Benson comment on Taino artifacts

By L. Benson, 20 November 1996

There is interest in Haiti in Taino artefacts as well as in the apparent remnant of Taino still thought to be present in the nineteenth century, as evidenced by laws against intermarriage. Look at Jean Foucahrd's Les Marrons et Syllabaire and Langue et Literature des Aborigines d'Ayiti. [That name was FOUCHARD, Jean] A Taino ceremonial seat from Haiti is photographed in Oct. 23 Christian Science Monitor as one of the items in the expanded collection in Paris: Museum of African and Oceanic art; and there was a major exhibition of Taino works, principally from Haiti in Paris about four years ago. There is a hnadsome (and expensive) catalogue of the exhibition. In Haiti, Gardere, whose address I cannot locate fast enought right now, has been fining and saving Taino objects since his youth. The Fondation pour le Preservation...of Haitian Culture, in Petionville also has objects supposed to be Taino, but which need to be authenticated. Some do claim that in Haiti, the Taino gene pool has completely merged with those of the incoming populations from Europe and Africa. Again, I present this without any assurance that it is documented. I do know that there IS interest in Haiti and among Haitianists in the significant Taino heritage.