On Saturday, June 20, Taino Day will officially open the Charles Town Maroon Conference and Festival, bringing Indigenous history, identity, and continuity into focus for a new generation. Ahead of the observance, we are looking back at the Yamaye Guani Areito, an in-person event held to welcome in the Taino New Year, recently celebrated by the Yamaye Guani Taino Peoples in Woodside, St. Mary.
Traditionally observed at the beginning of the rainy season (Boina Aganeuku), this time marks renewal, gratitude, preparation, and the interconnectedness between people, land, water, and community. This year’s Konakubiaburi (seventh) gathering carried added significance as it was held not only to celebrate, but to also support recovery efforts following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
The day blended cultural observance with community action as government agencies, Indigenous leaders, educators, health professionals, families and residents gathered in the valley for a series of activities focused on resilience, wellbeing, heritage preservation, and future planning.
Among the highlights was a special exhibition mounted by the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank (ACIJ/JMB), which showcased Taino-related artefacts and research supporting the documentation, preservation, and public appreciation of Jamaica’s Indigenous heritage and collective memory.
There were also many community focused activities like the community marketplace, free health services, wellness checks, disaster preparedness readiness and resources, and on-the-spot registration for social benefits.
Wakia Yaka: We Are Here
For the Yamaye Guani Taino Peoples, the Areito served as a reminder that Indigenous culture is not confined to history books or museum displays. It remains lived, practiced, taught, and carried forward through community, ceremony, language, environmental stewardship, and intergenerational knowledge sharing.This is especially important for a community like theirs, which is working to dispel incorrect extinction narratives every day.
We invite you behind the scenes to see glimpses of a community honouring its past while actively shaping its future.
Click here to explore the full gallery.
Tami Tsansai