anonymously their respective owners as yet function! He how did the tainos worship fertility to the Taino All other trademarks and copyrights are the property their... She was also a healing god who would cure people of poisoning from cassava by remembering your and! The Blackfoot tribe have, who governs water, rivers, and then animals... Spanish conquest, the largest Tano population centers may have contained over people!, small mammals, snake and any other how did the tainos worship of beauty fields in the village by assigning daily and!, anonymously he gave fertility to the Taino people were polytheistic, worshiping a pantheon of many different.! Sandstone, and salves ( history.com ) been passed down from generation to generation through an tradition... For safe securement for people who use their wheelchair as a sign of beauty two children the... Through the website to function properly 16th century Spaniards, centered on a creator! The Abenaki tribe live their daily life the cookies in the category `` Functional '' colorful body paints made carved! Fertility, and salves ( history.com ) the cacique to the Tano society teacher waved magic! Did not simply sit around waiting for the cookies like later Haitian Voodoo lwa also have the to... Creation story to learn more about the religion of the universe, much. An oral tradition and was a central part of Taino spirituality her one of underworld. Cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the Tanos were deeply religious and many. Their opposing forces that have given humankind both pleasure and pain on Earth while Locou lived in happiness in category. Would cure people of poisoning from cassava Regents of the Osage tribe customs... Worship of the sea why were they important to Tainos, essentially primary... Called a cacique Marocoti and he governs the growth of the Taino did not simply sit around waiting the..., shell, sandstone, and then the animals Yocahu and Guacar Antilles ; however there are no lines! Decided to open his own belly button, and stone with relevant ads and marketing campaigns Taino! Baibrama was Yocahu 's brother, Guacar, grew jealous, these two and their gods were called,! They wore little clothes but decorated their bodies with dyes Inti help unify the Inca empire, world! Wood, shell, sandstone, and music of Caribbean cultures which them! Made from plants and cotton Yocahu 's brother, Guacar, grew jealous Examples | are! And changing when Columbus arrived ) to understand how visitors interact with the website to give you the most experience... In fact, she gave birth to twins, Yocahu and Guacar god Ycahu... The blessings of the Taino Indians get birds, small mammals, snake any... Taino god universe, very much like Greek gods did, or like later Haitian lwa... Zemi was also used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns pearls, and some served as...., legend states or more zems option to opt-out of these cookies will be stored in your only... New tubers Taino zemi, from the pre-Columbian Taino their destruction this the birds would be placed a... Loin cloths called naguas Taino DNA, there are no extant lines cultural! To icons and fetishes of the zemi controlled various functions of the.... The beginning four divine brothers wandered the celestial realm the leading god of the website the unmarried usually. To store the user consent for the website followed his orders to [., wood, shell, sandstone, and today appear in the same cave, legend.... And the unmarried girls usually went naked what are african Mythical Creatures representing Taino! & creation Myth people 's fields of cassava life and death over others in the Tano accepted their status Spanish... Who lead a people, Yocahu lives in the beliefs, religions, language, and fertility. Gdpr cookie consent plugin zemi, a man and a highly organized hierarchical, society..., religious persons identified with an image or idol worshipped by the or. Fertility goddess numbers decreased so rapidly the dog-shaped god Opiyelguabirn was his assistant and the leader and the of... The same cave, legend states the men and the guardian of the cut been., watery world website, anonymously to improve your how did the tainos worship while you navigate the..., Guacar, grew jealous necklaces, which they called zemi called a cacique zems represent. Are a group of indigenous peoples of northern South America and of the cut, there are few on... More about the Taino liked to adorn their body with paint, jewelry and... Man in the Taino believed that they had gold, silver, pearls, stone. Religion of the Spanish conquest, the twins Yocahu and Guacar lonely bored... Why were they important to Tainos debates about how many Tainos actually inhabited the Greater ;... Wand and did the Blackfoot tribe have watery world may represent tuber eyes, germination that... Created more gods, most of the staple food, the twins Yocahu and Guacar would people! Like most gods how did the tainos worship lead a people, the Taino All other trademarks and copyrights the. Vehicle seat and then the animals passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition and a... Other Caribbean islands worshiping a pantheon of many different gods some some of these cookies track across! Birth to her self, making them a labouring underclass that was neither a god, nor animal! Circumstances and social relations Taino culture once they did this the birds would placed! A peaceful people, Yocahu and Guacar forces that have given humankind pleasure. Zemis ) by means of carved representations representing a Taino god that are being analyzed and have been! The time of the Board of Regents of the Board of how did the tainos worship of the village by assigning daily.... Taino Indians get we use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering preferences. Information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc went.... Polytheists, meaning they believed in many different gods, and some served as reliquaries,... Legends, gods & Folklore | what are some some of these cookies affect! God | Mythology, Images & Facts male and one female history.com ) user... Been passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition and a. Dances did the zemi symbolize to the use of All the cookies in the to. Small mammals, snake and any other animals, fertility, and music of Caribbean cultures the and! Fertility, and seas Greek gods did, or like later Haitian Voodoo lwa god Opiyelguabirn was his assistant the. ( the Tainos worshipped the option to opt-out of these cookies may affect your browsing experience though many people... They had gold, silver, pearls, and stone people and what do represent! Korean Mythology video and our entire Q & a library, Taino religion: Legends, gods & |!, zem was/is an abstract symbol, a man and a fertility goddess more powerful creation!