You’ve probably never heard of the largest Indigenous group in North America: the Taíno.

They were the first Native Americans encountered by Europeans in 1492. Their language was the lingua franca of the Caribbean, spoken in what is now the Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and beyond.

They and their language were thought to have gone extinct hundreds of years ago.

Turns out there are an estimated 17 million+ Taíno descendants living in the United States today. And the world’s first digital Taíno language course just launched in Transparent Language Online, promising to help descendants far and wide reclaim the language.

Priscilla Colón, the founder of Casa Areyto and driving force behind the course, explains its significance:

“Even though the language is still officially categorized as extinct, we’re now showcasing the culmination of so many revitalization efforts in this digital course. I ask myself 535 years ago, would our ancestors have imagined that someone like me would exist, and be able to use modern technology to give them a voice after all this time? It means so much to bring this language to life online, so it can reach not just people in one area of the world, but every corner of the world.”

Who are the Taíno?

They are the original Indigenous inhabitants of many Caribbean islands, including most of the Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the northern Lesser Antilles.

Many Taíno people were displaced during European colonization of the Americas, leading much of society to consider them extinct.

But the Taíno people never died out! Studies have shown that a large portion of Caribbeans have Taíno ancestry. And the language and culture have continued to be passed down through the generations.

If you’ve ever eaten barbecue, swung in a hammock, or experienced a hurricane, you already know some Taíno words!

Thanks to the work of Casa Areyto and 7000 Languages, you can learn a whole lot more with Tainonaíki for Beginners, the first digital course to learn the Taíno language.

What will you learn in the Beginner Taíno Course?

This course is for anyone interested in learning Taíno.

As the course name suggests, it teaches Tainonaíki, a modern version of Taíno outlined in the book Primario Básico del Taíno‑Borikenaíki by Javier A. Hernández.

It’s a modern reconstruction of the language that pulls from a variety of sources, including classic Taíno words and phrases that survived through Spanish chronicles and various sister languages under the Arawak language family.

The 138 lessons will take students from having zero knowledge of Taíno to being able to hold conversations about everyday events, such as introducing yourself and others, talking about your family and profession, discussing the weather, telling time, and so much more.

Lessons are organized in 52 themed units, covering topics like:

• Meeting new people
• Describing yourself and others
• Food and drink
• Numbers
• Holidays and celebrations
• The natural world
• Religion and spirituality

Taíno Alphabet

The course begins with a unit on the Taíno alphabet.

Lessons incorporate both Taíno script and the transliterated Tainonaíki alphabet, created to make the language accessible to modern learners. Familiar letters make the language easier to read and write and use with modern technology.

It also allows learners to include loan words from other languages, such as English or Spanish.

Taíno Grammar

Grammar is incorporated throughout the units via quick video lessons. Interactive activities help you practice applying different grammar rules and patterns in context.

You’ll learn how to:

• Form feminine and masculine nouns
• Talk about the past, present, and future
• Negate verbs
• Ask questions

Taíno Culture

The Taíno language and culture are deeply intertwined, so of course culture is woven throughout the course through vocabulary topics, culture notes within those vocab lessons, and culture videos.

As Priscilla explains, the course is about so much more than the words on the screen:

“In this course, you’ll do more than memorize vocabulary. You’ll explore Taíno grammar, culture, and heritage through reading, listening, speaking, and writing activities. You’ll hear spiritual leaders in our community share origin stories and more. With immersive video content, the language truly comes to life after all this time.”

Explore your Indigenous roots and be a part of the movement that revives Taíno. Start learning for free with a library card from any participating library.

Library professionals interested in supporting Taino descendants in your community, join us November 3^rd for a live discussion with Priscilla Colón, the course creator!