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
We have here a second voyage by sea in a bird, and a contention with a
solar people, caused by a trading voyage to procure some American
commodity: Indigo probably which is identic with _Digo_. _Jadru-vaba_ or
the father of _Khadru_, must be a new colonist. _Khadru_ has hardly any
analogies in America; but _Giahuba_ in which he was changed has some. It
appears analagous with the _Yaoy_ and _Shebaoy_ two _Aruac_ tribes of
Guyana, and thus _Khadru_ might be the _Aruac_ themselves; same nation
with the Haytians once, as the languages prove; although extending to
Tucuman and Patagonia. The name of _Aruac_ or _Aruagas_ was inexplicable:
it may refer to this origin, or to the _Rocou_ the red paint used by them.
But _Aruac_ may also mean _Aluac_; akin to the _Labuyu_ of the Caribs
their vassals, and the _Aluez_ vassals of the Nachez nation. Could they
derive from the ALE angels of the east; here reduced to servitude by foes?
_29th Event._ GUAGU-GIONA irritated that Jadru-vaba does not return,
leaves the cave of _Caziba_ in search of him, and went with men and women
to the island Matinino, where the women were left, while the men went to
the land of _Guanin_.
This is the third passage of the Atlantic, unless that of _Vagoniana_ only
mentioned by Dangleria and Garcia be the same; but they are likely to be
successive tribes of Ionas. That all the women should be left in Martinico
is a fable, meaning that the weakest or fishing tribes settled there or in
the islands; while the warriors went to the American continent, called
_Guanin_, which has several meanings, land of Guanas or lizard men, or
land of metals. It became afterwards the name of a peculiar metal formed
by the natural or artificial amalgam of 18 parts gold, 6 silver, and 8
copper: and a tribe assumed the name. _Guana_ or _Guanos_ was the name of
a large nation of South America; perhaps come from the _Guans_ of the
Canary islands; but slightly related to the Aruacs by the languages: yet
perhaps akin: it was spread east of the Andes, between the two
tropics.(74)
_30th Event._ The children were left behind, because afraid to cross, and
were crying after their mothers; but became changed into _Tona_ or
opossums. Garcia says into _Toa_ or frogs.
There are no opossums in Hayti nor the small islands, nor in Africa. But
they are plenty in South America, where the notion must have sprung. This
fable and metamorphosis may imply a hidden meaning. The opossums are the
only animals bearing their young in a pouch, as ships bear men. Could not
this indicate other ships without sails, and thus no longer birds with
wings?
TON is a remarkable word, since it is the root of _Nei-ton_ the Lybian
neptunes or navigators. The twin TUN are the holy ancestors of the
Chilians, _Tona-ca_ (flesh our) is the ancestor or Adam of some Mexican
nations. The frogs were the emblem of the Muyzcas!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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