The American Nations, Vol. I.: Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South AmericaRafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel)
History
The American Nations, Vol. I.: Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South America
Rafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel)
Indians; Indians -- Origin; Taino Indians; Taino language
This will answer to the first period of the earth creation, when the water
was above the land, and the _Rkio_ of Moses was divided. The name appears
to mean _the windy_.(66)
_6th Event._ The male Zemis JAIA (_Khaya_, the earth) made the earth and
islands; he is the _Aion_ of Sanchoniation. Every land and island is
animated. The island of Hayti was a great animal like a turtle; the head
and mouth was in the east, the west end of it was a long tail, called
_Guaca-iarima_ (country of the Vent). The caves were the holes of the
body, venerated and used afterwards as temples and tombs.
This notion, and comparison of islands with turtles, recalls to mind the
primitive turtle land of the Chinese, Hindus, Linapis &c. _Jaia_ or _Kaya_
for land has affinities all over the world and is a primitive word.(67)
_7th Event._ JAIA afterwards had a son, who was called _Jaia-El_,
_Higuera_, or _Hibuera_ earth-son gourd.
This first man like Adam is son of the earth, and an EL or Angel, _Elohim_
of the orientals; it means in Haytian, son, offspring, family and tribe.
It will often recur in subsequent history, in the singular for the plural.
The plurals were _Eli_, _Ili_, _guaili_.—_Gua_ is only the article _This
or Such_.(68)
_8th Event._ The sun and moon called _Boiniael_ and _Maroio_ by Roman; but
_Binthaitel_ and _Marohu_ by Dangleria and Ovieda, come out of the cave
_Jovovava_: they are Zemis and foes of mankind. A cave with the same name
was their temple in Hayti. Dangleria calls it _Iovana-boina_ Jove Solar.
The exact time of this appearance is doubtful, and there appears to be two
blended events, one of cosmogony alluding to the sun being long obscured
by the primitive misty atmosphere, another historical alluding to the
solar and lunar dynasties of Asia or America. The meaning of _Jovo-vava_
or _Kovo-vava_ is cave of fathers, both primitive names. The solar and
lunar names have many analogies elsewhere, among which the chief are
_Names of the Sun._
_Oin_, _Oein_ of Arabs and Ethiopia.
_Oboh_, _Baion_, old Egyptian.
_Baon_, _Oan_ of Assyrians.
_Ian_ of the Etruscans.
_Belen_ of the Gauls.
_Bun_ of the Zend.
_Abolion_ of the Pelasgians.
_Abloin_ of the Thessalians.
_Ntiélé_ of the Illyrians.
_Bian_ of the Ausonians.
_Anactes_ of the Mysians.
_Names of the Moon._
_Yarho_ of the Syrians.
_Aohri_ of the Tibus.
_Warha_ of the Ethiopians.
_Carara_ of the Etruscans.
_Teoro_ of the Betoys, S. A.
_Heriho_ of Canaan.
_Humuri_ of Old Arabic.
_Matuaré_ of Carthul, Caucasus.
_Maraca_ of Guaramis, S. A.
_Marama_ of Polynesia.
_Kamar_ in Maroco.
_Kamaria_ in Pehlvi.
_Gumara_ in Nubian.
Most of these synonyms and analogies are found in the most ancient
languages: to which may be added that in the ancient Haikan language of
Armenia, the sun and moon were called _Noah!_ and _Morante_, names also of
Noah and his wife.
_9th Event._ The female Zemis, _Coatris-quia_ makes the springs and
streams to flow over the earth, and became their goddess.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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