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
_40th Event._ These first inhabitants of Hayti, fed on dates, bananas,
cocos, fruits, nuts, herbs, yams, roots, onions, mushrooms: until taught
the use of Cazabi or bread by _Boition_, with maize, cotton, mandioc &c.
Another fact of Dangleria, very natural indicating the tropical food of
old times.
_41st Event._ _Michetauri Guauana_, was the leader of the first colony to
_Coaibai_ (death house) in the land of _Soraia_ (setting sun), and became
the king of it. There the people are called _Goeiz_ (phantoms or ghosts)
and go about by night; but are not dead people whose name is _Opia_.
_Coaibai_ is either Cuba or Coyba in Darien, or both. It became the
paradise of the Haytians, placed in Cuba or further west, and a place of
delight. The names and allusions are remarkable. They assimilate to those
of the Greeks &c. about the fortunate islands of the west: those of the
Orientals and Hebrews about the island _Elisha_, and the _Sheol_ or place
of souls, the Hebrew Plutonic region. _Soraya_ for setting sun, is identic
with _Surya_ of the Hindus: whence came _Syria_ the west, and even our
word _sorrow_; while _Sol_ comes from Sheol. _Azil_ sun in Pelasgian, is
akin to _Elisha_ whence our word Azylum! _Goeiz_ is akin to ghost, _Ghaib_
in Syrian, _Coyocop_ of the Nachez, _Goz_ of the Vilelas. _Opi_ has
affinities every where. _Michetauri_ is perhaps a synonym of _Machi-tuyra_
great devil, _Guauana_ is such-Auna. Perhaps this fable alludes to an
anterior event and the passage to America of a former Hi-Auna.(77)
_42d Event._ AUMATEX a great Cazic marries the female Zemi _Guabanzex_,
goddess of waters and wind, and she has two sons _Guatauva_ and
_Pregonero_, who become male Zemis.
It is impossible to say if this event belongs to this time or to the
cosmogony. I presume it is historical, alluding to new tribes, and perhaps
foreign to Hayti. The names are difficult to explain, nor is it stated
what these sons performed; but being sons of water and wind, they must
have led colonies by sea elsewhere. They are perhaps the ancestors of the
Guataios and the Puruays?(78)
_43d Event._ COROCORO the quadruped Zemi of the Caracols? was the ancestor
of two lines of kings, _Guamorete_ and _Guatabanex_, who rule in Hayti.
His temple was in _Sacaba_, and his high-priest was called
_Cavava-Niovava_. Cave father and our father.
This alludes to different tribes than the Guaninis: _Coro_ was a tribe in
Cumana. Perhaps this is another version of the 10th Event, or a proper
indication of the subsequent institutions of the Caracol nation, when more
civilized, and become the Mayorex.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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