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puerto rican symbols and meanings

by Talia Schimmel III Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Puerto Rican Warrior Symbols. The Taino coqui tattoo, which represents the Puerto Rican coqui, the frog, displays an encircled leaping frog – a symbol of longevity. Similar Puerto Rican warrior symbols include lizards, turtles, and snakes – each which translated to survival and strength.

What are the three symbols of Puerto Rico?

Official NamePuerto Rico - The Commonwealth of Puerto RicoNational SymbolEl Coquí, a tiny 1" tree frog that sings throughout the nightNational TreeCeibaNational FlowerMagaNational BirdReinita39 more rows

What does Coqui Taino mean?

Coquí is the common name for several species of small frogs in the genus Eleutherodactylus native to Puerto Rico. They are onomatopoeically named for the very loud mating call which the males of two species, the common coqui and the upland coqui, make at night.

What does the Toa symbol mean?

For the Toa symbol, it is said that the Guahoyona, a god, abducted all of the women of the island. Without their mothers, men were left to take care of the children. As Toa is the word for mother in Taino, the children began to cry out the words 'toa toa' as a plea for their mothers in the hungry state.

What does a turtle symbolize in Puerto Rico?

Each Taino symbol is a representation of God or forces of nature, or a tale of everyday life. Turtles were considered the mother of fertility within the Taíno symbols, humanity and the origin of life.

What does the frog symbolize in Puerto Rico?

A miniature tree-frog known as the National Symbol of Puerto Rico, the coquí is a very accurate representation of the expression “good things come in small packages”. Or rather, loud things, since their call tends to reach every crevice of the island. For natives, this is music to our ears as it reminds us of home.

What symbols are important to Tainos?

Puerto Rican Warrior Symbols. The Taino coqui tattoo, which represents the Puerto Rican coqui, the frog, displays an encircled leaping frog – a symbol of longevity. Similar Puerto Rican warrior symbols include lizards, turtles, and snakes – each which translated to survival and strength.

What does the circle with 2 dots mean?

Yin and Yang Are Co-Arising and Interdependent The curves and circles of the Yin-Yang symbol imply a kaleidoscope-like movement. This implied movement represents how Yin and Yang are mutually-arising, interdependent, and continuously transforming, one into the other.

What does the spiral mean in Taino?

The spiral is a common symbol found in Taino art. It is a representation of cosmic energy and its unendingness. It is also representative of sweet water. The spiral is a symbol of both material and immaterial concepts and objects.

What does the Taino turtle symbolize?

Each Taino symbol is a representation of God or forces of nature, or a tale of everyday life. Turtles were considered the mother of fertility within the Taíno symbols, humanity and the origin of life.

What is Puerto Rico's national animal?

The Puerto Rican coqui (pronounced ko-kee) is a small arboreal frog that's brown, yellow, or green in color. Its scientific genus name—Eleutherodactylus—means “free toes” because, unlike many frogs, the coqui doesn't have webbed feet.

What is atabey?

Atabey is the supreme goddess of the Taínos, one of two supreme deities in the Taíno religion. 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.

Did the Tainos have tattoos?

“As a pre-columbian society the Taino had no written alphabet. Instead they had a language called Arawakan, which consisted of petroglyphs, artistic symbols that were carved on rocks. These artful symbols were also tattooed. Taino men had tattoos for spiritual purposes, the women had piercings.”

When did the Taino Indians arrive in Puerto Rico?

November 23, 2020. by Captain Tim. 06. Aug. Puerto Rico was inhabited by the Taino Indians long before Columbus arrived in 1493. They were primarily farmers and fisherman. After the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, the Taino population was decimated by famine, disease, and war within twenty years. Today, the Taino’s blood is part of the ...

Is Taino blood part of Puerto Rican heritage?

Today, the Taino’s blood is part of the Puerto Rican heritage and through research and archaeological digs, today there is a clearer idea of their culture and contributions to society.

What does the sun represent in a tattoo?

Sun was the most common Taino symbol which represented our planetary star as a god as a life-giver. The design included sun rays along with googly eyes and sometimes a smile.

What does the Taino Coqui tattoo mean?

Taino Coqui Tattoo –. The Coqui translates to the frog species found in these islands. The coqui symbol showed a leaping frog on a circle. Its symbolic meaning was good health and long life. Along with the frog, the Taino tribe was also known to show other reptiles such as lizards, snakes, and even turtles.

What is a taino tattoo?

Taino tribal tattoos are inspired by the Puerto Rican culture. Taino culture is rich in bravery, artistic triumph (unique symbols) and innovations. The Taino Indians were native to the Caribbean Indians which consisted of Modern Day Puerto Rico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Jamaica. The aboriginals of these island countries were called Arawak People (named after their unique language Arawakan).

Baby

The Taíno’s carried their babies on their backs. Many images often had babies being carried with ropes tied around them.

Bird

Birds like cranes and herons were often given human characteristics, and they usually were interpreted as symbols of being masculine.

Cohoba

Cohoba was the main deity of the Taínos. The plate of his head was used in the ceremony to inhale hallucinogen in ceremonial rituals.

Eternal Lovers

The Taíno society did not believe in private property. Whatever was grown or killed was for the whole tribe. The scene in images may mean solidarity, equality, and fertility. Eternal lovers were figures of birds either beak-to-beak or in a possible love scenes.

Shamans

Shamans were witch doctors. They cured by using plants and herbs. They were considered as priests and led all rituals.

Conchs and Snails

The snail and conch played an integral role in the Taínos’ lives. They ate snails and also used them as a hallucinogen in rituals. They even used their conchs to adorn their bodies as beads. Large conchs were used for the sound that they made, as a communication device during hunting.

Turtle or Tortoise

Turtles were considered as the mother of fertility, mankind, and origin of life. Dimivan Caracaracol (Mother Earth) had developed a tumor; on the removal of the tumor, it turned out to be a live turtle.

Modern Interpretations

There are people today who desperately search, in books or the internet, for the true meaning of these rock-carvings not really knowing the history (or in this case, lack-of historical data) of the Tainos / Pre-Tainos. It is still unclear today of what these petroglyphs or symbols really mean.

How old are these symbols?

Ancient petroglyphs or symbols carved into rock by prehistoric peoples reveal how they envisioned the world around them. But estimating an exact age of most petroglyphs is difficult to determine.

What do they mean?

Whenever anyone views petroglyphs the unavoidable question comes up: What is the meaning of these symbols?

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