Mission.
TRIBAL STATEMENT OF BEING: The YA'YA GUAILI ARA TAINO YUKAYEKE (Noble Taino Village of the Creator's Children and People) centrally located in Bronx NY is a tribal band of descendants of the Taino Native American Indians of the Caribbean Islands and territories of throughout the world. We are composed of Taino families and individuals who are descended from Lokono, Igneris, Guanahatabey, Siboney and other Taino and Arawak tribes, families and individuals. We are dedicated to continuing, preserving and reviving the legacy of our tribal bloodlines, way of life and ancestral culture through music, dance, art, gatherings, storytelling, DNA research, and more. First note that Taino is not a tribe but an umbrella term used to identify several (tribes) of migrated Antillean bloodlines from South America that inhabited and currently inhabit the Caribbean such as Lokono, Ciboney, Boricua, etc, because we are from the Caribbean and not the United States of America we are not federally recognized by the United States of America Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Because of federal law, only tribes that are native to the United States can be federally recognized but that is soon changing as some bands are being recognized by US commonwealth states such as Pennsylvania, but as of yet not by the U.S. Government. Boricua Tainos for example cannot be federally recognized as a tribe in the United States of America until Puerto Rico becomes an actual state.
We are a native people who have come together to acknowledge our heritage and legacy of our ancestors and we believe we have every right to do so. At no time in our tribal statements, flag or any place else do you see the word "Hereditary" or "Royalty" or "Nobility" to suggest that our leaders or tribal members are of a royal or chieftain blood line. But what you do see is the word Yukayeke which means Village or Barrio which is what we are. What makes up a Taino Yukeyeke (village) is not an actual place or location but it is the Taino families that come together as a Taino Yukayeke, Tribe and Nation. What you do see is the word "Nation" because that is who we are a part of, THE TAINO NATION. The Islands and territories of the Caribbean and other lands where Tainos exist and have existed are countries and nations, and together as a united tribe comprise a one large nation: A TAINO NATION. Therefore, we as a people need no official recognition, nor acceptance of any other Tribal Government, nor any other city, state, country or global government.
We are recognized and accepted by our families, by our ancestor, grandparents, and by each other. We recognize that we as a Taino people are made up of individual villages and families (tribes), and as such have individual tribal governments. We of YA'YA GUAILI ARA TAINO YUKAYEKE (Noble Taino Village of the Creator's Children and People) have our own tribal government as we have an adopted and voted upon constitution within our own YA'YA GUAILI ARA community. To date no one has ever seen any evidence or proof that suggests that anyone is any kind of hereditary anything. There are no written documents to say this person or that person is of this hereditary blood line. We Tainos of the Caribbean based on oral history passed down from our past ancestors and this is the only proof that we have of who we are; No papers, nothing else. We are simply recognizing the beauty of our people and are coming together to further the legacy of our people.